Arts Residencies in Slovenia: Experiences, Challenges, and Opportunities

Artist-in-residence (AiR) programmes have long played an important role in facilitating the much-needed international mobility of artists, their professional development, and collaboration. Over recent decades, they have burgeoned into an integral part of the contemporary cultural ecosystem. Programmes offering artists time and space for research, production, or networking are remarkably diverse – not only globally, but also within the national context. To connect the various organisers of AiR programmes in Slovenia, Motovila organised a meeting at Center Rog in February 2026, where participants shared their experiences. Who are the organisers, how are they keeping their programmes in step with contemporary trends, and what challenges are they facing in the process?

A Diverse Landscape of Arts Residencies

From public to private organisers

The meeting threw into sharp relief just how diverse the organisations running AiR programmes in Slovenia are. They range from public institutes and institutions – among them Center Rog, the International Centre of Graphic Arts, the Public Institute for Culture Kamnik, and the Koper Public Institute for Youth, Culture and Tourism – through to a wide variety of non-governmental organisations. Among the participants were Goga Publishing House and various associations such as KUD Mreža Arts and Culture Association and KID PiNA, alongside two professional bodies: the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators and the Slovene Animated Film Association. The private sector was also represented, with Elias, Malinc Publishing House, and Pr’ Lenart Homestead all taking part.

Spatial and infrastructural conditions

Although this is not a rule, public institutions tend to have stronger infrastructure for running AiR programmes, both for accommodation and creative work. The Public Institute for Culture Kamnik, for example, can draw on the infrastructure of several venues: the Kamnik Culture House, the Mekinje Monastery, and the Barutana Creative Quarter. At Center Rog, five residential studios and various modern, well-equipped labs offer artists-in-residence ample opportunities for production. The International Centre of Graphic Arts, meanwhile, offers eleven working studios in Švicarija Art Centre for artists based in Ljubljana, two residency studios for emerging Slovenian artists, and three residential units for international artists. Its facilities are also made available to AiR programmes run by other organisations, such as the Writer in the Park programme organised by Ljubljana, UNESCO City of Literature.

Although a handful of private initiatives also have considerable space at their disposal – the largest being, quite possibly, the Krušče Creative Center, with six buildings – most AiR programme organisers report being constrained by a lack of space. This has, in turn, fuelled a growing desire for closer collaboration among organisations, including the possibility of exchanging artists between AiR programmes.

Between city and countryside

Yet location shapes a residency long before infrastructure becomes a consideration. International artists can have entirely different residency experiences in Ljubljana alone, depending on whether they choose the very centre of the urban bustle (Center Rog), the immediate vicinity of an autonomous cultural centre’s alternative scene (Studio Asylum), or the edge of a landscape park (Švicarija Art Centre). Artists who find peace and quiet more conducive to the creative process than the urban life may prefer a residency in the countryside. The most remote and secluded are Krušče Creative Center and Elias Art Residency, while Pr’ Lenart Homestead and the KUD Manifest Arts and Culture Association residencies are also set amid nature in different parts of Slovenia. Some programme organisers offer a choice of locations: the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators runs its Sovre’s Study programme in Komen and Dol pri Hrastniku, while the Slovene Animated Film Association invites French artists to Ljubljana, Maribor, or Nova Gorica.

The breadth of artistic disciplines

Alongside location, another key consideration for artists is the artistic discipline a given programme is aimed at. Single-discipline programmes are offered by both professional associations – the Slovene Animated Film Association and the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators – as well as by certain publishers, such as Goga Publishing House and Sodobnost International Cultural Society. Most AiR programmes in Slovenia, however, are multidisciplinary, or at least open to artists working across various creative fields, particularly those with extensive infrastructure and technical facilities. One programme stands apart: the KID PiNA residency which brings together art and science and remains one of the few transdisciplinary programmes in Slovenia.

