THE 12TH OPEN INTERNATIONAL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE COMPETITION
KOLOMNA, MOSCOW REGION
ARTKOMMUNALKA 2026–2027
Application deadline – 31st October 2025
Participation in the competition is free.

 

The museum residence Artкommunalka. Erofeev and Others and Kolomna Posad are holding an open international competition for artists and writers to receive grants for the realization of creative projects in the visual arts and literature in 2026–2027. Artists and writers who are prepared to create projects in accordance with the terms of the competition are invited to take part.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM RESIDENCE

Artkommunalka. Erofeev and Others is the first museum residence with a grant program in Russia. It was founded in 2011 in Kolomna, Moscow Region and is part of the museum that captures the feel of the Soviet Kolomna of the 1960s. The museum residence is a reconstructed communal apartment located in the very heart of old Kolomna, in the house where the Ogonyok grocery shop was located in the 1960s. Venedikt Erofeev the author of the poem ‘Moscow – Petushki’ worked there as a laborer in the wine section, while studying at the local university. The recognized genius of Venedikt Erofeev’s creative freedom has become the guiding light of the museum.

The art residence and literature residence are an open laboratory and workshop all year round: each year artists and writers from Russia and abroad work here. Since 2011, over a hundred artists and fifty writers have realized projects in Artkommunalka. Their creative endeavors have resulted in the exploration of new areas in the visual arts and literature, including those connected with a variety of creative interpretations of the historical heritage and modern culture of Kolomna.

 

The competition supports the boldest and most experimental creative projects in keeping with the spirit and objectives of developing modern art and literature. Attention to the artistic interpretation of Kolomna’s modern life and heritage is welcome.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOCUS

—Contemporary visual arts: art projects revealing the artist’s world and presenting the artist in their context
—Modern prose, poetry, and drama: the literature residence is a laboratory of meanings, a ‘writer’s study’ with the opportunity for communication with the public. The outcomes of the writing projects should be texts in Russian

THE COMPETITION THEME

Artkommunalka announces creative theme for the 2026–2027 art season: 

RINGING THE CHANGES

Rules. Norms. Canons.

They are shaped to be broken sooner or later. «The entire history of art consists of violations. The entire history of art consists of violations,» Dmitry Alexandrovich Prigov reiterated this eternal truth. «A phase shift» – so physicists ironically observed about lyricists during the Thaw years in Russia. It was then that Venedikt Vasilyevich Erofeev received his irrevocable «Kolomna vaccination»—and he rushed into life.

Foundations. Strongholds. Bonds.

Life is asymmetrical.

We invite artists and writers to contribute to the development of the proposed theme through their residency in Kolomna.

 

TERMS OF THE COMPETITION

The selection of residents is carried out on a competition basis. Only projects that meet the objectives of the competition will be considered. The following artistic and creative writing projects are welcome:

—projects in the spirit of “the culture of participation” involving the local community in the creative research and work;
—projects to be realized in the public spaces of Kolomna;
—projects offering educational art and literature programs to the general public.

Application deadline – 31st October 2025.

All applications will be considered by the Artkommunalka judging panel. Reasons for the rejection of applications will not be given and no correspondence will be entered into.

Applicants must take responsibility for copyright issues for the texts and images submitted.

The results of the competition will be sent to participants via email no later than 21st November 2025 and posted on Artkommunalka’s website http://artkommunalka.com and social media.

The competition will NOT support projects either directly or indirectly inciting international conflict, insulting the beliefs of members of any religion, lobbying the interests of political movements or parties, or promoting violence.

COMPETITION WINNERS

Winners will receive the right to reside at the art residence and a grant to realize their project.

Artists will have the opportunity to present their projects in the Museum’s exhibition space. At the end of the year, Artkommunalka publishes a catalog of completed projects.

Winners should not have any contractual relations or agreements with other institutions for the term of their residency.

