OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS:
E75 – a journey through Europe
Deadline 6 January 2025
E75 ART BUS | E75 art journey:
Norway (Finnmark) – Finland – Estonia -Latvia – Lithuania – Poland – Slovakia –
Hungary – Serbia – North Macedonia – Greece
Lue artikkeli suomeksi tästä linkistä: https://haihatus.fi/e75-taidebussi-avoin-haku-taiteilijoille/
E75 PROJECT AND ARTIST RESIDENCY
The E75 Art Bus is an art journey exploring the E75 road through Europe. E75, or Europe Road 75, is a 5 639 kilometer long route that starts from Vardø in Norway and ends at Siteia in Crete, Greece.
E75 Art Vehicles is a project by Artists’ Association MUU and the Northern cultural magazine Kaltio. Project is part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture Programme.
The project will host artist residencies together with an international residency network in 2025.
The art journey itself along the European E75 route takes place in April-May 2026. The new artworks produced in the project will be experienced along the road and on the bus. The resident artists for the project are selected through an open call.
Roads connect European nations and people to each other. The E75 project creates both new geographical and new mental connections: the art bus unites the Mediterranean to the Arctic Ocean simultaneously with artists from eleven countries to each other and to active people in dozens of communities on the way. On the open call, we create and discover works that reflect upon universal European themes: democracy, giving peace a chance, and possible futures for our continent. In addition, artists can suggest projects pertaining to the technology and history of travel and communication.
RESIDENCIES
The E75 residencies take place from April to June 2025, ranging from 6 weeks to 2 months. The artists are expected to present their work during the E75 Art Bus journey (Oulu – Siteía – Vardø –
Oulu, 9 April – 18 May 2026). The duration for artists’ participation for the journey will be
negotiated with the artists later.
The partners in the residency network are
- Pikene på Broen (Kirkenes, Norway),
- Komafest AS (Vardø, Norway),
- Laboratoriet for kunst, kultur og stedsutvikling (Vardø, Norway),
- Gjesteatelieret i Vadsø, Finnmark fylkeskommune (Vadsø, Norway),
- Art Center KulttuuriKauppila (Ii, Finland),
- Art Center Haihatus (Joutsa, Finland),Instytut B61 & Toruńska Agenda Kulturalna (Toruń, Poland),
- Malý Berlín (Trnava, Slovakia) and
- Μεταξωτο / Metaxoto (Chania, Greece).
The residency organisations are presented at the end of the text.
We accept applications from professional artists resident in the regions of the E75 Art Bus route:
Finnmark (Norway), Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece.
The applicant can apply for any residency place or specific residencies according to their working methods and other requirements. The artists will not be allocated to residencies in their home countries.
ARTISTS
Nine artists are chosen to participate in the project. Selection will be multidisciplinary and represent different sections of the E75 Art Bus route. Aim is also to find works that can engage people in communities either locally or through digital means. Preference is given to proposals that engage in new forms of visual art that are at the core of MUU activities: media art, light art, sound art, performance art, live art, community art, environmental art etc.
Performance, site-specific, durational and interactive works can be realized in different places the tour stops in and/or on the road within the bus itself. We welcome also proposals for hybrid works that can be presented digitally online, as well as proposals that document the journey.
The jury that makes the artist selection consists of MUU’s director Timo Soppela, Kaltio editor-in-chief Paavo J. Heinonen, and artist members of MUU’s exhibition group: Leevi Lehtinen, Terhi Nieminen and Matti Tainio.
APPLICATIONS
The applications are sent through an electronic form on MUU’s website. The information required includes applicant’s contact information, biography, CV, work samples, a link to a portfolio, a work plan, and possible preferences for the residency location.
If available, we also will like to see a link to an interview, a podcast or a video presentation that
introduces the applicant!
During the residency period in 2025, we shall implement 1–3 online events that connect the
residencies. In these events, we will discuss the work and artistic practice of the resident artists as well as the progress of E75 Art Bus journey. The artists will have a chance to discuss their work
further during the eventual bus trip in April and May 2026.
