Open call – Residency: schrit_tmacher X Greylight Projects / 2027

CHAOS AND SILENCE is the common thread running through the schrit_tmacher festival in 2027. For centuries, people have sought support in structures, rhythms, abstraction and sometimes even in complete silence – the void – in an attempt to find peace and connect with nature or with their own deeper consciousness. Finding a balance between the individual and the universal, between divergence and convergence – what do you allow in and what do you keep at a distance in order to maintain your sense of self?

Today, this seems to be increasingly urgent, but often also more elusive. The current whirlwind of events and developments in the world – the wars, the influence of AI on our collective consciousness, polarisation, the enormous amount of information we are confronted with every day, and the rapid pace at which we have to live simply to keep up – affects how we live and interact with one another on a daily basis.

With its focus programme, the festival seeks to make the profound impact that CHAOS AND SILENCE has on our lives visible, recognisable and tangible. It explores the exhausting cycle of more, more, more, alongside the meditative, almost trance-like silence that can emerge when we try to organise the world into clear structures. What kind of clarity emerges when we cast all the noise and baggage overboard, when we surrender to chaos, when we embrace ourselves and our own histories, or when we open ourselves up and find ourselves in the other – however different that other may be?

The residency

The residency encourages interdisciplinary approaches and forms that expand conventional boundaries of art and performance and practices that explore storytelling, personal or collective narratives, untold stories, revealing experiences that are often overlooked or unspoken. We welcome artists who are open to sharing their process with peers and the public. The residency is not only a place to work, but an invitation to develop a practice in relation to the specific social, spatial and historical context of Heerlen and the wider region. There are no restrictions in discipline or medium, as long as the practice resonates with the context of the program.

The residency takes place at Greylight Projects in Heerlen, the Netherlands. At the beginning of schrit_tmacher Festival, the artist will give a public presentation or talk as an introduction to their practice. At the end of the festival, the residency will culminate in a final presentation of the developed work or research, either at Greylight Projects or at another suitable location in Heerlen.

About the organisations

ABOUT:  schrit_tmacher X Greylight Projects
Greylight Projects and schrit_tmacher Festival collaborate to explore the relationship between visual arts and dance. Through this partnership, the residency offers a space for investigative practices that contribute reflection and added value to the festival program. Artists in the residency present their practice and work at the festival, connecting their research to a broader discourse.

ABOUT:  schrit_tmacher festival
schrit_tmacher  is a leading international dance festival in the south of the Netherlands, at the gateway to Europe. The festival provides a sustainable platform for experiencing and developing contemporary dance. With an adventurous mix of interdisciplinary crossovers, challenging performances, and virtuosic dance from diverse cultural perspectives, schrit_tmacher annually organizes, presents, and (co-)produces a program that pushes boundaries and creates opportunities for new artistic encounters.

The festival places contemporary productions within a historical, social and/or cultural framework; this framework highlights developments and traditions, provides scope for deeper understanding and, at the same time, ensures coherence. You could call it a common thread that helps the audience find their way around the extensive festival programme.
link: https://schrittmacherfestival.nl/

ABOUT:  Greylight Projects

Greylight Projects is a platform for contemporary and visual art, dedicated to fostering collaboration, dialogue, and creative exchange between artists, makers, and the public. The organization aims to create opportunities for artistic experimentation, research, and presentation, while encouraging connections across disciplines and regions.

Through its programming, Greylight Projects engages with local and international art communities, fostering artistic exchange, critical discourse, and public engagement. The organization’s goal is to provide artists with the resources, support, and environment needed to explore new ideas, expand their practice, and create projects that respond to, interact with, or take place within their surroundings.

Since 2020, Greylight Projects has been based in a former school building in the heart of Heerlen. The building offers a dynamic and versatile environment, including dedicated studios for resident artists, guest ateliers, a multifunctional exhibition space, a workshop, a shared kitchen, and a spacious garden. This combination of spaces allows for both individual artistic practice and collaborative projects, making it a hub for the development and presentation of innovative contemporary art in Heerlen.
link: https://greylightprojects.org/

Application guidelines

To apply, please send the following documents (in English or Dutch) combined into ONE SINGLE PDF FILE (10 Mb max.) by email to: opencall@greylightprojects.org

The document must contain the following information: – a short text about your motivations for the residency (500 words max)
– a short text describing your artistic practice. (500 words max)
– a curriculum vitae with your contact details (email, telephone, address, website)
– images of recent works (with captions)

*For new media, please insert links to look at videos or to listen to sound tracks within the pdf 

Deadline for applications: 15 November 2026 (midnight)

• Start of the residency: 1st of January 2027
• Duration: 3 months
• Studio and accommodation information: the residency offers a studio space of approximately 40m² at Greylight Projects in Heerlen. The studio also serves as the living space. Kitchen, shower, and toilet facilities are shared with others in the building.
• Selection: The selection will be made by a member of the Greylight Projects team, in collaboration with a representative of the schrit_tmacher festival and an external advisor. The results will be communicated by email shortly after the deadline. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an online meeting prior to the final selection.
• Presence: The selected artist is invited to spend time on site regularly and to engage actively with the local context and community throughout the residency period. The residency can be structured flexibly in dialogue with the artist.
• Expected outcome:  The artist is expected to participate in two presentation moments during the schrit_tmacher Festival in Heerlen: an introductory talk at the start of the festival and a final presentation — such as a performance or another suitable format — showcasing the results developed during the residency. These presentations will be realized within the available means, resources, and facilities.
• Paid by host:  The residency provides a production and research grant of €900 per month, intended as a contribution towards living and material costs. An additional fee of €500 is provided for the two presentation moments during the festival.
• Paid by the artist: insurances, travel expenses, food
• Languages spoken: English / Dutch

Note: Greylight Projects operates within limited public funding. We aim to offer fair conditions within these means and are continuously seeking to improve accessibility and support for participating artists. We recognize that financial and practical circumstances can limit participation. We therefore encourage applicants to discuss any accessibility needs or constraints — we will do our best to accommodate them.

(Any question or remarks can be addressed at: opencall@greylightprojects.org)

This open call can be downloaded here as pdf.