Apply for a Residency

RESIDENCY

INSTRUCTIONS

Cultural and social science professionals, artists and researchers can apply for a residency in Villa Karo. The residency is suitable for both one’s own research and artistic work as well as community projects. Ideally, if a resident could also offer something to the local community.

The staff at Villa Karo will help you with getting contacts and organising your work.

Every year, we also invite West African professional artists, researchers and cultural professionals to a residency without weekly rental costs or office fees, and we offer a small allowance (50€ /week) for working and material costs.

Avecs, with the age limit of 16 years are also welcome to join the residency (for a fee). Their name and contact details must be provided before the start of the residency.

Applications will be evaluated by a separate panel. Decisions are not explained to the applicants.

Residency applications are processed twice a year. The application period is continuous, ie the application can be submitted at any time. After the application deadline, applications will be processed within 1-1,5 months.

Deadline for the Spring 2025 and Autumn 2025 periods is 23.9.2024 (23:59 UTC+3).

The application should have a short CV/portfolio, work plan, a short introduction of yourself and the desired dates for the residency.

The residency period can be from 6 weeks up to 12 weeks. For well justified reasons, there is some flexibility for a shorter period in the research center, depending on availability. Villa Karo's residency starts on a Monday and ends on a Monday.

The application should include the following:
- Name/s as shown on passport
- Contact information (email, phone number, home address)
- Birth date
- Your potential affiliation to a community member (see list under “Community Members” tab)

The applications with attachments in pdf. format should be sent to hakemukset[a]villakaro.org.

The residency given by Villa Karo covers:
- transport from Cotonou to Grand-Popo and back to Cotonou on a Tuesday for the arrival and on a Monday for the departure
- accommodation, cleaning of the room, breakfast every morning during the residency period
- exchange between local community and local artists
- support from staff in executing your project
- help and support in planning the trip and instructions for visa application

Fees: The resident’s own costs are
- reservation fee 200 EUR
- travel expenses to Benin
- 120 EUR weekly rent in the main building / 200 EUR weekly rent in the research center (VKRC)
-> As a working pair (both applying to a residency), 180 EUR weekly rent in the main building OR 300 EUR in VKRC
- visa 100 EUR (90 days) and travel insurance
- antimalarials and vaccinations (yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for all arrivals)
- hotel nights in Cotonou on arrival in Benin (approx. 15-50 EUR)
- possible excursions with Villa Karo and your own excursions
- large-scale interpretation services (eg. for own work).

Every year, we invite 6-8 West African* artists, researchers and cultural professionals to a residency (4 to 6 weeks) without them needing to pay for it and we offer a small allowance (50€ /week) for working and material costs (100€).

Villa Karo announces themes for each residency call, so please follow our channels to know the theme of each application period. The periods in general are as follows:

-> For a residency in the period of August-November, apply by 31.5 (23:59 Benin time).

-> For a residency in the period of December-March, apply by 30.9 (23:59 Benin time).

-> For a residency in the period of April-June, apply by 31.1 (23:59 Benin time).

Applications with resumes/portfolios and work plans in English or French to info[a]villakaro.org.

If the applicant already has funding for residency, we process the application in a joint application, so the number of West Africans can be higher than 6 people each year.

Villa Karo's residency starts on a Monday and ends on a Monday.

*By West African applicants, we mean individuals who live and have an ID/passport from one of the West African countries.

Villa Karo does not provide justification for the residency decisions.

The application should have a short CV/portfolio, work plan, a short introduction of yourself and the desired dates for the residency.

Send application to info[a]villakaro.org

Fees: The resident’s own costs are
- reservation fee 200 EUR
- 180 EUR/ week for Main Building
- 300 EUR/ week for the Research Centre
- travel expenses to Benin
- visa 100 EUR (90 days) and travel insurance
- antimalarials and vaccinations (yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for all arrivals)
- hotel nights in Cotonou on arrival in Benin (approx. 15-50 EUR)
- possible excursions with Villa Karo and your own excursions
- large-scale interpretation services (eg. for own work).

Finlands svenska författareförening
Finnish Association of Architects SAFA
Finnish Composers
Juho ja Maria Lallukan taiteilijakotisäätiö
Ornamo ry
Suomen Näytelmäkirjailijat ja Käsikirjoittajat ry
Suomen tanssi- ja sirkustaiteilijat STST
Suomen tietokirjailijat ry
The Union of Finnish Writers
University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki)
University of Helsinki
University of Turku
Wikimedia Finland
Åbo Akademi University

- In which language should the application be written?
-> The work plan can be written in Finnish, Swedish, English or French.

- How long can the residency be?
-> Villa Karo's residency periods are up to 12 weeks. Residency periods longer than this are not granted.

- How long should the application or work plan be?
-> Maximum 2 pages.

- Could I get help with finding partners?
-> You can if you are selected for residency.

- Can I complete the application after sending it?
-> You should prepare everything at once.

- Can I bring an avec to the residency? Should it appear in the application?
-> Avecs are welcome and can be announced at a later stage. Age limit 16 years.

Each resident receives an information package before the start of their residency.