Solitude Fellowship — international residency for arts professionals in Germany with a €1,300 monthly fellowship

Spending several months fully dedicated to your own practice can become an important milestone in your professional development. International artist residencies allow you to focus on your work, connect with peers from around the world, and become part of an international cultural community without the distractions of everyday organizational responsibilities.
Solitude Fellowship is one of Europe’s best-known residency programs, organized every two years by Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany. Each cycle brings together 50–60 artists, researchers, and cultural professionals from different countries, creating an environment for long-term creative work, interdisciplinary exchange, and professional collaboration.

What the residency offers
Participants undertake a 6- or 9-month residency in Germany and receive a €1,300 monthly fellowship, a fully equipped live/work studio, reimbursement of travel expenses, the opportunity to receive additional project funding, and health insurance for participants from non-EU countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and other countries. In addition, the residency provides access to wood and metal workshops, video editing and VR facilities, libraries, professional events, and an international community of fellows.

Who can apply
The program is open to artists, photographers, designers, architects, musicians, writers, curators, researchers, and other cultural professionals from around the world. Applicants are generally expected to have between two and ten years of professional practice after completing their education, although this is a guideline rather than a strict requirement. Applicants with more experience are also welcome to apply if they can clearly explain why participating in the residency is particularly relevant to their current stage of professional development. Collectives of up to two people who have worked together for at least two years are also eligible to apply. Applicants must have a good command of English or German.

Eligible disciplines
The program welcomes applications from a wide range of artistic and research fields, including:
— visual arts — painting, sculpture, photography, installation, ceramics, textiles, and performance;
— film and video;
— music, sound art, and music theatre;
— theatre, dance, and choreography;
— architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture;
— design, scenography, fashion, and product design;
— literature and literary translation;
— digital art, new media, and algorithmic practices;
— humanities and applied research (within the focus areas of the current call).

Selection process
The selection process consists of three stages. Applicants first submit a short online application. Selected candidates are then invited to submit a full application, including their portfolio and project description. The final decision is made by an independent international jury, which evaluates the artistic quality of the work, the strength of the proposed project, the relevance of the applicant’s practice, professional experience, and readiness for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Important to know
The fellowship is designed as a full-time residency and requires participants to live in Stuttgart throughout the entire residency period. Fellows are expected to actively engage in the Akademie’s community, participate in professional exchange, and connect with the local cultural scene. Under certain conditions, it is possible to participate with a partner or family, although the number of suitable studios is limited and additional expenses are not covered by the program.

Why consider Solitude Fellowship
Over the years, Akademie Schloss Solitude has built one of the strongest international communities of residency alumni in Europe. The program values not only the quality of completed work but also an artist’s potential for future development, making the fellowship an important stepping stone toward new international projects, collaborations, and exhibitions.

When can you apply?
The program does not accept applications on a rolling basis. A new international open call is announced approximately every two years, followed by a competitive selection process. If applications are currently closed, this is an excellent opportunity to prepare your portfolio, CV, and project description in advance so you are ready to apply as soon as the next call opens.