We Only Want the Earth (WOWTE) Residency Awards 2026 in Ireland

Overview

We Only Want the Earth (WOWTE) is an annual awards programme run by A4 Sounds, a non-profit artist-run workspace in Dublin. The residency interrogates the goals and strategies of social change, inviting critical, bold, and political proposals. A4 Sounds is seeking applications from visual artists for two five-month residency awards, each supporting an artist currently living in Ireland to research, develop, and deepen their artistic practice.

Theme & Focus

Proposals must respond to the theme "We Only Want the Earth," which asks: what kind of society do we want, and how should we get there? Proposals should critically engage with the wider politics their work is situated in. Personal experience is welcome but should be framed through a broader political and social lens. The organizers invite politically or socially engaged art, installation, media, video, sound, collaboration, conversation, performance, sculpture, print, and research.

Eligibility

• Must be a visual artist currently living in Ireland (proof of address may be requested)
• Must identify as at least one of: transgender/nonbinary/gender nonconforming; racially or ethnically minoritised, including members of the Traveller Community; from countries in the Global South; or disabled
• Not open to artists in full-time undergraduate or postgraduate education
• Best suited to applicants who can commute to Dublin; applicants from further afield welcome but should explain how they'll manage accommodation/travel

Residency Benefits

• Free 24-hour access to a studio space at A4 Sounds
• Monthly stipend of €1,600 toward materials and residency costs (€8,000 total)
• Access to professional development, training, and technical supports
• Access to A4 Sounds facilities including sculpture workshop, photography darkroom, printing suite, and equipment
• Access to all A4 Sounds workshops and courses for the duration of the residency
• Opportunities to experiment with ways to disseminate work publicly
• Mentorship from A4 Sounds and consulting artists
• Small monthly budget toward travel costs (accommodation not included)
• Additional access budget available on a needs basis (e.g. travel support, assistive technology, extra time)
• Potential consideration for exhibition in 2027/2028 as part of A4's Common Thread Strand

Key Dates

• Application Deadline: 6 August 2026
• Residency Period: 5 months, starting September 2026

Application

Apply online. Application Fee: None. Applications are acknowledged by email on the day of submission; feedback is provided to all shortlisted applicants.

Selection Process & Criteria

Selection is a two-stage process: Stage 1 (eligibility check and shortlisting) and Stage 2 (panel assessment) with a panel including A4 Sounds representatives and consulting artists. Assessment criteria: how the proposal responds to the theme; artistic quality of the proposed work; artistic quality of previous work; the artist's potential to develop their practice and how the award would benefit them; and feasibility of the proposed work within the 5-month timeframe.

Residency Expectations & Facilities

Selected artists are expected to work from the studio a minimum of 3 days per week, participate in studio life, meet monthly with the programme producer, and develop new work across the 5-month period; some documentation of progress will be requested for A4's use. The residency studio is a private workspace shared with two other artists, with LED lighting and generally quiet conditions, though loud sounds may leak in from the workshop and gallery. The A4 Sounds studio building is not fully accessible: the studio space, bathrooms, darkroom, print, textiles, and library facilities are on the first floor, accessed via approximately 22 steps with no lift; the workshop, gallery, and outdoor garden area are on the ground floor and accessible, with an accessible toilet outdoors. A4 Sounds will develop an individualized access plan with selected artists and offers flexible communication and support for fluctuating energy levels.