Funding: Four fellowships worth €20,000 each for artist fees and project costs.
International applicants: Yes. Artists from around the world can apply.
Degree requirement: No university or academy degree is mandatory.
Residency: Three months in Germany, with studio and accommodation plus programme activity in Warsaw.
Deadline:1 December 2026 at 23:59.
Table of Contents
The Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency Programme 2027 is offering four fully funded artistic fellowships worth €20,000 each for international artists developing projects around the theme “Energy Ghosts.”
The programme is organised by the JUNGE AKADEMIE of the Akademie der KĂĽnste, E-WERK Luckenwalde, Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw and VISIT, the Artist-in-Residence programme of the E.ON Foundation.
Artists from around the world can apply with projects at the intersection of art, energy and ecology. Eligible practices include visual art, performance, film, installation, sound, writing and new media, and the application portal explicitly states that strict distinctions between art, design and architecture are not binding.
A university or academy degree is desirable but not required.
Applications are open now and close on 1 December 2026 at 23:59.
Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency at a Glance
Information
Details
Programme
Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency Programme 2027
Theme
Energy Ghosts
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Programme type
Artistic research fellowship / residency
Number of fellowships
4
Funding
€20,000 per selected project
Locations
Luckenwalde and Berlin, Germany; programme activity in Warsaw, Poland
Residency duration
3 months
Onsite requirement
At least 75% of residency period
Eligible applicants
Artists from around the world
Degree required
No
Individuals
Eligible
Project groups
Eligible
Eligible disciplines
Broad range of artistic disciplines
Application opens
14 October 2026
Deadline
1 December 2026, 23:59
Jury meeting
January 2027
Results
Around late January / February 2027
Application method
Online through VISIT
The programme combines financial support with dedicated working space, accommodation and an international artistic programme involving Berlin, Luckenwalde and Warsaw.
What is the Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency?
The Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency is an annual international fellowship programme supporting artists whose work explores relationships between technology, society, ecology and energy.
For 2027, the programme is organised in partnership between:
- JUNGE AKADEMIE / Akademie der KĂĽnste
- E-WERK Luckenwalde
- Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw
- VISIT, the Artist-in-Residence programme of the E.ON Foundation.
Four selected artists or projects receive the opportunity to develop new work within the residency network.
The programme is particularly interested in projects that challenge conventional ideas of technological progress and explore alternative relationships between humans, non-human life, machines, energy systems and the planet.
What is the 2027 “Energy Ghosts” theme?
The 2027 call is titled: Energy Ghosts
The programme begins with the idea that energy is never simply a neutral technical resource.
Instead, energy is connected to:
- extraction
- labour
- colonial histories
- ecological systems
- technological infrastructure
- myth
- magic
- political power.
Applicants are invited to examine the visible and invisible forces surrounding energy.
Projects might investigate questions such as:
- What histories are hidden inside modern energy systems?
- How do extraction and labour continue to shape contemporary technology?
- What unseen infrastructures power digital technologies and artificial intelligence?
- How can mythology, cosmology or speculative fiction help us rethink energy?
- How does energy shape bodies, landscapes and collective imagination?
- Can energy be understood as an ecological, political or spiritual force rather than only as a commodity?
The programme particularly welcomes projects operating at the intersection of: art + energy + ecology and exploring the idea of Energy Ghosts from different artistic, political, ecological or speculative perspectives.
Who can apply for the Mensch Maschine Residency?
The programme is open to artists from around the world.
The official 2027 call does not restrict applicants to Germany, Europe or a specific nationality.
You can apply with work in areas such as:
- visual art
- performance
- film
- installation
- sound
- writing
- new media.
The VISIT application portal also makes clear that strict genre boundaries are not applied between:
- art
- design
- architecture.
This means interdisciplinary artistic-research projects can also fit the programme.
Can international artists apply?
Yes. The programme explicitly offers four fellowships to artists from around the world.
You do not need to be a German citizen or already live in Germany.
The application form also allows applicants to enter their country and nationality, but nationality itself is not presented as a restriction.
Do I need a university degree to apply?
No. The VISIT application form states that specialised education at a university or academy is: desirable, but not required.
That means you can potentially apply without a formal art-school or university degree if your artistic practice and achievements demonstrate a strong professional or emerging artistic profile.
Your actual artistic work and proposed project are therefore more important than simply holding a particular academic qualification.
Can emerging artists apply?
Yes. The programme does not publish a minimum number of professional years or require applicants to have reached a particular academic or career level.
However, the application asks you to present the most important:
- activities
- projects
- exhibitions
- achievements
- awards
from your artistic career so far.
You should therefore be able to demonstrate an existing artistic practice, even if you are still at an emerging stage.
Can artist collectives or groups apply?
Yes. The application portal explicitly states that project proposals can be submitted by individual artists, or project groups.
If you apply as a group, the system asks you to identify one main contact person initially.
Which artistic disciplines are eligible?
The official call welcomes proposals from a broad range of practices, including:
- visual art
- performance
- film
- installation
- sound
- writing
- new media.
