Call for Socially Engaged Artists
The Vienna Education Academy (WBA) invites socially engaged artists to apply for the fourth local Artist-in-Residence within the European art and environmental project Turning the Tide (TTT). We are especially looking for artistic positions that work with methods of socially engaged art, actively involve people, and initiate transformative processes in the urban context.
This call addresses artists of all disciplines living in Vienna — including visual arts, performance, photography, film, multimedia, sound art, social practice, interdisciplinary formats, and experimental work.
Application Deadline: 17 December 2025, 10:00 CET
Jury Decision: 19 December 2025
About the Project – Turning the Tide (TTT)
TTT is a three-year EU-funded cooperation project between five European partners. It approaches the effects of climate change through artistic, social, and transdisciplinary perspectives — with a focus on water, sustainable urban development, and the influence of ecological change on everyday life in urban spaces.
Since the start of the project, the WBA has contributed its expertise in political education, cultural education, and civic participation. Through conferences, webinars, workshops, and artistic programmes, TTT connects artistic practice with ecological and political discourse.
International Labs in Vienna, Gdańsk, Glasgow, and Stockholm have shown how art can create momentum for environmental responsibility, local participation, and democratic engagement.
Local Artist Residency IV – Period & Framework
Duration: December 2025 – March 2026
All project work must be completed by 20 March 2026.
This residency includes:
- Three months of research and artistic development in Vienna
- Close collaboration with people living in Vienna — ideally in areas near water such as the Danube, Donaukanal, Alte Donau, or Seestadt Aspern
- Possibility to develop participatory workshops, walks, conversations, or other socially engaged formats
- A public final presentation (date flexible depending on artistic needs)
- Participation in online meetings, feedback sessions, and an interdisciplinary research workshop by Dear Hunter
Why a Focus on Socially Engaged Art?
TTT connects artistic practice with ecological, political, and social engagement. The projects are meant to:
- make ecological issues visible
- strengthen democratic participation
- include people from diverse backgrounds
- create creative and accessible dialogues on climate crisis and sustainability
The WBA contributes its long-standing work in political education — directly (through dialogues, workshops, and educational programs) and indirectly (through fostering participation, reflective culture, and intersectional perspectives).
Expected Approach & Documentation
Artistic projects should:
- be participatory and enable real encounters
- be digitally documentable (photo, video, text, audio, etc.)
- be archivable and shareable internationally
- relate to water, climate resilience, ecology, and social transformation
Selection Criteria
The jury evaluates:
- Relevance and quality of the artistic idea
- Clarity of the socially engaged method
- Relation to water / climate change / sustainability
- Feasibility within three months
- Integration of local residents
- Artistic and social impact
- Ability to communicate online (English required)
Examples of Previous Works (Inspiration)
Six Turning the Tide projects have already been created in Vienna:
- Jenny Marketou (Greece/USA) – participatory workshops, installation Inside the Belly of a Garden
- Kamila Chomicz (Poland) – biodiversity workshops & film work
- Anny Wass (AT) – public space performance
- Paul Kitzmüller (AT) – graphic works on community & urban life
- Daniel Böswirth (AT) – school workshops & installations on impermanence
- Daniil Sukhov (AT) – workshops on taste, origin & water quality
These examples show: any artistic discipline can contribute meaningfully, as long as it works socially, environmentally, and in dialogue with the urban space.
Financial Framework
Selected artists receive:
- 2,600 EUR compensation for the entire residency (including all taxes and fees)
- Material costs may be discussed individually
How to Apply
Submit your application by 17 December 2025, 10:00 CET using the following form:
If you do not have a Google account, you may submit in exceptional cases by email:
herger@wiener-bildungsakademie.at
The jury decision will be announced on 19 December 2025.
Two artists will be selected. Across the full project duration (2023–2026), a total of eight artists will participate.
Key Themes for Artistic Exploration
Artists may engage with topics such as:
- Rising water levels, climate risks, flooding
- Loss of biodiversity & micro-ecologies
- Urban resilience & sustainable city planning
- Water quality & infrastructure
- Social inequality, environmental justice & power dynamics
- Community adaptation strategies
- Cultural heritage in water-related urban districts
Local contexts — such as the Danube region, Donaukanal, or Seestadt Aspern — should be considered.
We Look Forward to Your Application!
If environmental justice, social engagement, political awareness, and sustainable urban futures matter to you — and if you want to actively involve people living in Vienna in your artistic thinking and practice — then this call is for you.
Art shifts perspectives.
Political education strengthens participation.
Together we can expand awareness of climate protection and resilient futures.
