Open Archief 5.0: Three €6,000 Art and Digital Archive Residencies in the Netherlands — Apply by 30 October
Three funded residencies exploring who gets access to archives
Open Archief 5.0 is inviting artists and other creative researchers in the Netherlands to submit a project proposal under the theme “Access & Agency”. The programme explores how artistic practices can question the selection, preservation, accessibility and interpretation of archives, and whose stories archival systems make visible. Three participants will be chosen for a research and publication residency running from December 2026 to May 2027.
This is not a conventional gallery show or an unrestricted new-media prize. Applicants need to propose research drawing on partner archival collections and leading to a publication, with opportunities for artistic and critical experimentation. The application deadline is Friday, 30 October 2026 at 17:00 Central European Time (CET).
Who can apply: a residency restricted to Netherlands-based graduates
Eligible applicants must be graduates currently living in the Netherlands with a work permit. The call welcomes people identifying as artists, designers, creative thinkers, curators, writers or other creators, with an interest in archive material, audiovisual work, graphic design, architecture, social history or related art practices.
Because both residence in the Netherlands and permission to work are specified, the opportunity should not be represented as unrestricted worldwide funding. Artists based abroad should check their eligibility carefully rather than assume that submitting a digital project remotely is sufficient.
Four partner collections and the theme Access & Agency
The project connects archival resources at Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision (Beeld & Geluid), the Nieuwe Instituut, the International Institute of Social History (IISH), and Framer Framed. Sound & Vision provides extensive historical audiovisual holdings; Nieuwe Instituut maintains a major architecture archive; the IISH covers social, labour and emancipatory histories; and Framer Framed documents exhibitions and artistic programmes.
Proposals should critically investigate archival materials, practices or structures, explain how the research addresses the 2026–27 theme of Access & Agency, and use materials from at least one partner collection, preferably several. Digital heritage collections and recordings are particularly relevant to artists working with moving image, interactive documentary, media archaeology, graphic systems or experimental publishing. Those are potential approaches, not separately listed competition categories.
€6,000 support, working period and publication
Each selected resident receives a total grant of €6,000, composed of €5,000 as an allowance and €1,000 for production. The working period extends from December 2026 to May 2027, and participants are expected to devote at least four days per month to the programme. In-person and online research are both possible within the residency.
The creative outcome is a publication, prepared with support from staff, mentors and external experts, to be made available in both physical and digital forms. Participants should also contribute to linked activities such as Re:Use Clinics and blog posts. A joint public presentation of the residents' research is planned for June 2027 at Framer Framed. The grant is the total stated support, rather than €6,000 per month.
Prepare the proposal in English or Dutch
Applications must be emailed to openarchief@beeldengeluid.nl by 17:00 CET on 30 October 2026. The proposal package has three components: a motivation letter with a concise project description and intended publication format of no more than 750 words; a portfolio of no more than four pages; and a CV of no more than two pages. Links to websites or videos may be included.
A strong proposal will make clear which source collections it intends to examine, what question the researcher wants to investigate and how the publication format can give the archive material a new critical perspective. These are editorial preparation suggestions; the official application requirements and limitations take precedence.
Selection timeline and official application
A jury made up of representatives from the four partners and one external artist will select three residents, with the announcement expected in early November 2026. Applicants should receive confirmation that their proposal arrived no later than one week after the deadline. The call says it cannot review a draft proposal in advance, so the submission should be complete when sent.
Official open call, eligibility criteria and instructions: https://framerframed.nl/en/dossier/open-call-open-archief/ . Applicants should consult the latest organiser information before submitting, particularly regarding residency and work-permit eligibility, timing and the expected contribution to programme activities.