SOLO Castanedo Residency 2026

Open Call: SOLO Castanedo Residency 2026

About SOLO Castanedo

The residency programme has been running for several editions and has hosted artists such as Ana Barriga and Víctor Castillo, among others. SOLO Castanedo offers a change of context, shifting away from an urban and exhibition-led rhythm towards a rural setting where artists can work with greater autonomy and recalibrate their practice outside the expectations of the white cube.

While Castanedo is not an exhibition venue, the programme includes moments of public sharing and activation, conceived as opportunities for exchange and dialogue with the surrounding environment.

SOLO Castanedo Residency 2026

SOLO Contemporary opens the call for its annual artist residency programme in Castanedo (Cantabria, Spain), a rural environment conceived as a space for work, research and shared living.

The residency proposes a shift from the usual framework of production: stepping away from the rhythm of the studio and the exhibition calendar to focus on what emerges when time stretches and listening becomes central.

2026 focus

The 2026 edition focuses on sound-based practices developed through the object, space and movement, with a particular emphasis on low-tech, analogue or hybrid approaches.

The residency supports processes that can lead to a sound work, an activation or a public sharing, while paying close attention to how sound is built, tested and activated in relation to a specific context. Experimentation is understood as part of the working method.

This interest in sound has already been present within SOLO Contemporary’s programme through initiatives such as the PowSOLO Awards, an international prize dedicated to recognising and supporting sound works, activating listening in public and exhibition contexts, and consolidating this line of practice within SOLO Contemporary.

Lines of practice

The call is open to proposals related to:

  • Sound research and listening as a situated practice

  • Experimental sound-based works

  • Low-tech, analogue or hybrid technologies

  • Sound explored as a physical, spatial or social phenomenon

Artist Profile

The residency is open to individual artists or collectives at emerging or mid-career stages, whose practice engages with sound and its physical, spatial or performative dimensions.

Applicants do not need to submit a fully developed project, but should present a clear and coherent line of research and work aligned with the residency’s focus.

Conditions

  • Duration: 1 month
  • Location: Castanedo, Cantabria (Spain)
  • Period: June 1st 2026
  • Accommodation provided for the full duration of the residency
  • Travel costs to Castanedo covered by SOLO Contemporary.
  • Please note: the residency is conceived as a standalone programme. Selection does not imply future commitments, representation, or additional collaboration with SOLO Contemporary beyond the residency’s agreed conditions and timeframe.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted by March 30th, 2026.

as a single PDF file (max. 10 MB) including:

  • Contact details.
  • Short biography (max. 200 words).
  • Portfolio (max. 10 pages).
  • Project proposal or research line, outlining intended processes and approximate technical needs (max. 800 words).

The selected artist will be announced on April 27th, 2026.

📩 Send to:
solo.castanedo@solocontemporary.com

📝 Subject line:
SOLO Castanedo Residency 2026 – Name