OFFCITY AiR 2026: Interspaces

OFFCITY AiR 2026: INTERSPACES

Residency programme for artists, architects, and theorists in Pardubice (Czech Republic)

We invite creators and researchers to explore the theme of interspaces from various angles and perspectives. We're interested in interspaces as subtle cracks in the fabric of the city – gaps between buildings, unused courtyards, forgotten corners – but also as a metaphor for the rifts between beings, communities, and between the human and non-human world. We're curious about when and how to work with these spaces, how to cultivate and amplify their content, or critically engage with them – how to approach interspaces as places for imagining alternative futures.

Through this residency program, we aim to support approximately 3 projects (the number may vary depending on the scope of each proposal and our financial capacity). The residency builds on a series of previous programmes in which we've focused on reading and articulating public space. Together with participants of previous OFFCITY AiRs, we have explored the public spaces of Pardubice through lenses such as visual smog, graffiti, personal narratives, movement trajectories, urban greenery, and architecture – using the language of contemporary visual and performing arts, architectural practice, and theory.

Selected residents will be offered time, space, and financial support to explore Pardubice through their own senses and tools, and to present their findings to the public in a unique format (e.g., guided walk, performance, happening, etc.). Each project will receive a fee of CZK 1,400 per person per day, accommodation in a live-in studio for 1–3 weeks (the stay can be split), and basic production support, consultations, and networking opportunities with local cultural initiatives, organizations, and artists.

About Us:

OFFCITY is an independent platform based in Pardubice. We understand city as both structure and living organism – a social, artistic, and architectural matter that provides space for communication and interaction. We organize lectures, workshops, public space interventions, and more. We foster public discourse on themes related to art in public space, architecture, urbanism, etc. We have hosted creative residencies in Pardubice since 2016. Our goal is to encourage interdisciplinary, interregional, and international collaboration.

www.offcity.cz

What We Offer:

• Time to slow down, explore, experiment, develop, focus, and connect 
• Accommodation and workspace for 1–3 weeks (the residency studio is ideal for individuals but can also accommodate duos or small collectives used to coexisting)
• Friendly environment, basic production support, and consultations
• Artist fee of CZK 1,400/person/day
• Additional production expenses may be discussed individually
• Travel costs are covered by the resident.

Residency Dates:

• By agreement, anytime between March – October 2026

What We Expect:

• Active participation in the residency and open communication
• Respect and understanding toward the place, its people, and its non-human inhabitants
• One public presentation (during or after the residency, as agreed)

Deadline:

• Application deadline: August 31, 2025
• Results announced by: October 10, 2025

How to Apply:

• Please complete the application form (in Czech or English).
• Include: Project proposal (max. 300 words) • Short artistic/creative statement (max. 200 words) • Your CV • Portfolio (selection of projects, max. 5 A4 pages as a PDF, or link to an online portfolio)

For questions, contact: sarka@offcity.cz (Šárka Zahálková, curator of the program)