TUR Artist Residency in Riga 

August – September 2025

Call closed on 09.03.2025

TUR, Contemporary Space for Art, is mostly known for curated art exhibitions in its characteristic industrial-meets-white-cube space at the core of one of Riga’s cultural quarters. With a focus on artistic experimentation, interdisciplinary exchange, and public engagement beyond the traditional art scene, TUR fosters a dynamic platform for innovative contemporary art and dialogue.

In 2025, TUR will expand its activities by offering an artist in residence program that supports artistic development and research, networking and international collaboration. 

The residency is run in cooperation with two other renowned cultural institutions in Riga – the international photography platform, ISSP and the comic art publisher kuš!.

Who can apply?

Artists and art professionals working in the field of contemporary art (artists, curators, researchers, educators) are encouraged to apply, especially those with a specific incentive to spend time in Riga. The residency is not focused on a specific end result, but rather provides an opportunity for research, process, and reflection, while allowing residents to become familiar with the context of the Latvian art scene. The successful candidate will be selected based on the strength of their portfolio and their potential connection to TUR and Riga.

Duration

The residency is for 2 months in August – September 2025. The residency calendar is based on full month slots, from the first to the last day of the month.

What do we offer?

• Fully funded accommodation in a private room in a comfortable apartment close to the city centre (shared with the residents invited by ISSP and kuš!)

• Travel cost support of up to €250 (green travel is encouraged)

• An invitation letter that the residents can use for applying for additional funding (such as mobility grants)

• A studio space (if necessary) located in Tallinas ielas kvartāls, the creative quarter where TUR is located

• Support from the local coordinator and TUR’s team: suggestions, contacts and insights into the local contemporary art scene (including studio visits)

What do we expect from the residents?

• to work on their artistic project/research in Riga, Latvia for the period of the residency

• to be open to interact with the local audience in the form of an artist talk, workshop or other public event,

• within one month upon the completion of the residency, to provide us with a feedback and documentation of the residency (in a chosen format)

Accommodation and facilities

The artists-in-residence will reside in a fully equipped, spacious apartment close to the city centre, in a 15 minute walk distance from TUR and studio space (both located in Tallinas ielas kvartāls). The apartment will be shared with other residents in the field of comics and/or photography. 

Each artist will have a private bedroom equipped with a working table and have access to a shared living room, fully equipped kitchen and 2 bathrooms.                                                  

Other facilities: wi-fi, scanner.

Accessibility: The apartment is located on the 3rd floor, there is no elevator in the building. 

Host City

Riga, the largest city in the Baltic States, stands at a geographical and cultural crossroads between Eastern, Western, and Northern Europe. It's a vibrant hub where history and modernity blend, with a dynamic arts and culture scene. For those seeking a break from the urban buzz, nearby forests and beaches are just a stone's throw away.

Project Partner ISSP

ISSP is an international platform for contemporary photography, based in Latvia. ISSP offers top-quality education and networking programmes for photographers, organises residencies, exhibitions and events, and creates new ways to promote the cross-border exchange of ideas in the art of photography.

Project Partner kuš!

kuš! (pronounced koosh!) is a comic art publisher from Latvia founded in Riga in 2007. It is most well known for its signature pocket-sized anthologies and its mini-kuš! series. The aims of kuš! are to popularize comics in a country where this medium is practically non-existent and to promote Latvian comics abroad. kuš! doesn't just publish paper-back comic books, it also organizes exhibitions, workshops, residencies, comic jams and other comic related events, as well as traveling to international festivals to spread the Latvian comic fever.

TO APPLY

Please submit the APPLICATION FORM by 09.03.2025. The results will be announced by 09.04.2025.

Questions?

Feel free to contact us at tur.telpa@gmail.com. For more information about TUR and its activities we invite you to visit our website (turtelpa.lv), Instagram (@tur_telpa) and/or Facebook page (TUR).

This residency is supported by the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation.

