Art Box portal //

Since 2013, NGO KEC Art Box has operated as an artist-in-residence program for local and international artists, curators, choreographers, writers, and researchers from over 15 countries, including Croatia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, the USA, Iceland, Canada, and Norway. The Art Box Residency Centre maintains international professional connections with artists, curators, writers, researchers, and cultural organisations. Through its residency programme and international collaborations, Art Box supports artistic exchange, knowledge sharing, research and the development of professional networks across borders.

The Art Box Residency Centre is based in Petrovaradin, on the slopes of Fruška Gora, 5 km from Novi Sad’s centre. The nearest city bus stop is approximately a seven-minute walk away. The centre is located in a 150 m² house with a separate 36 m² studio designed to accommodate one artist or an artistic couple. The studio has Wi-Fi and is primarily intended for artists, curators, theorists, and researchers.

Residents can also use the shared spaces of the house, including a 1,000 m² garden, kitchen, bathroom and living room. The space is intended for short stays of up to three days, as well as for workshops, seminars and other programmes that can accommodate a larger number of participants during the day. Accommodation at this location, however, is limited to one artist or artistic couple.

The second residency space is located in Detelinara, Novi Sad, near the Bogdan Šuput School of Design. The nearest bus stop is approximately a ten-minute walk away. It is a fully equipped apartment in a newly built residential building, with new appliances and furniture. The apartment has two rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a terrace, as well as Wi-Fi. It is intended for individual artists, curators, writers, and researchers, as well as for residencies for two people.

This space is designed for longer stays, ranging from one week to three months.

For work and research purposes, residents staying at this location may, subject to prior arrangement and an additional fee, also have access to the studio of a partner organisation.

Open Call for Residency

ART BOX welcomes applications from artists, curators, writers, researchers, and other cultural practitioners interested in developing their projects within an independent, interdisciplinary, and international environment.

To apply for a residency in 2027/28, please send the following materials to:

ljiljanamv@artboxportal.com

• motivation letter
• project proposal
• CV

Funding

ART BOX does not currently provide direct financial support for residencies. However, we can issue an official invitation letter and supporting documentation to assist residents in applying for external funding, mobility grants and other relevant funding schemes.

Residents are responsible for identifying and applying for funding opportunities appropriate to their project and country of residence.

Outcome

The outcome of the residency depends on the resident’s practice and the nature of the proposed project. The residency provides time and space for artistic research, writing, developing new work, experimentation and reflection, as well as an opportunity to engage with the local cultural context of Novi Sad and the wider region of Vojvodina.

Depending on the project, the residency may result in a new artwork, a body of research, a text or publication, a presentation, workshop, lecture, discussion or other form of public programme. Residents are encouraged to develop their work independently while also taking part in an exchange with the local artistic and cultural community.

The residency can therefore serve both as a period of focused individual work and as an opportunity to establish professional contacts, exchange knowledge and develop future collaborations.

Residency Fee

For information about residency fees and available dates, please contact:

ljiljanamv@artboxportal.com

Deposit required.

Art Box emphasizes:

Intercultural exchange

Feminist and gender-focused art practices

Support for female artists and marginalized voices

Artistic mobility, especially within Nordic and Japanese partnerships

Key Projects and Highlights:

“A Room of One’s Own” (2023): A feminist residency project inspired by Virginia Woolf, exploring how personal and public spaces influence women artists’ creative identities.

“Meaning of Home” (2022): A multimedia exhibition on home, displacement, and identity, part of the Novi Sad 2022 – European Capital of Culture, featuring residents from Japan, Sweden, Estonia, and the USA.

Slam Poetry & Literature: Collaborative poetry nights and workshops with Japanese slam poets and local Serbian authors, fostering literary exchange and education.

Educational Outreach: Visiting artists often lead creative workshops in local high schools, art institutions, and museums.

Nordic Connection: Notable collaborations with artists and curators from Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Sweden – including curator Geir Haraldseth and artists such as Henrik Hedinge and Nils Ramhøj.

EU–Japan Exchange: Through cooperation with EU–Japan Fest (Tokyo), Japanese choreographers, visual artists, and poets have participated in residencies and public programs in Serbia.

Supported by:

Novi Sad 2022 – European Capital of Culture

City of Novi Sad – Department for Culture

EU–Japan Fest (Tokyo)

Tartu 2024 Foundation

MSUV, KS Svilara, KS Eđšeg, and various international partners