tekhnē

We invite researchers and artists working at the intersection of music, technology, and socio-political reflection to apply for a three-week residency in Szczecin, Poland. The open call is part of the project TEKHNÉ – an interdisciplinary initiative exploring the relationships between sound, technology, power and community.

The residency will be hosted at the TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin, an art institution that fosters critical, interdisciplinary and research-driven artistic practices.

The call is primarily addressed to individuals developing research-based projects; however, we are also open to experimental, hybrid formats that combine theory and practice and move beyond the artistic performance of a work/works alone.

TRAFO offers two residency invitations within this open call.

🔧 What we offer:

• A three-week stay in Szczecin (summer 2026 or October 2026) • Financial support covering: – travel expenses (domestic and international) – accommodation in Szczecin – daily per diems • Additional funds for short research trips (1–2 days) or archival queries in other cities (for example in Warsaw) • Liaising with TRAFO’s curatorial team and access local cultural and knowledge networks • A showcase event – lecture, workshop, or concert – developed by the resident and presented at TRAFO

🔎 Who we are looking for:

We welcome applications from: • Researchers (independent or affiliated) working in fields such as sound studies, ethnomusicology, cultural anthropology, media theory, political philosophy, or related disciplines • Artists whose practice is research-based, socially engaged, or grounded in a critical approach to working with sound • Individuals or collectives exploring themes of power, listening, infrastructure, memory, and resistance in the context of music and technology

Projects connected to the context of Central and Eastern Europe are particularly welcome, though this is not a requirement.

🧭 Suggested thematic areas (non-exhaustive):

• Sonic surveillance and acoustic warfare • Music and sound as social or political infrastructure • Marginal sound archives and forgotten voices • Listening as a form of resistance • Post-industrial and post-digital soundscapes • DIY technologies and counter-hegemonic media • Sound ethnography and experimental methods

📩 How to apply:

Please submit your application as a single PDF in English to residency@trafo.art by 15.03.2026. Your application should include:

• Short bio (max. 300 words)
• Project proposal (max. 500 words) – include your research interests, planned activities during the residency, and your preferred dates (November or January)
• Portfolio or sample of relevant work – up to 10 pages or links (can be academic, artistic, or hybrid)
Selected applicants may be invited for a short online interview before final decisions are made.

https://trafo.art/en/tekhne-open-call-2026-rezydencja-badawcza-w-szczecinie/