Residencies 2026/27

General information

The Landis & Gyr Foundation awards artist residencies in Budapest, Bucharest, London and Sofia to Swiss artists and cultural professionals working in one of the following disciplines:

 

  • Literature/translation
  • Composition
  • Cultural criticism/curatorial work
  • Theatre (directing, dramaturgy, playwriting)
  • Dance
  • Visual arts

The Zug residencies are awarded exclusively to writers and literary translators.

Because the Foundation itself has no rehearsal space for dancers, residencies in the discipline of dance are particularly suitable for research projects. In Budapest and Sofia, external rehearsal space can be booked via the Foundation. More information is available below.

With exception of the residencies in Budapest and Sofia, the Landis & Gyr Foundation artist residency programme is unable to accommodate children/families due to structural limitations of the lodgings.

The same requirements and conditions do not apply for all locations. Please read the exact descriptions for each individual location (below).

Who can apply

Applications are accepted from Swiss artists and cultural professionals as well as from non-Swiss artists and cultural professionals whose official residence is in Switzerland at the time of application. The prerequisite for all applicants is outstanding work in one of the disciplines named above. Residencies are not designed to support artists at the start of their careers. There is no age restriction.

Past recipients of a Landis & Gyr grant (artist residencies, travel grants and artist grants) must wait at least three years before submitting a new application. The reference date is the date of the final report. Persons who have unsuccessfully applied for a fellowship three times must wait three years before applying again. The reference date is the date of the most recent submission.

Applications for the following are not considered

  • Stays in other artist residencies such as the Istituto Svizzero in Rome

  • Funding for artist residencies not offered by the Landis & Gyr Foundation

Application documents

Applications are accepted in German, French, Italian and English. Each application must contain the following three documents (PDF format, max. 3 MB):

  • Letter of motivation/reason for application
  • Documentation/portfolio of artistic career and activities including a curriculum vitae (Please also provide a list of any grants and awards received to date, as well as previous residencies; all links in the document must be set as hyperlinks)
  • Project/planned activities during the residency

Evaluation criteria

  • Level of artistic proficiency: artistic record of achievement and potential

  • Relevance and motivation: the planned artistic activities, personal and artistic relationship to location of the residency as well as the added value the residency has for future creative work
  • Quality and development potential of the project

Application modalities and deadlines  

Applications must be submitted online via the Landis & Gyr Foundation’s application platform. Any physical documents sent will be neither considered nor returned.

 

Interested persons may apply via the online application platform for an artist residency in one location only; information on the desired time period (as well as a second choice) should also be given.

The application period for 2026/27 artist residencies opens on 1 December 2024. Application deadline: Friday, 31 January 2025.

The jury – made up of the Landis & Gyr Foundation Board and independent experts in the individual disciplines – convenes in March 2025. The final decision will be communicated to successful applicants by the end of May 2025 at the latest. Applicants who are not shortlisted will be informed in writing by the beginning of April 2025 (information sent to the address given in the application).

Social insurance contributions

The Landis & Gyr Foundation takes an active part in ensuring the social security of cultural professionals; mandatory social insurance contributions are deducted for all artist residencies, travel grants and artist grants of CHF 10,000 or more. The grant money is disbursed only after the grant recipient has provided the Foundation with the necessary bank account information. More information.

 

London artist residency

The Landis & Gyr Foundation maintains 5 small 2-room studio houses, a spacious studio for visual artists, and a soundproof workspace for composers at its Smithy Street location in Whitechapel/Stepney (East London); the Foundation awards three- or six-month artist residencies to individuals or artistic duos. Please note that space in the houses is limited.

The following times are available in 2025/2026:

(the available times will be published beginning of December 2024 at the latest)

The London artist residency includes use of one of the Foundation’s houses at no charge. In addition, grant recipients receive a monthly stipend of CHF 3,300 to cover living costs. Grant recipients are responsible for organising and paying for travel to London.

Contact for queries about the London residency: Stephanie Heller, stephanie.heller@lg-stiftung.ch, 041 725 23 50 (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)

 

Bucharest artist residency

For 2025, the Landis & Gyr Foundation is awarding one- to four-month artist residencies in Bucharest to individuals or artistic duos. Unlike the independently operated studios in London, Budapest and Zug, the studio accommodations in Bucharest are affiliated with the New Europe College Bucharest (NEC Bucharest). The Foundation maintains a studio apartment at NEC’s address on Strada Plantelor in the city centre. The building houses the New Europe College NEC, and the NEC international Fellows also reside there.

