Artistic Residencies on Memory,
Displacement & Contemporary Europe
Transnational Routes for Artistic Circulation of European Memory
Camera a Sud (Italy), Forgotten Children of War Association (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and The 4th Block (Ukraine) are pleased to launch an open call for artists to participate in the TRACE Artistic Residencies Programme.
TRACE is an international artistic residency programme exploring how contemporary art can engage with memory, war, displacement, ecological crisis, and the collective experiences shaping Europe today. It takes as its starting point a series of recent and ongoing historical events and entangled crises, including the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Srebrenica genocide, migration flows across the Mediterranean, the ecological legacy of Chornobyl, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, situating them within broader contemporary geopolitical and environmental conditions across the partner countries (Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine). The project brings together artists, curators, researchers, and local communities from these contexts to work with archives, sites of memory, and present-day social realities.
TRACE is conceived as a space for:
- artistic research
- intercultural dialogue
- collective exchange
- development of new artistic projects and collaborations
The project is funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for artists whose practice engages with themes such as:
- memory and remembrance
- identity
- war and its consequences
- migration and displacement
- archives and documentary practices
- the relationship between past and present
- ecological and social transformation
We welcome applications from artists working across different media, including:
- visual arts
- photography
- film and video
- sound art
- illustration
- graphic storytelling
- podcasts and audio practices
- interdisciplinary artistic practices
There are no age restrictions.
The call is open to artists based in countries participating in the Creative Europe programme, including:
EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden.
Non-EU countries associated with the CREATIVE EUROPE Programme
Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein
Accession countries, candidate countries, and potential candidates
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Armenia, and Tunisia.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Open Call & Selection
Following the open call, an international jury will select 15 participants to join the research and workshop programme.
Research Missions & Workshops
Selected participants will take part in three international research and workshop programmes:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina — July/August 2026
- Italy — October 2026
- Ukraine — online programme due to the current security situation
The programme includes:
- workshops
- collective discussions
- site visits
- meetings with local communities and researchers
- work with archives and memory materials
- collaborative artistic research
Residencies
After the research phase, 6 artists will be selected to continue into the TRACE residency programme in 2027.
The residency programme will include:
- on-site residencies in Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina
- An online residency programme connected to Ukraine, organised in collaboration with The 4th Block
Exhibitions & Documentation
The outcomes of the programme will be presented through:
- International exhibitions in the project partner countries (Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine)
- public presentations
- the TRACE digital archive
The Ukrainian exhibition will take place in a safe location in Lviv.
Documentation and artistic research developed during the programme will be shared with European cultural institutions and partner organisations.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE
Participants will receive:
- participation in an international Creative Europe project
- international visibility and PR support
- participation in exhibitions and public programmes
- access to archives, researchers, and local communities
- mentorship and professional exchange
- coverage of travel, accommodation, and meals during programme activities, up to the maximum limit allowed under the Creative Europe programme regulations
- a certificate of participation
- professional documentation of artistic research and outcomes
- opportunities for future international collaborations and networking
WHAT WE DO NOT PROVIDE
- A daily artist fee during the residency period
- Technical equipment for the production of artworks
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM PARTICIPANTS
- Professional commitment to all phases of the programme, including field research, residencies, public activities, and online preparatory sessions
- Ethical and respectful conduct while working in sensitive contexts, communities, and memory sites
- Active engagement in the development of an original artistic project within the TRACE framework
- Commitment to produce exhibitable materials following the residency, suitable for inclusion in the TRACE exhibition programme
- Availability for the public presentation and exhibition of the developed work
- Ability to communicate in English, the working language of the programme; knowledge of local languages is considered an advantage
- Signing of a residency participation agreement accepting the programme conditions
- Delivery of press images and visual documentation materials for communication and dissemination purposes
IMPORTANT DATES
| Stage | Date |
| Open call launch | 26 May 2026 |
| Application deadline | 18 June 2026, 06:00 PM (Rome time, UTC+2) |
| Selection results | End of June 2026 |
| Bosnia Herzegovina research mission | July/August 2026 |
| Italy research mission | October 2026 |
| Online Ukraine programme | 2026 |
| Residencies | Spring 2027 |
| Exhibitions & public programme | Autumn 2027 |
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please send:
- portfolio (max. 5MB PDF) or website
- short project proposal/research idea (max. 1 page)
- short biography
Please complete the Google Form and upload all required materials by June 18, 12:00 AM (Rome time, UTC+2). Selected participants will be contacted via email by June 28.
For any questions or further information, please write to: info@tracearts.eu
SUBMIT
PROJECT PARTNERS
Camera a Sud (Italy)
Camera a Sud is an Italian social enterprise founded in 2010, working at the intersection of communication, culture and social change. Based in Puglia, it produces documentaries, podcasts and multimedia campaigns, promoting storytelling as a tool for inclusion, participation and community empowerment, with a focus on the South of Italy.
Forgotten Children of War Association (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Founded in Sarajevo in 2016, the Forgotten Children of War Association (ZDR), organisation established by children born war during the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through advocacy, legal reform, education, and artistic practice, ZDR works to break the silence surrounding this community and to secure their recognition as direct victims of conflict. Its decade-long advocacy contributed to the adoption of two landmark laws formally recognising children born of war as civilian war victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Internationally recognised for its work in human rights, transitional justice, and trauma-informed artistic engagement, including the docu-dance production In the Name of the Father, ZDR brings to TRACE both institutional expertise and a community-rooted understanding of memory, identity, and the long aftermath of war.
The 4th Block (Ukraine)
Association of Graphic Designers, the 4th Block is a non-profit organization that more than 30 years, has united graphic designers worldwide to find new ideas for overcoming the world’s environmental and social problems through the art of posters. Nowadays, the International Triennial of eco-posters “the 4th Block” is the most significant design festival in Eastern Europe.
tracearts.eu