Mar'a'yeh is open to professional artists who identify as Jewish and/or Muslim. This identification can be religious, ethnic, or cultural. We are all complex beings who negotiate multiple identities, and we want to be clear that we welcome the broadest understandings of these identifications.

The short answer is: all types.

Because the program culminates in a final exhibition at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, the fellowship has a slight leaning toward the visual arts. However, we strongly encourage applications from artists working in all disciplines — including writing, performance, music, film, and more.Our alumni include artists from each of these fields, and we aim for every cohort to include a range of practices and perspectives. In past years, fellows working outside the visual arts have found creative ways to share their work through events, readings, performances, installations, and collaborations within the exhibition context. We believe that interdisciplinary approaches foster meaningful collaborations that extend beyond purely visual artworks. If you work across or between mediums, please feel free to include that in your application.

We would like to see that you have given some initial thought to conceptualizing a project in relation to your interests and the annual theme. At the same time, we want to leave room for creative flexibility and inspiration from the study sessions, group conversations, and shared working space, so that cross-pollination and collaboration between fellows can develop organically.

Projects will be presented as works in progress at a Bethanien-wide open studio event in the early fall, and later in a final exhibition at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien Gallery.

The most important thing is that the projects developed are collaborative.

We hope that the projects will be inspired by the discussions and insights gained during the residency programme.

The residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanian invites a focus on the visual arts. However, we are open to applications from artists in all disciplines. We believe that interdisciplinary approaches make for great collaborations that go beyond purely visual artworks.

Künstlerhaus Bethanien is an internationally renowned forum for contemporary art in Berlin. Established in 1974 as an artist-in-residence program with workspaces for professional artists and exhibition spaces, it is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary visual arts and artists.

As part of its residency scheme, it seeks to foster lively dialogue between artists from various backgrounds and disciplines, as well as with the broader public.

To achieve these goals, Künstlerhaus Bethanien organizes a wide range of events, from monthly exhibition openings to open studios. At the heart of its mission is the International Studio Programme, through which artists from around the world conceive and present new projects with the support of its team.

Fellows will receive an honorarium of €1,650 paid in three installments throughout the program, in recognition of their commitment.

From mid-April to the end of November, fellows will have access to a shared studio space for the development of collaborative projects. They will participate in an immersive engagement with Jewish and Islamic texts and lived experiences as sources of artistic inspiration, dialogue, and critique.

Intellectual input, critique, and skill development will be facilitated through peer learning, supported by a team of scholars, academics, social practitioners, and artists.

Fellows will also benefit from LABA Berlin’s and Künstlerhaus Bethanien’s professional support infrastructure, including creative feedback, PR and production assistance, as well as a materials budget of €1,300. In addition, Künstlerhaus Bethanien offers artist workshops in various techniques, which fellows are invited to attend.

We accept up to 10 fellows, with an equal split between Muslim- and Jewish-identifying participants. Various diversity factors are also considered when curating the group.

The studio and study rooms at Künstlerhaus Bethanien are accessible by elevator. We have reserved a budget to accommodate customized inclusion measures. Please let us know in your application how we can best support your needs.

The program runs from April 15 to November 4. Meetings take place on Wednesdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Kreuzberg. The final exhibition will take place at the end of November (exact date TBD).

Occasional excursions may alter the start and end times. Sessions will alternate between text study (scriptural reasoning), reflection workshops, and Journey Sessions.

There will also be social events, such as dinners and gatherings. These will be communicated at the beginning of the program.

Physical attendance is required for at least 80% of meetings. Remote participation will not be available. Between some sessions, you will be paired with a fellow to help prepare for the upcoming meeting; please allow approximately one hour for this physical or digital meeting.

Finally, fellows are expected to spend part of the fellowship period working in the shared studio.

The exhibition will take place in the Showroom of Künstlerhaus Bethanien for one month, beginning at the end of November.

Together with the fellows, we will develop a comprehensive accompanying program centered on the annual theme and Jewish–Muslim encounters in the past, present, and future. Fellow performances and additional events will form part of this program.

Unfortunatly, this will not be possible.