Drawing © Sea-Water Amplification (SWA) Azores 2025

ART&RESEARCH RESIDENCY PROGRAME 2026

• Date: May – October 2026 (Depends on weather conditions)
• Location: Ilha do Pico, Azores, Atlantic Ocean
• Capacity: Four participant, collective, artistic couples with childrens
• Duration: Weekly stay or two-week stay (with possibility to adjust the date and route)
• Financing: Participants fully cover all financial costs associated with their stay.

INTRODUCTION

Learning to live well on islands is a microcosm of learning to live well everywhere.

In 2026, we would like to launch this unique art-research residential program taking place aboard the catamaran Wharram Risho Maru. The residential program promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between artists, activists and other professionals across disciplines to focus on research on embodied experiences and analysis of more-than-human forces and actions in the Azores and the Atlantic Ocean region.

Illustration and photo © Sea-Water Amplification (SWA) Azores 2025

A residency offers the opportunity to dive into and experiment in the ocean environment. Together, we ask the question: how do we think about the ocean and with the ocean in the 21st century. How can events that take place right during a voyage in the ocean bring unique insights and open up new possibilities for thinking about the world? How does our perspective change when we think not only from the ocean, but also with the ocean? We sail, we talk, we make various dynamic records and notes, and finally we ask – what does it mean to live with the ocean for each of us?

drawing © Sea-Water Amplification (SWA) Azores 2025

THE PROGRAME OFFERS 

Each weekly (or 14-day) program serves as a unique opportunity for learning through embodied exploration and shared discoveries. Each stay at Risho Maru can host up to four participants, collective. Artistic couples with children are also welcome.

Listening to our body is essential as we immerse ourselves in the ocean landscape. Experiencing the ocean landscape through a voyage on the Risho Maru gives us the opportunity to develop a very specific way of listening and perceiving. It takes longer, but we learn to listen much more closely and deeply. The ocean also asks us to tread much more carefully when returning to land. You can read more about the benefits of sailing here.

APPLICATION:

• If you are interested in taking part in a residential stay, please send us a motivation letter and your time options via our form, which can be found here: FORM.
• If you have any further questions about your residency programe, please do not hesitate to contact us in the same way. We will send you more information.

FUNDING – SUPPORT – PARTNERSHIP:

We are currently looking for partners who will be able to cover at least part of the cost of running the art-research project. We would like to provide a scholarship in the future for participants who cannot afford the programme financially.

 

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• Project Dynamic Ecology: Art&Research Residency Program is closely associated with the educational and research environment Sea-Water Amplification (SWA)