The facilities and equipment available in each residency location are different, and the chosen artists will be allocated to places that suit their work practice. The recidency organisations will offer accommodation and working facilities. Travel expenses, some material costs as well as the artist fee will be covered by E75 Art Vehicles project. The artist fee is 1 500 € / month / person
(this will be increased up to 2 700 € / month if the project secures extra funding).
The selection will be made and communicated to the applicants latest in February 2025.
Link to the application form:
E75 JOURNEY 2026 - IMPLEMENTATION OF WORKS
On the bus trip, we bring the artists together with the organisers and the audiences. The extra seats on the bus will be sold to members of the public. During the six-week journey there will be events taking place in 20+ stopping places, as well as on the bus itself. There will be different devices available to experience media art, but we will also develop a mobile studio that can record and stream discussions and other kinds of performances directly from the moving bus. E75 stretches from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Ocean. Southern end point is in Siteía on the island of Crete, Northern in Vardø in Finnmark.
The Art Bus journey starts in Oulu, Finland on 9 April 2026, and continues through Helsinki, Kaunas, Trencin, Trnava, Budapest, Novi Sad, Skopje, Thessaloniki, Eleusis and Athens. From Athens journey continues by ferry to Crete and reach Chania, Heraklion and Siteía on 24 April. Turning back North, we take the same road, adding
Torun, Gdansk and Liepaja to our itinerary, as well as Joutsa, Ii, Inari and Vadsø. We celebrate the end-of-the-road festival in Vardø on 16 May, from where we return to Oulu for 20 May.
The participation of each artist selected will be discussed separately – it will be possible to travel the whole road or a part of it. We will try to minimise flight and have artists board the bus from their home areas on the southbound part of the trip.
MAIN ORGANIZERS
MUU ry (Artists’ Association MUU)
Founded in 1987, Artists’ Association MUU is a national interdisciplinary art organisation that represents and promotes new media art in Finland. MUU supports the professional identity, working conditions, education, training and networking of artists. It also serves as an influencer in cultural policy. MUU is a member organisation in the Artists’ Association of Finland. MUU has over 700 professional artist members based in Finland. MUU operates the MUU Helsinki Contemporary
Art Centre in Helsinki.
MUU Helsinki Contemporary Art Centre in Cable Factory is an international project space and
center for new areas of contemporary art, which serves artists across the boundaries between the
arts. The 160 m2 event, exhibition and training space, which can be converted into various uses,
with a room height of six meters and good technical equipment, provides a framework for even
the most demanding works and projects. https://muu.fi
Kaltio magazine
Cultural magazine Kaltio was founded in Oulu in 1945, and it is the longest-running continuously
published Finnish language cultural journal outside Helsinki. Kaltio has been awarded the Quality
Cultural Magazine of the Year award in 2008, the Kiila Award in 2011, the Barents Council Cultural Cooperation Award 2019 as well as Skrew You recognition award of the Oulu Comics Society in 2020. Kaltio is published by a member organisation “Kaltio ry” with 120 members.
E75 Art Vehicles is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change. Oulu is the European Capital of Culture for the year 2026. Oulu and the entire northern Finland will be filled with culture, art, and events in the coming years. Northern Finland will rise to the world map in an unprecedented way as Finnish and international cultural experts create something new in cities, countryside, and nature. It is a journey spanning several years, culminating in the year 2026.
E75 Art Vehicles is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change. Oulu is
the European Capital of Culture for the year 2026. Oulu and the entire northern Finland will be
filled with culture, art, and events in the coming years. Northern Finland will rise to the world map
in an unprecedented way as Finnish and international cultural experts create something new in
cities, countryside, and nature. It is a journey spanning several years, culminating in the year 2026.
More information: oulu2026.eu
PRESENTATION OF RESIDENCE PLACES
Norway
Finnmark has large distances and scarce population, so we recommend artists preferring our Norwegian residencies to have a driver’s license, if they wish to move around beyond the towns. Local organizations will help with possible car rental.
The artists selected in Finnmark residencies work in two places each: in April, two artists in
Kirkenes (April 1–30) and one in Vadsø (April 1–27), in May all three move to Vardø.