The application portal further states that rigid distinctions between art, design and architecture are not binding.
Interdisciplinary and participatory approaches are also welcomed.
Can I apply with an architecture or design project?
Yes, potentially. The VISIT application form explicitly states that it does not make strict distinctions between: art, design or architecture.
Your project still needs to engage meaningfully with the Mensch Maschine programme and the 2027 Energy Ghosts theme.
How much funding do you receive?
Each selected fellowship receives: €20,000
The €20,000 budget is intended to cover both artist fees, and the production of the new project.
The programme specifically states that eligible project costs may include:
- research and development
- travel
- materials
- production
- presentation costs.
The application portal also says the budget can be used for:
- salary payments
- travel
- production
- exhibitions
- documentation.
Is the €20,000 a monthly stipend?
No. The programme awards €20,000 per selected project.
The official sources do not break this amount down into a fixed monthly stipend.
Part of the funding can be used as an artist fee, while another part may need to cover project-related expenses.
You should therefore not present the €20,000 as:
- €6,666 per month
- a salary
- a fixed living allowance.
The funding needs to be budgeted according to your specific artistic project.
Does the fellowship cover travel?
Travel can be included in your: €20,000 project budget.
The current official sources do not state that every fellow receives a separate additional travel allowance outside the €20,000 grant.
If your project requires substantial travel, you should account for those costs clearly in your proposed budget.
Is accommodation included?
Yes. All four fellows receive accommodation during the residency.
According to the current programme three artists receive accommodation and studio space at E-WERK Luckenwalde and one artist is accommodated by the Akademie der KĂĽnste in Berlin.
This accommodation is provided alongside the €20,000 fellowship.
Is studio space included?
Yes. The programme provides studio space at: E-WERK Luckenwalde, or Akademie der KĂĽnste in Berlin.
The residency therefore provides both financial resources and a physical environment in which fellows can develop their projects.
Where does the residency take place?
The programme takes place across three main locations.
Luckenwalde
Three selected artists receive studio space and accommodation at E-WERK Luckenwalde, around 40 minutes south of Berlin.
E-WERK is a former coal-fired power station that has been transformed into a regenerative power plant, contemporary-art centre and research laboratory for Kunststrom, or “art electricity.”
Berlin
One fellow is accommodated through the Akademie der KĂĽnste in Berlin.
The Akademie der KĂĽnste also hosts programme activities and the concluding symposium.
Warsaw
The programme includes activity at the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw.
The current programme schedule includes a retreat programme there during the residency period.
How long is the residency?
The residency lasts: Three months.
There is a small discrepancy between the two current official programme pages regarding the exact calendar dates.
E-WERK describes the residency as: August–October 2027.
The Akademie der KĂĽnste gives a more specific window of: mid-August to mid-November 2027.
Both sources agree that the residency itself lasts three months.
Applicants should therefore use the final dates communicated by the programme organisers when planning travel and availability.
Do I need to stay onsite for the full three months?
You need to spend at least: 75% of the residency period onsite.
During the three-month residency, fellows are expected to: live and work onsite for at least 75% of the time participate in the artistic programme.
So this is not designed as a mostly remote fellowship.
If you already have professional, teaching or family commitments elsewhere, make sure you can realistically meet this onsite requirement before applying.
What happens during the residency?
The fellowship combines independent project development with a shared artistic programme.
Events are planned at:
- E-WERK Luckenwalde
- Akademie der KĂĽnste
- Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art.
The programme currently includes: Residency period
Three months in Germany.
Warsaw retreat
A retreat programme at Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art.
Concluding symposium
A symposium at the Akademie der KĂĽnste in October 2027.
At the symposium, fellows will have the opportunity to present their work in progress alongside artists from the 2026 cohort.
What kind of project should I propose?
Your project should respond clearly to: Energy Ghosts and the broader Mensch Maschine research framework.
The programme is particularly interested in projects that explore energy through ecological, social, historical, political, spiritual or speculative perspectives.
Possible directions mentioned in the current call include:
- mythology
- cosmology
- speculative fiction
- invisible infrastructures
- histories of energy
- residues of extractive systems
- ecological relationships
- technological systems
- spiritual understandings of energy.
Your proposal does not need to treat energy only as electricity or fuel.
The call explicitly encourages applicants to think beyond the idea of energy as simply a technical resource or economic commodity.
Do I need to propose a completely new project?
The grant is intended for the production of a new project, including its research and development.
Your application should therefore explain what you plan to develop during the fellowship rather than simply submitting previously completed work.
Your previous work remains important because your portfolio helps the jury understand your artistic practice and your ability to realise the proposal.
What documents and information do you need?
The VISIT application is completed online.
You will need to provide information about: Your education
Briefly describe the most important aspects and achievements of your educational background.
A specialised university or academy education is desirable but not mandatory.
Your artistic activities and achievements
Provide a concise selection of your most important:
- exhibitions
- projects
- awards
- artistic activities.
Project title
Provide a title for your proposed Energy Ghosts project.