Call closed on 9.03.2025.

TUR has joined ISSP and KUŠ Comics and are offering a funded residency in Riga, Latvia for three Ukrainian artists from May to December 2025. The programme is dedicated to Ukrainian artists and cultural professionals. Priority will be given to those currently based and working in Ukraine. 

The residency offers a possibility to implement or continue developing an artistic project, work on a personal archive and explore the local art and culture scene.

Who can apply? 

Each partner organisation will host one resident from the following professional fields:

• TUR: artist or culture professional working with the visual arts in the broadest sense (artists, curators, researchers, and educators are eligible);
  

• ISSP: photographer or artist working with photography;
  

• kuš! : comics artists or other professional working in the field of comics.
  

There are no limitations regarding age, background or artistic style of the participants. The residents will be accepted based on the strength of their portfolio, residency calendar, and possibilities for local engagement. 

Duration

The residency is for one or two months during the period May – December 2025, depending on the preferences of the residents. The residency calendar is based on full month slots, from the first to the last day of the month.
  

What do we offer?

• A stay at the comfortable residency apartment in the center of Riga;
  

• A stipend of 1000 EUR (before tax) for the whole period of the residency;
  

• Transportation cost support (up to 250 EUR);
  

• An invitation letter that the residents can use for applying for additional funding;
  

• Regular support from the residency coordinator and engagement in the activities of the corresponding organization (suggestions, contacts and insights into the local contemporary art scene).
  

• Additional resources (e.g. studio space or extra equipment) may be provided by a receiving organisation.
  
  

What do we expect from the residents?

• To work on their artistic project/research in Riga, Latvia for the period of the residency;
  

• To be open to interact with the local audience in the form of an artist talk or other public event;
  

• Within one month upon the completion of the residency, to provide us with feedback and documentation of the residency and copies of produced work to use for publicity purposes.
  
  

Accommodation and facilities

The artists-in-residence will reside in a fully equipped, spacious residency apartment close to the city centre (Brīvības Street 190, Riga). The residency is jointly managed by ISSP, kuš! and TUR and will be shared with other residents in the field of visual arts.

Each artist will have a private bedroom equipped with a working table and have access to a shared living room, fully equipped kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Other facilities: wi-fi, scanner.

Accessibility: The apartment is located on the 3rd floor, there is no elevator in the building.

TO APPLY

Please submit the APPLICATION FORM by 9.03.2025. The results of the selection process will be known by the end of March 2025. 

In case of questions, please contact us
- at tur.telpa@gmail.com (TUR);
- at residencies@issp.lv (ISSP);
- at komikss@gmail.com (kuš!).
  

About the project partners:

TUR, Contemporary Space for Art, is mostly known for curated art exhibitions in its characteristic industrial-meets-white-cube space at the core of one of Riga’s cultural quarters. With a focus on artistic experimentation, interdisciplinary exchange, and public engagement beyond the traditional art scene, TUR fosters a dynamic platform for innovative contemporary art and dialogue.
https://turtelpa.lv/ / @tur_telpa

ISSP is a platform for contemporary photography, art and education. ISSP organizes local and international education and exchange programmes, produces exhibitions, publications and events. The ISSP School offers educational programmes, masterclasses and mentoring programmes, nurturing a new generation of local photographers and artists. The ISSP Gallery is the central exhibition and events space for contemporary photography in Riga.
https://www.issp.lv/en / @issp_latvia 

kuš! is a comic art publisher from Latvia founded in Riga in 2007. It is most well known for its signature pocket-sized anthologies and its mini-kuš! series. The aims of kuš! are to popularize comics in a country where this medium is practically non-existent and to promote Latvian comics abroad. kuš! doesn't just publish paper-back comic books, it also organizes exhibitions, workshops, residencies, comic jams and other comic related events, as well as traveling to international festivals to spread the Latvian comic fever.
https://www.komikss.lv/ / @kushkomikss

This residency is supported by the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation.