Saari Residence — a funded residency in Finland with a grant of up to €3,800 per month

There are residencies where artists are expected to produce results.
And there are rare formats where you are paid for time, attention, and depth of thinking.
Saari Residence is exactly such a program.

This is an international, research-oriented residency created for professional artists, researchers, curators, and writers for whom it is important not to “deliver a project,” but to rethink a theme, transform a practice, and arrive at a new direction.

The program is implemented by the Kone Foundation, one of the most influential private cultural foundations in Northern Europe. This is felt in everything — from the selection logic to the respect shown for the artist and their process.

What is included

Saari Residence is not just accommodation in Finland.
It is an exceptionally fully funded residency, within which you receive:

A monthly grant of up to €3,800 — the amount depends on professional experience and is intended to cover living expenses, food, and work-related costs.

A private studio and working space — with no need to share with a team or adapt to a rigid schedule.

Time — the main and most valuable resource here, which is genuinely protected.
There are no formal deadlines for submitting results.

Who Saari Residence is for

This residency is particularly well suited to those who feel they are at a transitional point.

If you are an artist working with concepts, research, archives, texts, memory, language, identity, or political and social contexts — this format is designed for you.

If you are a curator, writer, or researcher and need space to think calmly, write, and structure material — this is normal here and actively supported.

If you are tired of formats that require constant showing, presenting, and “demonstrating results,” Saari Residence offers a different logic.

There are no mandatory exhibitions, performances, or final reports at the end of the residency.

Why you can realistically apply

Saari Residence is open to applicants of all nationalities.
There are no citizenship requirements, no need for institutional backing from museums or academies.

Selection is based not on a polished CV, but on the clarity of the inquiry and depth of thinking. The selection committee wants to understand what is important to you and why, even if you are not fully certain yet.

This is precisely why the program is well suited to artists and researchers from Eastern Europe — on equal terms, without hidden filters.

How life is structured during the residency

Saari is a place for concentrated work, but not isolation.
In addition to individual practice, the residency offers a soft professional community: meetings, shared meals, presentations, feedback sessions, and discussions.

Participation in these formats is voluntary. You decide when to be among people and when to remain in silence.

At the core of the program lies an ecological approach, which understands care not only for nature, but also for psychological sustainability, pace, and attentiveness to oneself. Key words that truly define how the residency functions are unhurriedness, attentiveness, and change.

Timeline and deadlines — this is important

Saari Residence operates through an annual open call.
Applications must always be submitted for the following year.

For the 2027 program, the application period is open from 1 to 31 March 2026 (until 16:00 Finnish time).
Applications are accepted only through the foundation’s online system.

Why this is a rare opportunity

Saari Residence is an example of a different model of support for the arts, where what is funded is not the product, but the process. There are very few programs like this, which is precisely why they are so valuable.

This opportunity offers financial stability and space without constant pressure, making it possible to honestly ask oneself: where do I want to move next as an artist or researcher?

Language of communication and level of English

The working language of Saari Residence is English. The application, meetings, presentations, and collective activities all take place in English. Finnish is not required and is not considered during the selection process.

It is important that applicants have a sufficient, but not necessarily academic or fluent level of English. What matters is the ability to communicate, articulate one’s inquiry, speak about practice, participate in discussions, and give and receive feedback. Language here is understood as a tool for dialogue, not as a filter or a criterion of artistic quality.