Tirana Art Residency – Vila 31 x Art Explora is a new artistic residency programme founded by Art Explora in the Albanian capital, to be held in 2025.
Formerly the residence of dictator Enver Hoxha, and renovated by NeM Architects, Vila 31 aims to continue the local dynamic of reopening and reappropriating this historic site by the public. Tirana Art Residency – Vila 31 x Art Explora aspires to become a centre for contemporary artistic creation and research in all its forms from a transdisciplinary, international and transgenerational perspective, with an emphasis on Albanian artists and the Balkan cultural art scene.
The residency programme is open to artists and artists’ collectives, researchers and curators of all nationalities, with no age limit, with at least five years of professional experience. Particular attention will be paid to artists and researchers based or working in the Balkans. Eligible artistic disciplines include visual arts, performing arts, digital arts, art criticism, and curating. Eligible areas of research include humanities, social sciences, sciences, technological innovation, and ecology.
A total of three residency sessions will welcome approximately 25 artists and researchers per year:
- Session 1: December 2024 – February 2025
- Session 2: April 2025 – June 2025
- Session 3: August 2025 – October 2025
There are two programmes available: the SOLO programme and the COLLECTIVE programme (the latter open to a duo/collective formed by an artist and a researcher, or a researcher/scientist/curator).
Each resident benefits from:
- A studio-apartment
- A living grant of 600 EUR per month
- A production grant of 1,500 EUR
- A round trip to Tirana
- Access to production studios
- Access and use of an exhibition space
