Open Call – At Home in Hundorf / ȘAH 2026
Artist Residency in Viișoara, Mureș County, Romania
The “Acasă la Hundorf” (At Home in Hundorf) Association organizes the annual residency ȘAH (Școala de-Acasă Hundorf) for emerging artists from around the world, across all disciplines – including film, theatre, literature, architecture, and more. Located in a small village in Transylvania, the program offers participants time and space to disconnect, reflect, and experiment. Guided by a specific theme for each edition, ȘAH transforms its rural setting into a laboratory for dialogue, critical inquiry, and meaningful artistic practice.
About the Residency
ȘAH started ten years ago with the idea of offering young artists, most of them urban, an idyllic refuge in the countryside. A quiet, welcoming place where life moves slowly, allowing you to disconnect from the pressure and noise of the city. A place to retreat in order to seek inspiration, reconnect and rediscover yourself.
Nine editions later, this idea continues to animate the residency. Artists still have the autonomy to build their own schedule, to experiment without constraints, to dream, reflect and create. Over time, however, the idyllic space has become more real.
The village has revealed itself beyond the pastoral ideal. The artists’ projects have shown facets that contradict its charm: migration, economic precarity, the lack of educational infrastructure, social and cultural tensions, etc. At a local scale, these contemporary issues do not disappear; on the contrary, they become more visible and more sharply defined. The rural setting shines a light on aspects that are often lost in the daily buzz.
Today, the residency operates within a fertile paradox: it creates the setting for retreat, but it does not suspend reality. It offers distance, but at the same time it pulls the essential closer. This zone of interference between calm and friction, between artists and context, defines its spirit. And the artistic community it brings together becomes the perfect environment for dialogue and experimentation.
Starting with the previous edition, in order to enhance this dialogue and to provide a shared framework for reflection, we also introduced an annual thematic focus. We invite you to discover the ȘAH 2026 theme:
CONFLICT.
Conflict has become a constant in our lives. We are going through tense times, hard to endure, sometimes almost apocalyptic. We are surrounded by crises and fears that disturb our minds and make us vulnerable. From village to city, from country to continent, and from the individual to society, conflict touches all fault lines. Whether we want to or not, we are all part of it, one way or another. We can hardly escape it.
In this year’s residency, we are interested in how artists perceive conflict in all its dimensions. It may be a class, gender, ethnic, cultural, or generational conflict. It may be systemic or personal, visible or subterranean. It may appear as a silent, frozen impasse; an illusory peace; a constant tension; or, on the contrary, an explosion, a volcano. We are also interested in the catalysts of conflict: what triggers it, what sustains it, who wins and who loses. The gains and losses it produces, the debates it ignites, the uncomfortable questions.
In this edition, we are also inviting projects that engage with more distant geographies and broader cultural spaces. Although Viișoara is not unfamiliar with conflict, and although such tensions can be unveiled and better understood when observed at a small scale, we no longer want the local rural universe to be the sole focus for artists. The village may also remain as an indirect source of inspiration, a background that subtly infiltrates your work. However, we are curious about possible connections and parallels between local conflicts and those from other areas.
We conclude on a positive note. Conflict is not only about destruction. At its core lies the possibility of transformation. It can open new spaces for coexistence and consensus. This is why we want this year’s residency to become a laboratory in which conflict canbe mapped in all its complexity. A place where we attempt to understand not only what breaks in its wake, but also what can be reconfigured, rebuilt, and reimagined.
Now, take a closer look at the details of the residency and check out our application form.
We are now launching the national and international call for the 10th Edition of the ȘAH artist residency in Hundorf!
What does the residency include?
● A 4-week residency in the village of Hundorf (Viișoara, Mureș County) between June and August 2025. Selected artists will be grouped in teams of at least 4 participants per residency period, based on their availability.
– group 1: June 14 – July 12
– group 2: July 19 - August 16
● A group exhibition in Târgu Mureș, which we will organise and curate, showcasing the projects created during the residency. The exhibition will be part of the NAG / The White Night of Galleries event.
● Online presentation of the residency projects on our website and their inclusion in the ȘAH Contemporary Art database, a platform dedicated to promoting emerging artists: acasalahundorf.ro/rezidenti
Who can apply?
● The residency is open to artists under 35, of all nationalities.
● We welcome applications from artists working in all artistic media.
● Artists who have previously participated in a ȘAH residency are not eligible to apply.
What we offer:
● Freedom to create at your own pace – Residents develop their projects according to their own schedule.
● An artist residency in a rural setting – A peaceful and welcoming environment, away from urban noise and stress. The residency space includes four bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and multiple workspaces.
● Connections with the local community – Already at its 10th edition, the program has established strong relationships with members from the local community, and also an extensive network of local and regional partners who can assist us when the projects require broader research or cultural exploration.
● Promotion and support – Through exhibitions, social media, newsletters, and other events organised by the association.
● Membership in the Acasă la Hundorf/ At Home in Hundorf artistic community – Through its other programs, the association supports creative initiatives and collaborations between past and present participants in the ȘAH residency, and promotes their current practice through its media channels.
● A 500 Euro stipend per artist.
What we expect from the residents:
● Care for the residency house in Hundorf and the other workspaces – the house is a19th-century rural heritage site, a living history entity populated with objects and memories from multiple generations.
● Commitment and dedication – Using the residency period to actively work on the proposed project.
● Participation in the opening of the final exhibition in Târgu Mureș in the last week of September/ first week of October (exact dates and confirmations will be discussed after the selection).
● Participation in the residency activities:
○ A casual, peer-to-peer review session with fellow residents and the team after the first two weeks – to exchange ideas, share updates, discuss future directions, etc.
○ A public presentation of the final projects, open to the local community, at the end of the residency.
● Presence in Hundorf for the full duration of the residency.
● Donation of one artwork created during or after the residency, to become part of the permanent collection of Acasă la Hundorf association.
About the village:
● Hundorf is the historical name of Viișoara, a village in Mureș County, Romania.
● First documented in 1376, Viișoara is located between Sighișoara and Mediaș, near the town of Dumbrăveni (10 km away).
● Access: by train to Dumbrăveni or by car (E60& DN1 & DJ 142C). The roads are in very good condition.
How to apply?
● Applications are open from March 1 – April 18 including.
● Apply via this form: form ȘAH 2026
● The final list of selected artists will be announced on May 10 – after internal consultations to confirm availability.
● A minimum of 8 artists will be selected.
For further details or questions, contact us at acasalahundorf@gmail.com.
Visit www.acasalahundorf.ro for more information about us and previous editions.
