Since 2010, in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), the MuseumsQuartier has invited international writers to apply for a two-month residency in a living studio on the MQ premises as part of its MQ Artist-in-Residence Program. This year’s OPEN CALL for the MQ Writer-in-Residence Program is aimed at authors from the Western Balkans. The term “Western Balkans” refers to Albania and the non-EU successor states of the former Yugoslavia:
Albania / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Kosovo / Montenegro / North Macedonia / Serbia
The invitation is intended to provide authors from the Western Balkans with the opportunity to connect with the Austrian arts and literary scene, further develop their literary work during the residency, and present it to an Austrian audience.
Applicants for the MQ Writer-in-Residence Program must have published at least one independent work through a publishing house in their home country since 2024.
MuseumsQuartier Wien
With 90,000 m² and over 50 cultural institutions, the MQ is not only one of the largest art and cultural complexes in the world, but also an oasis of peace and relaxation in the heart of the city. Historical architecture meets contemporary design, high culture meets subculture. The spectrum ranges from visual arts, architecture, music, fashion, theatre, dance, literature, children's culture, game culture, to design and photography.
MQ Artist-in-Residence program
The international Artist-in-Residence Program at MQ, realized in cooperation with various partners, has been offering around 60 international artists from diverse disciplines the opportunity each year since 2002 to live and work at MQ, further develop their artistic projects, and engage with the local art and cultural scene. One of the core aims of the program is to enrich Vienna’s cultural landscape with new perspectives from abroad and to foster artistic exchange.
Support provided by MuseumsQuartier Vienna in cooperation with BMEIA
- Accommodation in a living studio for the duration of the residency. The living studios are located directly on the MQ premises.
- A monthly grant of €1,300 to cover living expenses.
- Travel allowance: €300 flat rate for travelers from EU countries, €500 flat rate for travelers from non-EU countries.
- Networking events with other MQ Artists-in-Residence and local cultural and literary professionals.
- Networking meetings with representatives of the local art and literary scene.
- Support in establishing contacts with institutions located within MQ and other cultural institutions in Vienna.
- Opportunities to present literary work during the residency in coordination with the MQ curatorial team and the BMEIA.
Responsibilities of the MQ Writer-in-Residence
- Independent organization of travel to and from Vienna.
- Independent organization of visa. (Selected authors will receive an official invitation letter but are responsible for securing a valid residence permit for Austria for the duration of the residency. Authors from the Western Balkans must submit the residence permit no later than one month before the start of the MQ residency.)
- Presentation of their own literary work at an event.
- Documentation of the residency after completion.
- At least 80% attendance during the MQ residency period is required.
- Travel and health insurance must be arranged independently.
Residency periods
Please let us know which time periods you would prefer to participate in the MQ Writer-in-Residence Program 2026. We cannot guarantee the preferred periods but will do our best to accommodate your wishes.
- January + February 2026
- March + April 2026
- May + June 2026
- July + August 2026
- September + October 2026
- November + December 2026
Application Requirements
Application documents (in English or German) must include the following:
- Biography (max. 2 pages)
- Portfolio presenting your literary work, including a project proposal and list of publications. Optional: links to websites, videos or audio, press materials, etc. (max. 15 pages, max. 10 MB)
- Submit all application documents by July 1, 2025 (11:59 PM) to the following two email addresses:
AbtV2@bmeia.gv.at and elisabeth.hajek@mqw.at - The selection of authors from the Western Balkans for the MQ Writer-in-Residence Program will be made by a jury composed of representatives from the literary field.
- Announcement of the selected fellows by the jury: September 1, 2025.
We look forward to receiving your applications!
OPEN CALL
MQ Residency – Art & Ecology
As part of its Artist-in-Residence programme, the MuseumsQuartier invites international artists to apply for a two-month residency in a residential studio on the MuseumsQuartier site. This open call is aimed at visual artists whose work focuses on art and ecology. The submission deadline is June 1, 2025.
Duration of the residency
Two months at a time. Possible periods:
January + February 2026 / March + April 2026 / May + June 2026 / July + August 2026 / September + October 2026 / November + December 2026
Services of the MuseumsQuartier Wien
- Provision of a residential studio for the duration of the stay. The MQ studios are studio flats, not workshops. The studios are located directly on the MuseumsQuartier premises.
- To cover the costs of maintenance, the artist will be provided with € 1.300,- per month of residence stay.
- Travel allowance: € 300,- for travellers from EU countries, € 500,- for travellers from non-EU countries.
- Networking events with other MQ Artists-in-Residence and local cultural practitioners
- Networking meetings with representatives of the local art scene
- Support in establishing contacts with the MuseumsQuartier and other (cultural) institutions in Vienna.
- Talk and presentation opportunities during the residency period in coordination and cooperation with the curatorial team of the MQ.
Services of the MQ Artist-in-Residence
- Self-organisation of travel to and from the residency
- Self-organisation of the visa (The invited artists will receive an official letter of invitation, but must take care of acquiring a valid residence permit for Austria for the duration of the residency. The selected artists are requested to submit this no later than one month before the start of the residency).
- Presentation of your work at an event
- Documentation of the stay after the end of the residency
- At least 80% of the residency period is compulsory.
- The applicant must provide his/her own travel and health insurance.
- Deadline for submission (see application details): 1st of June 2025
Submission details
The submission documents (English or German) consist of the following parts:
- Letter of motivation for the MQ Artist-in-Residence Art & Ecology Studio
- Biography (max. 2 pages)
- Portfolio presenting the artistic work. Optional links to websites, video or audio links, press etc. (max. 15 pages, max. 10 MB)
All documents must be submitted by 1st of June 2025 (23:59).
Incomplete documents or submissions after the deadline cannot be considered.
The residencies will be awarded by the MuseumsQuartier curatorial team and announced via email by the beginning of July 2025.
Contact
General questions about the MQ Artist-in-Residence programme and how to put together your submission:
Elisabeth Hajek, Curator MQ
elisabeth.hajek@mqw.at
