2025 Worldwide Open Call: Free Improvisation in the Arts (ALL DISCIPLINES)

Nekubi Art Residency is a lively artist led community space 
located at the historic city of Kavala by the North Aegean Coast in Greece. International Artists are invited to participate through our annual open calls and become part of the experience.  

Our 2025 WORLDWIDE OPEN CALL "Free Improvisation in the Arts" aims to challenge artists with the ethics of free spontaneous expression. In times when everything in our lives seems planned and organized, artists are called to deeper explore the random, the abstract, the allegoric. 

Free improvisation by nature disregards rules. The only rule is that there are no rules.  Participants ought to  strive to disregard their allegiances to prescribed idioms and stylistic prescriptions.  However, despite this focus on spontaneity, most improvisation theorists agree that improvisation is not ad hoc activity, rather it involves skill, training, limitations and forethought. 

The magic of free improvisation lies in its celebration of liberty, the collective abolition of tradition and judgment.  The forming of a momentary piece or performance. 

"Free Improvisation in the Arts" is open to all disciplines (visual arts, sound art, performance, poetry, theatre, dance, painting, collage, photography). Our desire is to inspire our artists in residence to embrace freedom, think out of the box, connect with their environment, be present to the moment, create unique art pieces or performances and spark creative dialogues with the community.

As an artist community we love art statements in subjects of a social, environmental, political context. Due to the nature of this open call though, the theme of choice is totally open to the artists. 

Our programs give artists the chance to enjoy their holidays in a beautiful area that combines sea, mountains, rural and urban life while they can practice their art form. 

Here at nekubi art residency, being artists ourselves, we do our best for artists to feel like home, work daily in a calm environment and get in touch with the uprising local community of artists, by hosting a curated event at the end of their program, exhibiting / showcasing their works in our dedicated exhibition / performance space. The curated event is being promoted to our local community and is accompanied by dj sets, music performances and open bar for our community to enjoy and interact! 

The residency program offers:

  • shared working studio space 
  • accommodation
  • exhibition space
  • curated event at the end of the program (exhibition of works, open bar, DJ's, promotion to our community)

/// The shared working space is located in the city centre, just 3 mins walk from the closest beach and consists of 4 levels (100 m2 in total):

Level -1: WC area

Level 0: Cafe Bar / Art Store Library

Level 1: Workshop / Exhibition / Performance Space 

Level 2: Lounge / Web Radio

"All residency artists will have their own set of keys and everyday access to the shared space for their working and interacting needs (except Monday evenings that Robotics classes are hosted in the space). 

/// Our freshly renovated apartments offer a calm, relaxing environment for artists and partners. 

They are located:

5-7 mins walking distance from the campus

5-7 mins walking distance from the closest beach

10 mins walking distance from the city centre

Deadline
There is no application deadline
Residency Length
3 weeks - 3 weeks
Languages
English
Other
Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time
4
Collaborative Residency
Must apply and be accepted individually
May apply as a team
Discipline
Acting
Animation
Architecture
Art Conservation
Art Education
Art History
Augmented Reality
Book Arts
Choreography
Costume/Fashion Design
Criticism
Dance
Digital Fabrication
Digital Media
Documentary
Drawing
Ecology
Electronic Arts
Environmental Arts
Environmentalism/Conservation
Fiction
Film
Graphic Design
History
Illustration
Industrial Design
Installation Arts
Interdisciplinary Arts
Journalism
Landscape Architecture
Literary Nonfiction
Literature
Mathematics
Mixed Media
Moving Image
Multimedia Arts
Music
New Genres
Opera
Painting
Paper Arts
Performance Art
Philosophy
Photography
Playwriting
Poetry
Printmaking
Public Art
Science
Screenwriting
Social Practice
Sound Art
Storytelling
Symphony
Textile & Fiber Arts/Weaving
Theater
Translation
TV + Radio
Urban Planning/Design
Virtual Reality
Visual Arts
Woodworking
Writing
Companions
Pets are not allowed
Country of Residence
Open to artists based anywhere in the world
Family Friendly
Spouses/partners allowed for full stay (non-collaborators)
Children allowed for full stay
Stage of Career
Any stage of career
Additional Expectations/Opportunities
Participate in public programming
Participate in open studio with fellow residents
Give artist talk or presentation
Accessible Housing
N/A
Meals Provided
Residents have access to private kitchen
No meals are provided
Studios/Special Equipment
Shared Studios
Exhibition / Installation Space
Performance/Presentation Facilities
Music/Media Studio Non-recording
Easels
Drawing Benches
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
N/A
Type of Housing
Private housing off campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Additional Eligibility Information

Our residency programs are 3 weeks long (but an artist is eligible to apply for 6 weeks if needed or even apply with a fellow artist for discounted fees).

 

Artist fees (3 weeks): 

2000 euros / exclusive apartment + shared working studio

Spouses / partners / kids (non collaborators) are eligible to stay for free. 

+ curated event at the end of the program

 

If you are a group of two artists that would like to share the same house, total fees will be: 

3500 euros /  shared house apartment + shared studio

 

Artist fees (6 weeks):

3500 euros / exclusive apartment + shared working studio

Spouses / partners / kids (non collaborators) are eligible to stay for free. 

+ curated event at the end of the program

 

If you are a group of two artists that would like to share the same house, total fees will be: 

6000 euros / shared apartment + shared studio

 

**** 

Discounted fees for artists who don't seek accommodation

Artist fees (3 weeks): 

1000 euros / shared working studio (without accommodation) + curated event at the end of the program

 

APPLY NOW at: www.nekubi.com or mail us directly at: nikossotirelis@yahoo.com

Visit the following Google document below to help you with your application process:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pcIT04-Dtg9q--OFOQTScQFrIhBT_-XlEyQR3GmSr_I/edit?usp=sharing

 

Number of Artists Accepted in Most Current Year
40
Total Applicant Pool in Most Current Year
40
Artist Stipend
Travel Stipend/Material Stipends
Residency Fees
2000
Euro (EUR)
Fee Details

We are an artist run cultural association, therefore the residency fee is intended to cover the cost of the program (accomodation, working space, exhibition space, curated event + total general operating expenses). 

We are happy to write letters of recommendation and invitation for the resident to apply for grants in their home country, once the application is accepted and the booking fee has been paid.

Grant/Scholarship/other Funding Support
Application Fee
0
Euro (EUR)
Application Type
Open application