Brashnar Artist in Residence Summer 2023

Brashnar Artist-in-Residence (BAiR) is an artist owned and operated urban artist residency program located in the neighborhood Hrom on the west side of Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. BAiR is a multi-faceted residency program allowing resident artists the freedom to explore the potentials of their practice while experiencing Macedonian culture through group related activities.

Why the neighborhood Hrom? As an artist led project, Brashnar Creative Project aims to directly influence the process of decentralization of the arts and culture in Skopje. Introducing the possibilities of contemporary artistic practices to the local and surrounding neighborhood for gaining new perspectives and knowledge further strengthens the bond between Brashnar Creative Project and the community.

While residing at BAiR, residents live in an open, communal style environment situated in a family-oriented neighborhood. During their residency, residents are encouraged to embrace the local culture and to engage the surrounding community while living at the Art House. Residents also take part in maintaining Brashnar’s organic gardens at the Volkovo Project Space and participate in living a sustainable lifestyle.

The residency program is open to all visual artists and writers that strongly encourage work utilizing innovative and traditional forms of art making along with collaborations, artist-led projects and socially engaged practices. This is a self-directed, process-based residency with no obligation or expectation to complete a body of work, but artists are expected to engage with the community during Open Studio events organized by Brashnar that take place the last week of each month.

Brashnar Artist-in-Residence offers work and living space for up to 4 artists/writers for stays of 1 month (4 weeks) with 1-2 staff artists living with the residents in the Art House during the residency season. While residing at BAiR, residents live in an open, communal style environment situated in a family-oriented neighborhood. The living area of the Art House includes: 6 private bedrooms (residents are provided with a bed, linens, pillows, blankets and towels.), 2 and half bath with washing machines for resident use, 2 fully equipped kitchens stocked with basic staples, seasonal vegetables, fruit and fresh herbs from our gardens, 2 community rooms and 4 balconies. 

The studio area of the Art House includes: 4 private studios (three are 140 square feet (13 square meters) and one is 220 square feet (20 square meters) with 7 foot (2.2meters) high walls), 1 shared studio (420 square feet or 40 square meters with 10-foot or 3 meters high walls). The studios are outfitted with worktables, chairs, easels, drawing board, storage areas, clamp lights and hand tools (power hand tools are available upon request). Work clothes, studio rugs and re-usable material (variety of paper, used bicycle tubes, glass, wire, cardboard, various old metal objects, thread, yarn, plastic containers etc) are also available for resident use. The studio area also has a bathroom and a small kitchen with outdoor common area for coffee/tea. An outside area around the house can also be used as an open-air studio or as an installation space.

Resident artists are expected to participate in all aspects of the residency program. A guided tour of the surrounding neighborhood and city center either as a group or individually (depending on resident arrival) during the first days of the residency. Informal meeting and welcoming traditional Macedonian dinner for all resident artists prepared by Brashnar staff members. A short informal presentation of artists’ work at the beginning of the first week. Garden related activities up to twice a month totaling approximately 2 – 4 hrs (planting, harvesting fruits and vegetables, garden maintenance, food preservation, pickling, making of marmalade, pinjur, ajvar). 1 – 2 short group trips to locations outside Skopje (Lake Matka, Mountain Vodno, Katlanovo natural thermal bath, Observatory Kokino etc.). 1-2 scheduled group dinners per week. Up to 2 traditional Macedonian group meals at Volkovo Project Space prepared by Brashnar staff members. Cultural exchange night through meal preparation, cultural dances or other forms of cultural exchange. This is a self-directed, process-based residency with no obligation or expectation to complete a body of work, but artists are expected to engage with the community during Open Studio events organized by Brashnar that take place the last week of each month.

Currently we can support artists that work with disciplines in the following fields: drawing, printmaking (linocut and woodcut), painting, mixed media, new media, digital photography, bookmaking arts, sculpture/installation, performance/video art, interdisciplinary arts, literature, socially engaged practice and cultural research.

The fee for individual artists and writers is 500 Euro for 4 weeks (1 month) and 450 Euro per person for collaborative groups of 2 for 4 weeks (1 month). Expenses for artists related to the residency include materials for studio practice, travel expenses to Skopje, food/meals not from our gardens, any possible travel or other related travel around the city to events. 

The residency season runs from May 2nd through September 30th.