Target groups and national eligibility

Some programmes are aimed exclusively at international artists, and occasionally at very specific groups: Writer in the Park, for example, is open only to writers from other UNESCO Cities of Literature, the Slovene Animated Film Association welcomes exclusively French animators, while the Branislava Sušnik Humanities Residency is reserved for Spanish-speaking female researchers and artists. The Arts Residency in the House of Alojz Kocjančič is open to Slovenian artists only, whereas nationality is no barrier for most other organisers – either because their programme accommodates a broad range of applicants, or because they run several programmes targeting different groups.

Different models of programme delivery

Even where no nationality restrictions apply, residencies can differ considerably in terms of accessibility. Some artists join through open public calls (Sovre’s Study), while others rely on a curatorial selection process (Studio Asylum). The duration of residencies also varies significantly, from as little as a few days (Krušče, Goga) to several months (Center Rog, Švicarija).

What artists-in-residence actually do during their stay is another matter entirely. Some focus primarily on research (Slovene Animated Film Association residency), while others begin developing new work (Švicarija), or use their time in Slovenia chiefly for networking. These processes of creative work and professional development often intertwine. In any case, the content of individual programmes – shaped to a large extent by the artists-in-residence themselves – lies beyond the scope of this article. Nevertheless, can shared trends, common challenges, and experiences be identified across this diversity of programmes? Sustainability in AiR programmes was one of the first topics to emerge at the meeting.

Sustainability

Policies and funding for green mobility

The green transition has become one of the central issues in the cultural sector, as it has across many other fields. At the end of 2025, the report Creative Shifts: Empowering Culture for Sustainable Living was published, focusing on the green transition in the cultural and creative sectors and prepared by the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of experts from EU member states. Funders, too, are increasingly expecting sustainability considerations to be addressed. The green transition is one of the four overarching priorities of the EU’s Creative Europe programme. This framework also includes the Culture Moves Europe scheme, which supports the individual mobility of artists and residency hosts. Goethe-Institut Brussels, which implements the scheme, has drawn up recommendations for more sustainable residency practice, covering everything from mobility and energy use to the choice of equipment and materials, as well as the use of technology.

In 2025, the European network On the Move, which promotes fairer and more sustainable approaches to international mobility in the cultural sector, published a guide to green arts residencies. Alongside the list of funding opportunities across countries participating in the Creative Europe programme, the guide also features in-depth articles on the green transition in arts residencies and examples of good practice. Among the case studies included is an adapted version of a Culture.si article on green residencies in Slovenia.

Green Practices in Slovenian Arts Residencies

The meeting also highlighted one of Slovenia's more interesting green initiatives. As part of the Sustainability is in the AiR project, supported by the Creative Europe programme, the International Centre of Graphic Arts linked its Švicarija Art Centre with three partner residency centres in Prague, Athens, and Madrid. The project focused on slow mobility and on embedding sustainable artistic production practices in the field of contemporary visual art into the participating centres and their programmes. It also produced a handbook bringing together a range of approaches to, and reflections on, sustainability in arts residencies.

Slow mobility could likewise be encouraged through closer cooperation among AiR programme organisers at the local level. Residents could spend longer periods in a single location, forge stronger connections, and engage more deeply with local communities, generating a more lasting impact on both the artists themselves and the environments in which they temporarily reside.

The sustainability dimension is also evident in the repurposing of existing infrastructure. The spaces in Kamnik where the Public Institute for Culture Kamnik runs its AiR programme offer considerable scope for artistic activity. On the other hand, running programmes in listed heritage buildings can also pose some challenges, as such buildings are often highly energy-intensive.

Engaging with the Local Community

Although some AiR programmes are primarily designed to offer artists a retreat where they can concentrate on the creative process, both organisers and residents recognise the importance of engaging with the local community. AiR programme organisers in Slovenia employ a variety of approaches to foster such connections. The International Centre of Graphic Arts, for example, has invited residents to explore the seventy-year history of the Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, while Malinc Publishing House welcomes women researchers and artists wishing to develop projects related to the anthropologist Branislava Sušnik and her birthplace.

One of the most common ways to connect with local audiences is through public presentations, the form of engagement most commonly expected of artists-in-residence in Slovenia. A presentation may take the form of an exhibition, workshop, performance, talk, or similar event. Elias, which organises residencies in a remote natural setting, pays particular attention to ensuring artists have meaningful contact with audiences; to this end, it organises presentations for schools, while artists-in-residence stage concerts and performances.