Applicants must have good English-language skills and a strong interest in the region. If desired, grant recipients have the opportunity to take part in NEC activities and to engage in discussions with international fellows from the arts and social sciences at weekly seminars. More information about NEC and its activities.

The Bucharest artist residency includes use of the Foundation’s lodgings at no charge. In addition, grant recipients receive a monthly stipend of CHF 3,300 to cover living costs. Grant recipients are responsible for organising and paying for travel to Bucharest.

Contact for queries about the Bucharest residency: Anna Wälli, anna.waelli@lg-stiftung.ch, 041 725 23 58 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

 

Budapest artist residency

For 2025, the Landis & Gyr Foundation is awarding one- to four-month artist residencies in Budapest to individuals or artistic duos. The Foundation maintains a two-storey studio apartment in the Raoul Wallenberg guesthouse in Budapest’s historic castle district in the city centre.

Applicants must have good English-language skills and a strong interest in the region. In Budapest, external rehearsal space and artist studios can be booked at Art Quarter Budapest via the Foundation. Applicants interested in external studio space should include this information on their grant application. The Foundation will endeavour to accommodate these wishes.

The Budapest artist residency includes use of the Foundation’s lodgings in the Raoul Wallenberg guesthouse at no charge. In addition, grant recipients receive a monthly stipend of CHF 3,300 to cover living costs. Grant recipients are responsible for organising and paying for travel to Budapest.

The Budapest lodgings are suitable for a stay with children, or as a small family. To promote a healthy work-family balance, the Foundation offers parents the opportunity to apply for financial aid of up to CHF 1,000 per month to help cover the costs of childcare and/or travel expenses for children. If a family stipend is desired, this must be communicated already in the application documents and family expenses must be specified in the breakdown of costs. In such cases, applicants are advised to contact the Foundation before submitting their application. Grant recipients are responsible for organising childcare; neither the Landis & Gyr Foundation nor the local residency coordinators assume responsibility for organising childcare.

Contact for queries about the Budapest residency: Anna Wälli, anna.waelli@lg-stiftung.ch, 041 725 23 58 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

 

Sofia artist residency

For 2025, the Landis & Gyr Foundation is awarding one- to four-month artist residencies in Sofia to individuals or artistic duos. Unlike the independently operated studios in London, Budapest and Zug, the studio accommodations in Sofia are affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Study (Center for Advanced Study CAS Sofia).

Applicants must have good English-language skills and a strong interest in the region. If desired, grant recipients have the opportunity to take part in CAS activities and to engage in discussions with international fellows from the arts and social sciences at weekly seminars. More information about CAS and its activities.

In Sofia, the Foundation can contact and book external rehearsal spaces or artist studios. Applicants interested in external studio space should include this information on their grant application. The Foundation will endeavour to accommodate these wishes.

The Sofia artist residency includes use of an apartment at no charge. In addition, grant recipients receive a monthly stipend of CHF 3,300 to cover living costs. Grant recipients are responsible for organising and paying for travel to Sofia.

The Sofia lodgings are suitable for a stay with children, or as a family. To promote a healthy work-family balance, the Foundation offers parents the opportunity to apply for financial aid of up to CHF 1,000 per month to help cover the costs of childcare and/or travel expenses for children. If a family stipend is desired, this must be communicated already in the application documents and family expenses must be specified in the breakdown of costs. In such cases, applicants are advised to contact the Foundation before submitting their application. Grant recipients are responsible for organising childcare; neither the Landis & Gyr Foundation nor the local residency coordinators assume responsibility for organising childcare.

Contact for queries about the Sofia residency: Anna Wälli, anna.waelli@lg-stiftung.ch, 041 725 23 58 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

 

Zug artist residency

The Landis & Gyr Foundation operates a studio house with three studio apartments and a live-in studio in the annex of the former Maria Opferung Convent in Zug. The three larger studio apartments are reserved for East-Central and Southeast European writers and translators to whom the Foundation has offered a personal invitation.

The annual, one-to-three-month artist residencies in Zug are awarded exclusively to Swiss writers and literary translators. The small live-in studio is reserved for these stays.

Good German- or English-language skills are a requirement, and interest in engaging with the grant recipients from East-Central/Southeast Europe staying in Zug is desired. The studios in Zug offer quiet space to live and work.

The Zug artist residency includes use of the Foundation’s lodgings at no charge. In addition, grant recipients receive a monthly stipend of CHF 3,300 to cover living costs. Grant recipients are responsible for organising and paying for travel to Zug.

Contact for queries about the Zug residency: Anna Wälli, anna.waelli@lg-stiftung.ch, 041 725 23 58 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

 

The next call for applications opens on 1. December 2024. Application deadline: Friday, 31 January 2025. 

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