Residencies

The Warsaw Observatory of Culture runs an artistic-research residency programme. Every year, in early spring, we announce a new thematic edition and format of the few-month-long WOK Residencies. The prevailing theme of the 2023 edition was CHANGE.

The residency programmes we run are transdisciplinary in nature. We support processes, artistic practices and research of individuals and collectives and facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between them. We pair the selected residents with organisations and experts from different fields. The challenges that institutions of culture and artistic milieus face today call for rediscovering collaboration formats and searching for the most applicable forms of working together. Therefore, at WOK, we endorse building an equal relationship between the institution and its residents. That is why at WOK, we endorse building an equal relationship between the institution and residents.We are mindful of each participant by supporting tailor-made processes, creating situations and opportunities, and offering tools to grow residents’ potential and competencies.

In principle, WOK residencies do not require residents to organise an event or create artwork, as we want the residency’s deliverables to be experience, practice, and reflection. This is why extensive residency documentation is one of its fundamental elements.

The WOK Residencies are a crucial aspect of our core work. We are convinced that the presence of residents and accompanying them in their processes will have a profound effect on the activities we engage in as an institution, and will influence our research interests. In this context, we would like the future editions of the programme to reflect the needs and the pulse of the then-present reality. This means they will be changing in form and theme just as the world around us changes, they will be enriched and affected by past editions and by the experiences gained, in addition they will take into consideration the needs of potential residents. Theywill follow the most suitable formats and topics.