Some organisers also seek to offer a more rounded residency experience by involving artists-in-residence in cultural and other local events, and by arranging special benefits through agreements with local partners. A fine example is the Slovenian Association of Literary Translators, which collaborates closely with the Municipality of Hrastnik and offers Sovre’s Study residents, among other things, free admission to events, access to sports facilities and guided tours, as well as complimentary travel around Slovenia.

Accessibility and Inclusion

In the context of AiR programmes, accessibility extends beyond broadly defined eligibility criteria to include the various adjustments that enable as wide a range of artists as possible to participate, regardless of their social circumstances or personal characteristics. AiR programme organisers in Slovenia generally state that they have shaped their residency policies around the principles of gender equality, support for underrepresented communities, and anti-discrimination practices.

In practice, however, AiR programmes in Slovenia often lack the infrastructure needed to provide a suitable environment for people with various disabilities – in this respect, programmes run by public institutions tend to be somewhat ahead of the field. The Kamnik Cultural AiR Programme, for example, includes a wheelchair-accessible space, while appropriate adjustments for people with hearing or visual impairments are available at the Kamnik Culture House. At Center Rog, one of the studios is fully adapted for artists with mobility impairments. The Slovene Animated Film Association, which rents its residency spaces, consults each selected artist individually about their needs and any adjustments that may be required, ensuring an inclusive environment for all residents.

Mobility can also become effectively inaccessible for many artists who are parents or caregivers if adequate support is not available. Most AiR programmes in Slovenia allow family members to be accommodated (some at no additional cost), though childcare is currently offered only by the Kamnik Cultural AiR Programme. At Center Rog, the larger residential studio is prioritised for families and creative collectives, while Goga Publishing House helps artists with families who need greater flexibility in scheduling their commitments by adapting their participation in events. Beyond these questions of inclusion, the meeting also highlighted the role of residencies as spaces of protection and free artistic expression.

Safe Havens for Artists at Risk

Amid global geopolitical tensions, wars, and genocides that are placing increasing numbers of artists at risk and exposing them to threats and persecution, programmes offering protection play a vital role. The International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) is a network of sanctuary cities committed to freedom of expression, offering guest writers a two-year residency and the opportunity to integrate into a more stable environment, with economic and physical security.

Ljubljana joined the network in 2011 at the initiative of Tone Peršak, then president of the Slovene PEN Centre, with the programme delivered jointly by the Slovene PEN Centre and the Municipality of Ljubljana. At the meeting of AiR programme organisers in Slovenia, the current PEN president, Tanja Tuma, explained that the selection process is carried out in cooperation with experts who carefully review all applications before PEN selects a writer from the resulting list. The aim is not only to integrate residents into life in Slovenia formally, but as fully socially as possible – through access to museums and libraries, with language course, literary events, social gatherings etc. Tanja Tuma also called for more Slovenian cities to join the network; Sweden alone has more than ten member cities, while the network currently comprises ninety-four members in total.

Towards Closer Collaboration

AiR programmes in Slovenia form a remarkably diverse landscape – in terms of organisation, location, delivery and content. At the same time, their organisers strive to respond as effectively as possible to the needs of artists today while also addressing broader social challenges, including sustainability, accessibility, community engagement, and safety. Closer cooperation among programme organisers can only further these efforts. As participants emphasised at the meeting, continued exchange of experience, knowledge, and good practice may prove crucial to the development of AiR programmes, which are an important part of Slovenia’s cultural ecosystem.

Author Bio

Nika Mušič has a background in comparative literature and many years of experience in publishing, where she worked as an editor in the field of contemporary and children's literature, as well as a proofreader and literary critic. Since 2024, she has been employed at Motovila (CED Slovenia), fostering cooperation in the cultural and creative sectors.

The text was written in February 2026 in the framework of the public procurement "Development and upgrade of information portals of the Ministry of Culture for the transition to the eKultura platform" in which Motovila Institute collaborates as a partner with Ljudmila Art and Science Laboratory.

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