Artists based in the Netherlands can receive an artist fee, R&D funding, workspace, technical facilities, and up to 10 months of supported research.
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Stage IX has opened its 2027 immersive arts residency for artists and artist duos based in the Netherlands. The program supports research and experimentation across immersive experiences, including spatial sound, XR, VR, AR, interactive media, scenography, kinetic and light-based installation, immersive theatre, technology-driven performance, and participatory experiences. The jury will select four artists across the Emerging and Established tracks. Financial support includes artist fees of €18,000 or €26,000 and separate R&D budgets of €5,000 or €15,000. Applications close October 16, 2026.
Immersive Arts Residency Snapshot
What: Stage IX Residency for Immersive Arts & Research, 2027 Open Call
Who: Artists and artist duos based in the Netherlands. Emerging Artists must have 2–4 years of professional experience. Established Artists must have 5+ years of professional experience.
Where: Netherlands. The residency home base is Ruimtetijd at Fort Penningsveer, with access to facilities across the Stage IX consortium.
Award / Support: Emerging Artists receive an €18,000 Artist Fee plus a €5,000 R&D Budget. Established Artists receive a €26,000 Artist Fee plus a €15,000 R&D Budget.
Application Fee: FREE
Residency Duration: 8 months of supported research, with the possibility to extend up to 10 months.
Deadline: October 16, 2026
Official Link: https://stage-ix.com
Strategy Coach Notes: https://www.patreon.com/pformart/posts/stage-ix-arts-up-171482981
Get The Application Strategy
Stage IX is explicitly seeking proposals built around artistic inquiry. Applicants are asked to present a project as a starting point for research and to identify questions, interests, and ideas that can develop during the residency. The program is looking for compelling research questions, curiosity about technologies, audiences, or forms that applicants have yet to fully explore, openness to collaboration and iteration, and a willingness to share process with other practitioners and researchers. The proposal also needs to demonstrate why immersion is central to the artistic inquiry. The application requires an online form, Project/Research Proposal, CV, and portfolio or showreel.
Join the network to access the Strategy Coach Notes for a detailed breakdown of the application, selection priorities, proposal structure, and materials.
About the Immersive Arts Residency
Stage IX is a residency program for immersive arts and artistic research in the Netherlands. The program brings together six institutions working across immersive practices: Amsterdam University of the Arts, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Nxt Museum, POPKRAFT, Ruimtetijd, and 4DSOUND. Residents work within this network of artistic, technical, research, production, and educational resources. The residency includes introductory workshops, experimentation in technical facilities, peer research exchange, development sprints, and opportunities to share work and research publicly.
The 2027 cohort will include two Emerging Artists and two Established Artists. Emerging Artists receive a more structured trajectory, including a two-month intensive onboarding period, mentorship, regular check-ins, and peer exchange. Established Artists have a one-month intensive onboarding period and greater autonomy over their research trajectory. The residency averages approximately 2–2.5 days per week. Intensive periods may require three days per week or more. The program begins in mid-January 2027.
What Is Offered
- Emerging Artist Fee: €18,000
- Emerging Artist R&D Budget: €5,000
- Established Artist Fee: €26,000
- Established Artist R&D Budget: €15,000
- 8 months of supported research, with the possibility to extend up to 10 months
- Workspace at Ruimtetijd at Fort Penningsveer
- On-site accommodation during intensive program periods and flexible stays when required by the work
- Access to spatial audio studios and custom software
- Access to live XR, show control, and motion capture facilities
- Access to volumetric capture and social XR systems
- Access to XR creation equipment, projections, workstations, motion capture equipment, and custom electronics
- Access to exhibition and prototyping spaces
- Access to Atmos recording studios and interactive audio labs
- Peer exchange with residents at different career stages
- Access to an international advisory network
- Public opportunities to share work in progress and gather feedback
The R&D Budget is a lump sum for materials, equipment, travel, and other production needs that are not covered by consortium facilities and staff.
Who Should Apply
Stage IX is open to artists and artist duos with a legal address in the Netherlands. Applicants do not need to live in Amsterdam, although regular travel is necessary because consortium facilities are concentrated in the Amsterdam area.
The program welcomes artists working across immersive experiences, including spatial sound and audio, VR, XR, AR, gamified and interactive media, scenography, spatial design, kinetic and light-based installation, immersive theatre, technology-driven performance, and interactive or participatory experiences.
High-level technical expertise is not required. Applicants must demonstrate a clear understanding of immersive experiences and establish the role of immersion within their proposal. Stage IX accepts technology-based and low-tech approaches.
Applicants may apply individually or as a duo. Duos share the Artist Fee, approximately 50% per member. The R&D Budget remains the same.
Stage IX supports early to mid-stage projects with space for development, iteration, experimentation, and discovery during the residency.
Immersive Arts Residency Timeline
- Online Information Session: September 23, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 16, 2026
- Committee Review: Late October 2026
- Shortlist Notification: Mid-November 2026
- Interviews: Mid to Late November 2026
- Selected Residents Notified: Mid-December 2026
- Residency Begins: Mid-January 2027
Why The Immersive Arts Residency Matters
Stage IX provides substantial financial and institutional support for artists developing immersive work. An Emerging Artist receives €23,000 across the Artist Fee and R&D Budget. An Established Artist receives €41,000 across the Artist Fee and R&D Budget. The residency also provides access to specialized infrastructure spanning spatial audio, XR, motion capture, volumetric capture, interactive technologies, recording facilities, exhibition spaces, and prototyping environments.
The program explicitly includes immersive theatre and technology-driven performance alongside media art, sound, spatial design, installation, and participatory practices. Its research structure supports projects that still contain unresolved questions and require experimentation.
Apply To The Immersive Arts Residency
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