Arts and Science Residency
The Department of Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity has teamed up with the Center of Gravity at the Niels Bohr Institute. The two institutions are offering a joint arts and science residency program, with residencies available at each site for up to three months.
Art and science are different ways of expressing our human curiosity and our desire to understand the cosmos. Both often involve dealing with the unknown.
The Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity (ACR) department at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute, AEI), excels in theoretical gravitational-wave research. The Center of Gravity (CoG) at the Niels Bohr Institute (NBI) is a Center of Excellence to understand the gravitational interaction and the cosmos. The ACR department and CoG are hubs for new ideas on the foundations of gravity and physics. To learn more about our work, please use our websites: https://www.aei.mpg.de/astro-cosmo-rel and https://the-center-of-gravity.com/about-us/. Together, we are currently inviting proposals for artist residencies of up to three months at each site, who will engage with the research of the ACR department and the CoG.
We welcome original, bold, and ambitious proposals. Projects may take various forms across artistic disciplines, including visual arts, music, literature, and others, provided they engage with themes such as black holes, gravitational waves, and the concept of time.
The residency
We are offering up to two residencies (running in parallel or not) at each of the participating institutes which include the following:
At the Niels Bohr Institute:
- A three-month residency hosted by the Center of Gravity at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- For applicants from outside Copenhagen, we cover travel costs and accommodation expenses for the duration of the residency.
- Depending on needs, and on a case-by-case basis, a stipend may be offered to help cover production expenses.
- A participative residency: regular meetings with scientists to discuss the artist’s project/work.
At the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics:
- A three-month residency hosted by the Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity department at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) in Potsdam, Germany.
- We offer a fixed remuneration rate to cover the costs associated with the collaboration, particularly travel, accommodation, and materials for the artist.
- A participative residency: regular meetings with scientists to discuss the artist’s project/work.
Our expectations/deliverables
Artists in residence will be expected to actively engage with the ACR department at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, its community and the Niels Bohr Institute, in a manner that encourages a mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and expertise. At the end of the residency, we expect the artist to be able to present a piece of work, which may take the form of a donated artwork or performance or a musical piece. We expect a public, external, exhibit to be coordinated by the successful candidate.
The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics and the Niels Bohr Institute, the Center of Gravity, may use images of the work developed during the residency in promotional materials, such as websites, social media, brochures, and press releases. Artists will retain the copyright to the works produced during the residency.
How to apply
If you have an original and compelling idea, we invite you to submit a proposal including the following materials in a single PDF document:
- A short description of the proposed project work (1 page max, outlining a possible concept and plan for the artwork)
- A motivation letter (1 page max)
- A brief CV of the applicant (max 3 pages, including email of applicant).
Important: Save your PDF file using the format "LastName_FirstName_Application".
Applications should be uploaded following through the Apply page. Please note that applicants will not receive a confirmation email.
Deadline
This call closes on April 1, 2026. All proposals will be reviewed and the results will be announced by July 1, 2026, on the CoG webpage. Residencies are expected to begin after August 2026, with details to be arranged with successful candidates.
More information
Any queries should be directed to the CoG Coordinator. Please expect a 7-day timeline for a response.
