Working at the Saari Residence

The Saari Residence offers artists of all disciplines the opportunity and freedom to develop their work and practice. In Saari Residence, you can immerse yourself in your work and interact fruitfully with other artists in residence. Artists living in Finland and abroad can apply for the residency.

The residency is open all year round. The two-month periods for individual artists and work partners are January-February, March-April, September-October and November-December. Between June and mid-August, all the spaces are reserved for groups of artists to work for 2-4 weeks.

During the individual residencies, seven artists, a Saari Invited Artist and one researcher funded by Kone Foundation will work in the residence for two months. In an individual residency, each person has their own apartment and workspace, either a studio attached to the apartment or a studio in an old stone barn. During the shorter group residencies, more people stay in the residency, with groups staying in closer quarters and one apartment accommodating 1-3 people.

A two-month individual residency includes a flat, a studio and a monthly allowance depending on experience (EUR 2 700 / EUR 3 200 / EUR 3 800 / month). Residents pay for their travel, food and supplies.

Artistic working groups can apply for a residency grant for periods of 2-4 weeks.

The Saari Residence is located in a natural rural setting in Southwest Finland, 30 kilometres north of Turku. The residence’s studios, dance studio, other workspaces, comfortable apartments and unique manor setting offer residents the opportunity to work in a creative and peaceful atmosphere. Read more about the environment

Part of the uniqueness of the Saari Residence is the Saari Well. It is not a physical place, but a metaphor for meeting and sharing ideas between the people working in the residence. Read more about the Saari Well

Accommodation and workspaces

The main building of the Saari Manor, built in 1779, serves as the offices for the Residence’s staff. The apartments for the residents are located in the Kitchen and Footman wings, separate buildings in the courtyard, as well as in the Farmhand’s Cottage in the park area. The manor buildings and their surroundings are of cultural and historical interest and are protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency.

The Residence has nine furnished apartments of different sizes. The larger apartments are intended for literary artists, researchers and artists with families. The apartments have a basic kitchen or kitchenette, and there is also a communal kitchen in one of the buildings. Each apartment has an en suite shower and toilet. The stay includes a monthly grant and a personal apartment with a workspace for individual residency periods, while groups live more closely together and often share apartments. Each apartment and workspace has wired internet access (fibre optic). There is no wireless network (Wi-Fi) at the Saari Residence.

The workspaces for artists at the Residence are in an old stone barn, built in 1858, which also houses a dance studio, three different-sized studios intended mainly for visual artists, a sewing machine and a woodworking shop. The spaces for literary work are located within the accommodations. Each artist or collective works in a private workspace for their residency period. Artistic groups can also use some of the manor’s outbuildings during the summer.

Residency brings together artists from different disciplines

The Saari Well gives artists and researchers in residence the opportunity to meet, share and leave their mark on each other’s ideas, work and the Saari Residence. During spring and autumn, the Saari Residence usually hosts seven artists in residence, a Saari Invited Artist and one researcher on a Kone Foundation grant at a time, and from mid-May to mid-August in the summer, all spaces are reserved for groups.

The common language of the international artist residence is English.

As part of Kone Foundation, the Saari Residence fosters research and artistic work in Finland by granting residencies so that about half of the recipients are artists living in Finland, regardless of nationality. For each residency, the aim is to select Finnish and foreign artists from a wide range of disciplines, as well as artists at the start of their career and more established artists.

The weekly routines of the residency include joint meetings, where each resident takes turns to present their work and receive and give positive feedback on it. The residents also meet weekly with the staff over lunch. During the individual residency period, the Residence organises study circles and discussions on topics such as ecology and sustainability.

Work partners, families and pets

During an individual residency, it is possible to work with a partner. The pairs apply together and share a workspace.

During individual residencies, we also welcome artists with a spouse or family. If you plan to come with your family, please let us know when you apply. Please note that we have only a limited number of apartments suitable for families, and the residency program is primarily intended for artists and researchers.

If members of a workgroup have young children (under school age) whose care cannot be organised in other ways during the residency, please note this in the application so we can take this into consideration. The parents or guardians of the children are responsible for making any daycare arrangements.

You can also come with a dog; one of our apartments is dog-friendly. Please tell us about your pet when you apply so we can ensure room for your dog.

Ecologically sustainable residency

Ecology and sustainability guide the Residence’s daily life, events and activities. The ecological activities of the Residence also include discussions, excursions and workshops, for instance. However, working on ecological themes is not a criterion for selecting artists. Read more about ecologically sustainable residency

Accessibility of the Saari Residence

The Saari Residence aims to be accessible to as many artists as possible. The residence currently has one accessible apartment and a lift to the first floor of the main building. We will develop the accessibility of the residence further where possible. For further information on accessibility, please email saari@koneensaatio.fi or call Pirre Naukkarinen, Residency and Communications Coordinator +358 44 031 4201.

The area’s protected buildings and surroundings pose challenges for accessibility. The remote location of the residence and the scarcity of public transport also pose challenges, for example, mobility or access to assistance. The terrain of the manor, which is of cultural and historical significance, is challenging; for example, the dirt road from the main building to the Barn is steep and requires crossing a driveway to get there.

As part of the social sustainability, diversity and accessibility of the Saari Residence, artists coming from the Global South can apply for support for air travel and visa costs.

Mentoring programme

The mentoring programme offers each artist selected for an individual residency the opportunity to have discussions with mentors.

The mentors are key professionals in their field of art living in Finland, and each has a personal relationship with Saari Manor. Read more about the mentoring programme

Return to the residency applicants’ main page