SÍM

Artist Residency: Public Art & Designed Living Environment
Konst i Halland – SÍM Residency Exchange 2026
Location: Halmstad, Sweden
Period: 1-28 October 2026
Application deadline: 9th April 2026

Concept of the Residency:
This residency explores the intersection of contemporary art, public space, and the designed living environment (Gestaltad livsmiljö), with a particular focus on how artistic practices can engage with urban development, infrastructure, and the built environment.
The residency is evolving around public art and the Swedish national policy area Gestaltad livsmiljö, which emphasizes the integrated role of art, architecture, design, and spatial planning in shaping sustainable, inclusive, and meaningful environments. In practice, this field often requires collaboration between artists, architects, planners, engineers, and public institutions.

Through access to Fab Lab Halmstad, the selected artist will work experimentally with digital fabrication, prototyping, and material-based processes, while engaging in dialogue with students, researchers, and professionals from both artistic and technical disciplines.
The residency is conceived as a research-based and process-oriented programme, encouraging critical reflection, hands-on experimentation, and knowledge exchange rather than the production of a finished artwork.

In parallel, one artist from Halland will undertake a residency at SÍM Residency in Reykjavík, forming a reciprocal international exchange between Sweden and Iceland.

Konst i Halland and SÍM Residency invite one professional artist based in Iceland to take part in a one-month residency in Halland, Sweden, in 2026. The residency focuses on public art, the built environment, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with access to Fab Lab Halmstad at Halmstad University and the regional art museum, Hallands Konstmuseum. It includes teaching a three day workshop for 15 building engineer students and 3-5 artists at Högskolan i Halmstad and their Fab Lab.

Konst i Halland (Art in Halland) is a regional resource centre operated by Region Halland and Halland Art Museum.

The residency is rooted in the Swedish policy area Designed Living Environment (Gestaltad livsmiljö) and explores how artistic practices can engage with urban development, public space, materiality, and sustainability. The selected artist will work experimentally with digital fabrication and prototyping while collaborating with students, teachers, and professionals across art and engineering.

The residency includes:
- Teaching (3 days) Paid
- An artist meeting/ workshop for local artist at Fab Lab(2 hours) Paid
- Participate in a panel discussion on art, public space, and urban development at Halland Art Museum ,
(2 hours) Paid
- Travel, Reykjavik-Halmstad, Halmstad -Reykjavik, paid
- Accommodation Halmstad Hotell & Vandrarhem Kaptenshamn, paid
- Access to FabLab, to work independently.
- Collaboration with teachers and students at Halmstad University
- Program day, field trip with Konst i Halland
- Connection with film residency, Region Halland

Financial Terms:
Artist Fee
- 45,000 SEK (approx. 615,595.08 ISK), plus VAT if applicable
- Payment by invoice
Travel Costs
- Covered and reimbursed upon receipt of invoice
Accommodation
- Private bedroom and bathroom, shared kitchen
- Location: Kaptenshamns Hotell & Vandrarhem
- Website: https://www.kaptenshamn.com
Scope of Work
A formal contract between the artist and Konst i Halland will be prepared.
1. Teaching at Halmstad University 7-9 October, 6 hours/day
Planning and delivering a workshop/course for:
Fifteen civil engineering students + three local artists.
2. Fab Lab Introduction
Participation in an introductory session at Fab Lab Halmstad prior to the course.
3. Artist Meeting 19th Oct
Leading an artist gathering hosted by Konst i Halland at Fab Lab Halmstad.
Duration: 2 hours
4. Artist Talk / Panel Discussion 21st October   
Public talk or participation in a panel conversation at Hallands Konstmuseum.
Duration: 2 hours

In addition to this, there will be a field trip with Konst i Halland, the possibility to work at Fab Lab throughout the stay, and access to Hallands Konstmuseum, as well as the opportunity to network.

Who can apply:
Professional artists based in Iceland working within visual art, sculpture, installation, media art, design, architecture, or related fields. Experience with digital fabrication is welcome but not required.

Applicants must submit:
- A proposal for a lecture/ workshop for three days at Fab Lab Halmstad
- CV and portfolio of artworks
- All applications must be submitted in English
Application sent to – residency@sim.is