The amount of the grant:

for artists and writers: 70,000 + 30,000* RUB

*Each grant includes 30,000 RUB for the presentation of the completed project (creating an exhibition, video and photo materials, promotion, publication etc.).

Each stay at the residence includes:

—free accommodation at the residential studio (total area — 27 square meters, with all amenities) in a 19th century house in the historic center of Kolomna;
—return travel expenses to residence;
—curatorial assistance;
—administrative, informational, and technical support in project implementation;
—free access to all museums of the Kolomna Posad creative cluster.

.

Grant payment procedure:

50% of the total amount will be paid upon arrival at the residence and on agreement of the project plan; the remaining part upon completion of the residency program.

The residency program involves:

—the realization of a proposed (and never previously realized) project in the art residence within the given time frame (from 4 to 8 weeks);
—an introductory public meeting and presentation of the proposed project and plans for the residence;
—the involvement in the social life of the museum residence (open days, master classes, lectures, media interviews, etc.) as agreed with its management;
—a final presentation of the project in the form of an exhibition (for artists) or a prepared text and its presentation to the public (including in the form of an exhibition or a reading for writers);
—for artists: the transfer of one of the works completed at the residence (chosen by the Artkommunalka judging panel) to the collection of the museum residence and/or its copyright (terms and conditions as agreed with the judging panel). For any subsequent exhibition of art works created as part of the art residence, the Artkommunalka. Erofeev and Others museum residency should always be specified as the place where the works were created.
—for writers: granting the Museum residence the right to publish the creative work or a part of it (in a catalogue, on a website, etc.) and other rights to use it as agreed with the Artkommunalka judging panel; for any subsequent publication of texts written as part of the art residence, the Artkommunalka Erofeev and Others museum residency should always be specified as the place where the text was written.

More information on the residential studio, the rules for staying at the residence, and previous Artkommunalka projects: https://artkommunalka.com/residents

 

    Full name

    Nickname

    Date of birth

    Citizenship

    Telephone number with area code

    Email

    Permanent address

    Personal internet page / social media account

    CV
    education, list of completed projects, works, and media publications

    Do you have an individual entrepreneur/self-employment?

    Name of the project to be realized at the art residency

    ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOCUS
    select one

    Description of your project, the idea, and its philosophy

    What is unique about the project?
    Only projects that have never been previously realized are eligible for the competition.

    Additional illustrative materials are welcome
    Share a link to a file/folder via any cloud service.

    Proposed format of the project’s presentation for the public and for the press:
    – at the beginning of the residency
    – at the end of the residency

    Theme and format of the master class/public talk
    What kind of audience do you anticipate?

    Duration of the residency (from 4 to 8 weeks) for the project and preferred dates in 2026 or 2027

    Equipment and materials for the project

    Additional information and clarifications
    if necessary

    How did you find out about the competition?
    Choose from the options provided or give your own answer
    Artkommunalka mailingsocial networks (please specify in which community/channel you saw the information)colleaguesmedia announcementsrecommendations of former participants (please specify who recommended)other (please specify)

    FINAL CONFIRMATION AND CONSENT

    By answering the above questions and providing my personal data, in accordance with Article 431.2 and Article 152.1 of the Russian Civil Code, I give the following confirmation and consent to the competition organizer - Kolomna Posad:

    I confirm that the data and supporting files/documents provided in this application form are relevant and complete.

    I confirm my understanding of the competition regulations and to the rules for the art residence.

    I confirm my consent to photo and video recording and to the publication and use of the photographs and videos with my image made during the term of my project at the museum residence Artkommunalka. Erofeev and Others, and to the use of such materials in any manner not contrary to the legislation of the Russian Federation for the entire period of copyright for such materials in Russia and abroad without any restrictions.

    I consent to the personal data processing policy and privacy policy.


     

    CONTACTS

    email: art@kolomnaposad.ru
    WhatsApp and Telegram: +7 985 180 0961
    http://artkommunalka.com
    205, ul. Oktyabr’skoy Revolyutsii, Kolomna, Moscow Oblast.