European Commission Shifting Shores Residency 2027: €15,000 Total, Apply by 24 October
Urgent 24 October cutoff: a six-month European art-and-policy research residency
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, supported by the Joint Research Centre's EU Policy Lab, is recruiting an artist for Shifting Shores: life, identity and adaptation where land meets sea. The closing date is Saturday 24 October 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time, extremely near for applicants reading in Asia or the Americas. Send one combined PDF to JRC-EU-POLICY-LAB@ec.europa.eu with the subject RTD Residency. The successful residency starts in January or February 2027 and runs for six months.
Applicants of any nationality, but EU work permission is essential
The official call welcomes researchers and artists working in any medium who have at least two years of serious research-based artistic experience relevant to environmental and climate impacts in coastal places. Applicants may be of any nationality, but must be legally able to work in the European Union. Place-based, social, ecological, embodied, participatory, documentary, speculative and interdisciplinary approaches are particularly relevant. This is not a no-portfolio student contest or an open-ended commission for any artwork on any topic.
The €15,000 budget is NOT a cash prize on top of travel
The six-month total contract budget is €15,000, and the Commission clearly states that it includes the artist's professional fee, allowance, accommodation and travel. It must not be added to a separate accommodation subsidy or reported as a €15,000 prize paid without duties. The artist is expected to be on site in Brussels for up to 20 nonconsecutive days and otherwise can work from their own location. The residency is not six continuous months living at the Commission's expense in Brussels. Participants should understand tax, invoicing, travel planning, right-to-work and insurance implications before applying.
Coastal adaptation, public policy and local experiences
Shifting Shores is focused on changing relationships among coastlines, nature and communities affected by erosion, biodiversity loss, pollution, water scarcity and climate adaptation. The selected artist will work with research and policy specialists on how lived memories, livelihoods, emotional attachment to places and environmental evidence intersect. The process includes conversations with teams working on nature-based solutions, oceans and waters, and an informal closing reflection or creative presentation. A future commissioned finished artwork is not automatically guaranteed.
One PDF, specific written statement and concrete selection stages
Applicants should combine into one PDF a statement of around 500 words, no longer than one page, describing the proposed line of inquiry, artistic interests and approach to engagement with Commission teams; a curated portfolio of relevant previous projects and a website link when available; and a CV. The working language is English, with French useful but not compulsory. Shortlisted applicants are scheduled for online interviews 11–13 November, with selection around mid-November and contracting in December. The artist begins in January or February 2027. If the deadline is missed, the Commission says late entries cannot be considered.
Institutional record and application safety
The primary announcement is issued by the European Commission's Knowledge4Policy platform, part of the European Commission Joint Research Centre's science-for-policy service. The EU Policy Lab develops creative methods for research and policymaking, while DG RTD covers research and innovation programmes. The official announcement contains the complete opportunity, organisational details, downloadable call document and email submission address. There is no third-party intermediary or 'guaranteed selection' payment. Work authorization must be verified rather than assumed from a nationality-neutral description.
Original European Commission call and application
Information verified 23 October 2026. The official time limit is 24 October at 23:59 Brussels local time, and the total budget includes fees and expenses; consult the current original notice before submitting.