JR RESIDENCIES FOR THE YIDDISHLAND PAVILION AT THE 61ST VENICE BIENNALE

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Jewish Renaissance announces a new short-term residency programme for UK Jewish Artists hosted by the Yiddishland Pavilion in collaboration with Venezia Contemporanea and La Storta. This residency programme grows out of Yiddishland Pavilion’s ongoing work at and beyond the Venice Biennale and Jewish Renaissance's Artist Development Scheme.

Yiddishland Pavilion is a conceptual, non-national pavilion unfolding its activities alongside the Venice Biennale and online. It creates a platform for diaspora Jewish artists to engage in artistic research, dialogue, and experimentation. These residencies form part of YP’s broader Biennale presence as, during the residency, the third iteration of the Yiddishland Pavilion will be on view, offering the artist direct proximity to the exhibition and its curatorial framework.

Jewish Renaissance is the UK's leading Jewish arts quarterly, offering a fresh perspective on Jewish heritage to a global audience. As well as showcasing the best of Jewish culture in our reporting, JR offers regular opportunities for deepening engagement with international Jewish life through online and in person events, short breaks and tours.  

JR is committed to running programmes to support the growth of the next generation of Jewish creatives and these YP residencies reflect a shared commitment to diasporic thinking, artistic research, and international exchange between the two organisations. 

Dates

Tuesday 12 - Thursday 21 May 2026 and Friday 22 - Sunday 31 May 2026

Eligibility

The residency is open to contemporary UK based Jewish visual artists who are interested in exploring their Jewishness as part of an artistic practice.

Residency Focus

We invite applicants to engage with one or more of the following thematic strands:

  • British Jewish experiences: Reflecting experiences of migration, class, language, belonging, visibility and the shifting conditions of Jewish life in the UK historically and today;

  • Jewish Venice: Exploring the Jewish Ghetto – a site of restriction as well as a centre of vibrant Jewish life –  looking at the rich cultural production originating from a site of restriction, against a backdrop of trade, exile, multilingual Jewish life and how the city reflects this today;

  • Jewish languages in contemporary art: Considering living Jewish languages such as Yiddish (or another Jewish dialect language such as Ladino or Judeo-Arabic)  as cultural resources, providing opportunities for translation, hybridity, memory and resistance.

What's included: 

Accommodation

You will be staying in the historic Jewish Ghetto of Venice, the first ghetto in Europe, established in 1516. Each artist will have a private room (functioning as accommodation/workspace), plus access to a kitchen and shower shared with another resident artist. Please note that the buildings located within the ghetto are tall and narrow. Your room will be on a high floor and unfortunately there is no step-free access.

Curatorial support

There will be curatorial support from the curators of the Yiddishland Pavilion including portfolio reviews; practice-based discussions; ongoing one-to-one consultations focused on research development, critical positioning and future trajectories; online mentorship and dialogue throughout the residency; exchanges with participating artists, researchers and partners of the programme’s network and contextual support with the Venice Biennale ecosystem.

Showcasing your work

The residencies emphasise research, reflection, and critical engagement over production. However, we understand how important showcasing your work is for practising artists. Therefore, in addition, you will be featured in JR's print magazine and across our digital and social platforms, meaning that your art will be seen by approximately 3000 readers in print and 25,000 readers digitally. Projects developed during the residencies may also be considered for presentation in future exhibitions of the Yiddishland Pavilion and on YP’s website and Instagram.

Stipend

£250 towards your travel to Venice and the cost of your materials

Who can apply

The residency is open to contemporary UK based Jewish visual artists who are interested in exploring their Jewishness as part of an artistic practice.

How to apply

Please submit your application by Tuesday 3 March to yiddishlandpavilion@gmail.com.

Your application must include one Word document, containing:

  • A short biography (maximum 250 words);

  • A brief description of your project or research focus (maximum 500 words);

  • A portfolio of up to 10 images, submitted either as a single compressed PDF (low resolution, maximum 10 MB) or as a link to your website or online portfolio (no file-transfer or download links).

Important:

Do not include your biography or project description in the body of the email. These materials must be submitted as one single Word document attachment.

Please also indicate your preferred residency dates, or confirm your availability for both slots if applicable.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 13 March.

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