Pikene på Broen
Kirkenes
1–30 April 2025
A curator organization operating for nearly 30 years in the town of about 3 000 inhabitants, Pikene
på Broen maintains two residential apartments in connection with their office and gallery premises. Apartments are on the second floor (stairs / chair lift). Specialization in visual and
performing arts.
Gjesteatelieret i Vadsø
Vadsø
1–27 April 2025
A guest studio maintained by the Finnmark county administration, 2 km from the center, about 80
m2 on two floors. Space for 1–3 people. Includes studio spaces, non-toxic graphic printing facilities
and the possibility of using a ceramics oven. Our other partner organisation, The Vadsø Artists’
Association maintains a gallery space in the central Vadsø.
www.ffk.no/tjenester/kultur-og-kulturarv/kultur/artist-in-residence/gjesteatelieret-i-vadso
www.vadsokunst.no
New artist residency
Vardø
27 April / 30 April – 31 May 2025
Two local organisations Kulturpilot (Laboratoriet for kunst, kultur og stedsutvikling i Vardø) and
Komafest have been organizing various events in Vardø for a long time. The E75 artist residencies
function as a pilot project for a new residency program in the town center. The historic building
Mads Johnsenbua is built in the 19th century and also houses the Pomor Museum. The residence
hall has facilities for a maximum of six people. Kulturpilot and Komafest help in finding suitable
workspaces for each artist.
FINLAND
KulttuuriKauppila
Ii
1 April – 31 May 2025
Art Centre KulttuuriKauppila have an operating international residency program of almost 20
years. The residential apartment has two bedrooms and shared common rooms, and it is recently
renovated. The 45 m2 working space is shared by artists in residence. Within the premises is also
the studio building of the three KulttuuriKauppila home artists, and a teaching space of the civic
college. It is located one kilometre from the center of Ii and 40 km from Oulu centre by local bus
connection (€2.50).
www.kulttuurikauppila.fi/en/residency/residency-space
Haihatus
Joutsa
1 April – 15 May 2025
Art Center Haihatus is an international, relaxed working residency along the E75, 200 km north of
Helsinki. It has three historically significant buildings located on a large rural lot. Haihatus
organises events, exhibitions and workshops year round. The residence hall has four single and
two double bedrooms, with shared amenities. There are plenty of workspaces, especially for visual
and performance art, and the wood workshop and tools are available to use. The services in the
central Joutsa are at 1,5 km distance.
POLAND
Instytut B61 & Toruńska Agenda Kulturalna
Toruń
1 April – 31 May 2025
The new residency program of the city of Torun is located in a renovated historic building less than
two kilometers from the city center. Work spaces for music, game art, dance, performing arts and photography are being built. The residency is produced in cooperation with Insityt B61, an
organization that combines astronomy and art.
www.tak.torun.pl/co-robimy/projekty/kulturalny-hub
www.instytutb61.pl/biuletyn/misja_en.php
Slovakia
Mály Berlin
Trnava
1 April – 31 May 2025
Mály Berlin is an independent cultural center in Trnava along the E75 between Trencin and
Bratislava. The center has its own exhibition space and about annual 300 events. It is very active in
international projects. The centre has their own residency program which offers opportunities for
creators of performing and visual arts as well as researchers and other cultural professionals.
Greeke
Metaxoto
Hania
25 April – 6 June 2025
Focusing on performing arts and founded in 2019, Metaxoto is a dance school that also has a one-
bedroom residence. The residence is located in the Mourniés area, about 3 km from Chania’s old
town and the beach. The space has two dance studios (60 and 160 m2) and one 25 m2 work space
and 2 libraries. Metaxoto’s own “RiRE – Researcher in Residence” program invites 1–2 researchers
to Chania every year.
Deadline for the applications 6 January 2025!
Link to the application form:
https://survey.gruppo.fi/muu/index.php/254688
https://shorturl.at/hCO3m
Inquiries: Timo Soppela, director@muu.fi
Drawings made by Veli-Matti Ural.
COLLABORATORS
