AIR Lower Austria — a residency in Austria offering a €1,950 grant and an international setting
This is a format where not only the individual process matters, but also active engagement with the artistic environment. The residency in Krems is built around the idea of exchange — between artists, institutions and the local context that connects Vienna and the Wachau region.
The programme offers 5 weeks of work and accommodation with a focus on developing your practice in an international environment. What matters here is not an isolated process, but the opportunity to build professional and human connections.
Residency format
The residency takes place as part of the AIR Lower Austria programme and comprises several sessions each year. Participants are provided with accommodation and a workspace (studio flats) and work in close proximity to the Kunstmeile Krems – one of the region’s key cultural hubs.
Each session lasts 5 weeks, and up to 8 residencies are held throughout the year via an open call.
Financial terms: a grant of €1,950 and accommodation.
Important to note: participants are responsible for their own travel, materials and additional expenses. This means that the programme is geared more towards those who can already partially cover their own travel costs but are seeking access to infrastructure and context.
Context and opportunities
The residency takes place in Krems—a city located in the Wachau region (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)—which boasts a vibrant cultural scene and is situated close to Vienna.
Participants:
— engage with local institutions
— gain access to the region’s artistic infrastructure
— become part of a professional network
The programme also supports the public presentation of projects and participation in events, which helps participants integrate into the local scene.
Who is eligible
The residency is open to artists working in various disciplines: visual arts, architecture, digital art, literature and music. A completed art degree or equivalent
professional experience is required.
Applicants must be actively engaged in their professional practice.
The programme is intended for international artists (applicants from Austria are not eligible).
It is important to note that working communication takes place in English or German, so a basic level of one of these languages is required to participate.
Application process and thematic focus 2027
Applications are submitted only through the online form within the specified period.
The application must include: portrait photo, CV, portfolio, project description, and (optionally) links to media.
Part of the residencies in 2027 will be connected to the theme of regeneration (Regeneration).
In this context, artists are invited to explore:
— relationships between humans and nature
— systems thinking and ecological interconnections
— new models of interaction with the environment
The theme goes beyond traditional approaches to sustainability and proposes a broader, more complex vision of the future.
The deadline for applications is 10 May 2026.
Selection results will be sent to participants by email by the end of June 2026.
The specific dates for the 2027 residency will be determined after the selection process: each session lasts 5 weeks, and participants will be assigned an individual participation period.
