Who can apply?

Who can apply?

The residency is intended for individual professional artists, work pairs and artistic collectives (i.e., a workgroup or established organisation with a Business ID) of all disciplines and all nationalities for the purpose of carrying out a project proposed in advance.

Two residency programmes are available: individual and group residencies.

The residencies are open to

  • individual professional artists, also work pairs, from different fields
  • fiction writers
  • poets
  • translators
  • composers
  • curators
  • critics
  • Researchers in artistic research (doctoral level and above; PhD, post-doc, etc.)
  • Artist groups (3–10 people), for example, community and environmental artists or independent dance, circus, and theatre ensembles.

The following are not eligible to apply for a residency:

  • Students
  • Residencies cannot be applied for as part of studies or internships
  • Non-fiction writers
  • Researchers whose academic work is not artistic research

The artists who have previously been awarded an individual residency, are not eligible to apply for an individual residency again, but they may apply for a group residency. Conversely, those who have previously participated in a group residency may apply for an individual residency.

When?

The two-month individual residency periods in 2027 are January-February, March-April, September-October and November-December. We do not award residencies longer or shorter than two months. Individual artists or pairs of artists cannot apply for a residency during the summer. Exact dates of the residency period will be provided to successful applicants in the acceptance letter.

Group residencies are 2-4 weeks long and run from 1 June to 15 August 2027. We grant a one-week residency period only in special cases; for example, for a translator workshop or for groups that need to assemble for a small-scale seminar.

What are residencies for?

The residency is meant for artistic work.

We favour fields of art and subjects that are multidisciplinary, new and emerge from outside the mainstream. We appreciate persevering, unhurried and in-depth work.

Individual residencies

We emphasise diversity in the artist selection for the residence. For each two-month residency we choose Finnish and foreign artists, young and more experienced artists as well as artists representing different art forms. Another central criterion is that the artist’s work is innovative and current. The objective is that at least some residents represent new or marginal art forms.

Group residencies

In group residencies, we emphasise work that is innovative, current and represents new or marginal art forms. We favour subjects and themes that are cross-disciplinary, inter-disciplinary or outside the mainstream. We especially welcome applications for projects involving cooperation between Finnish and international artist groups. These groups should select a Finnish team leader – if possible – to complete the application form and act as a contact person.

Saari Residence for researchers funded by Kone Foundation

Due to multiyear renovation work in the residency’s workspaces, we can’t offer intensive periods in the upstairs of the manor house for individual researchers, researchers or teams funded by the Foundation as well as Metsän puolella (“For the Woods”) projects.

Return to the residency applicants’ main page