Project description
Describe:
- your basic project idea
- your artistic intention
- how the work relates to Mensch Maschine / Energy Ghosts
- the social relevance of your proposal.
€20,000 budget
You need to explain how the grant will be allocated.
The application asks you to specify relevant budget positions and explain whether: the €20,000 can finance the complete project, or additional funding is required or already secured.
Timeframe
Provide the expected schedule and implementation period for your project.
Portfolio
You must upload a: PDF portfolio with a maximum file size of 20 MB.
Project sketch
You may optionally upload project-related: drawings ,diagrams ,illustrations or other sketches.
These must also be uploaded as a PDF and can be up to 20 MB.
Project links
The application also provides space for relevant URLs and descriptions.
Do I need a CV?
The VISIT application form does not present a conventional standalone CV upload as the core application format.
Instead, it asks you directly for your:
- education
- exhibitions
- projects
- awards
- artistic achievements.
Your portfolio is uploaded separately.
Do not assume that a separate CV PDF is mandatory unless the application system later requests one.
Do I need a recommendation letter?
The current application form does not list recommendation letters among the visible required application materials.
You should therefore not describe references or recommendation letters as mandatory unless the organisers update the application requirements.
Do I need a language certificate?
No language certificate or minimum IELTS, TOEFL, German or CEFR level is stated in the current official call or visible application requirements.
The programme is international, but applicants should follow any working-language guidance communicated by the organisers.
How should I prepare the €20,000 budget?
The application specifically asks you to budget the full: €20,000 and explain the relevant expense categories.
Possible categories supported by the programme include:
- artist fees
- research and development
- production
- materials
- travel
- exhibitions
- presentation
- documentation.
Your budget should clearly connect each major cost to the project you propose.
You should also state whether €20,000 is sufficient to complete the project or whether you already have or need additional financing.
Can the €20,000 include my artist fee?
Yes. The official 2027 call explicitly states that the grant can cover: artist fees as well as project-production costs.
This is important because you do not have to allocate the entire grant only to materials or external production expenses.
How to apply for the Mensch Maschine VISIT Residency 2027
Step 1 — Read the Energy Ghosts theme carefully
Make sure your proposed work genuinely engages with energy, ecology and the conceptual questions of the 2027 call.
Step 2 — Define your project
Prepare a clear project idea explaining:
- what you want to create
- why it matters
- how it relates to Energy Ghosts
- what artistic or research method you will use.
Step 3 — Prepare your €20,000 budget
Explain how you would use the fellowship across artist fees, production, research, travel, materials or presentation.
Step 4 — Prepare your portfolio
Upload a PDF portfolio of no more than 20 MB.
Step 5 — Prepare optional supporting material
If useful, prepare a project sketch as a PDF and relevant external links.
Step 6 — Complete the VISIT application form
The entire application is submitted online through the VISIT portal.
The system warns applicants that: you cannot save an incomplete application and return later to edit it.
You should therefore prepare your texts and files before beginning the final submission.
Step 7 — Submit before the deadline
Your complete application must be submitted by: 1 December 2026 at 23:59
Application Deadline and Timeline
Stage
Date
Open call published
14 October 2026
Application deadline
1 December 2026, 23:59
Jury meeting
January 2027
Applicants informed
Late January / February 2027
Residency
Three months in late summer/autumn 2027
Warsaw retreat
August / September 2027 depending on final schedule
Symposium
October 2027
The Akademie der KĂĽnste says applicants will be informed around the end of January, while its shorter announcement mentions February. Applicants should therefore expect results around late January to February 2027.
How are fellows selected?
The 2027 jury includes:
- Nolan Oswald Dennis — artist and researcher
- Chus Martinez — Head of the Institute Art Gender Nature and Associate Curator of TBA21
- Sarah Johanna Theurer — curator
- Anh-Linh Ngo — Vice President of the Akademie der Künste, architecture theorist and curator
- Tiara Roxanne — scholar and artist.
The public call does not publish a numerical scoring matrix or GPA-style selection formula.
Your application should therefore focus on:
- strength of artistic practice
- relevance to Energy Ghosts
- clarity of project idea
- feasibility
- appropriate use of the €20,000 budget
- potential contribution to the residency environment.
The last points are practical application considerations rather than a published scoring formula.
Planning to study at a German University?
Explore German universities and degree programmes and compare your study options before applying.
Four fellowships are available. Each selected project receives €20,000.
Artists worldwide can apply. There is no nationality restriction in the current call.
A university degree is not required. Specialist university or academy education is desirable but optional.
Individuals and groups can apply. Project groups should initially name one main contact person.
The €20,000 is a project grant, not a monthly stipend. It can include artist fees as well as production, research, travel and presentation expenses.
Studio and accommodation are provided. Three fellows are based at E-WERK Luckenwalde and one is accommodated by the Akademie der KĂĽnste in Berlin.
You need to be onsite for at least 75% of the residency.
The application cannot be saved midway. Prepare your written answers and documents before opening the final submission form.
The two official programme pages differ slightly on the exact residency dates. Both agree on a three-month residency; use the final schedule provided by the organisers when planning travel.
