Artist residencies Tirana - Vila 31 x Art Explora
Apply for one of three 3-month artist residency programs (SOLO, COLLECTIVE, or CROSS) in Tirana, which provides studio space, production facilities, and living/production grants.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- deadline unknown, verify at source
- Entry fee
- Not listed - check the source
- Award
- Studio apartment, production and exhibition spaces, and living and production grant
- Location
- Vila 31, Tirana, Albania
About
Overview
Tirana - Vila 31 x Art Explora is a new center for residency, research, and artistic experimentation in the heart of the Balkans, welcoming up to thirty artists and researchers for 3-month residencies spread over 3 sessions per year. Each resident receives a studio apartment, production and exhibition spaces, and a living and production grant to develop their research. The center is located in Vila 31, the former home of dictator Enver Hoxha, which has been renovated by NeM architectural firm to balance historical preservation with creating neutral creative spaces.
Residency Programs
- SOLO programme: 3-month residency open to artists from Albania and the Balkans (30%) and international artists
- COLLECTIVE programme: 3-month residency for a duo/collective formed by an artist and a researcher or researcher/scientist/curator
- CROSS programme: 3-month residency in Tirana plus 3-month residency in Paris as part of the Cité internationale des arts x Art Explora program
Key Dates
- Applications open: April 2, 2026
- Applications close: May 15, 2026
- Sessions offered: Three per year
Activities & Support
Beyond residency, Vila 31 supports contemporary creation through organizing seminars and festivals, hosting artist-run spaces, and inviting curators and art critics. Partnerships with the National School of Arts of Paris-Cergy, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje, and the Oral History Initiative in Pristina facilitate transdisciplinary seminars and performance festivals across Paris, Skopje, Pristina, and Tirana.
Selection Committee
Applications are examined by a selection committee made up of leading figures from the world of art and research, including Alicia Knock (Head Curator, Centre Pompidou, Paris) and Adela Demetja (Director of the National Gallery of Arts, Albania).
- Award
- Studio apartment, production and exhibition spaces, and living and production grant
- Theme
- Contemporary artistic creation in all its forms from a trans-disciplinary and trans-generational perspective, with a particular focus on facilitating intercultural exchange between the Balkans and the European Union.
- Eligibility
- Artists and researchers; SOLO program prioritizes artists from Albania and the Balkans (30%) and welcomes international artists; COLLECTIVE program open to artist/researcher or researcher/scientist/curator duos; CROSS program participants apply for both Tirana and Paris residencies
- Audience
- Artists and researchers; SOLO program open to artists from Albania and the Balkans (30%) and international artists; COLLECTIVE program open to duos/collectives of artists with researchers/scientists/curators; CROSS program involves residencies in both Tirana and Paris
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.