Would you like to apply for this residency? Go back to Residency for the terms and conditions, assessment and checklist for your application.
The Surinamese art scene bears the marks of the various cultures of South and North America, the Caribbean and Western Europe. The historical links between the Netherlands and Suriname have resulted in many connections between artists from Suriname and the Netherlands. Numerous artists with a Surinamese background are active the Netherlands. In recent years, Paramibo – the capital of Suriname – has attracted many international artists and curators. Established artists in the Netherlands also often participate in exchanges and explore characteristic Surinamese culture and nature, in order to broaden their horizons, develop new idioms and bring greater depth to their work.
At the Tembe Art Studio, residents have the opportunity to further develop and display their work together with other artists in the specific context of Suriname and the culture of the Marowijne district. They will experience first-hand how the conditions in Moengo are completely different to those in Paramaribo. The driving force behind the Tembe Art Studio is the Surinamese artist Marcel Pinas, who has founded a cultural centre in a former Suralco hospital at the heart of Moengo (the second city of the Marowijne district). In addition to the artist-in-residency programme, the centre also organises exhibitions and provides a space for artists to train local talent. Pinas: ‘We want to support the creativity of the Marowijne community, especially young people, and give them the opportunity to become self-reliant’. In addition to the Dutch artists, the guest studio will also be visited by artists from other parts of the world, including the United States, the Caribbean and Suriname itself. As part of the residency, artists are invited to create a spatial work to be included in the Marowijne Art Park. The park was the Pinas’ brainchild, and the initiative resulted in him being named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Geneve, making him one of the first artists to receive the accolade.
For whom
The residency at the Tembe Art Studio is for visual artists. Artists applying as part of a duo or collaboration are required to submit individual applications.
A duo is understood to mean: two artists who structurally create joint work. Collaborations can be considered as (casual) duos if they submit a joint plan for the work period that leads to a single result. Duos are also required to live and work in one modestly-sized shared space during the residency.
Work period
The work periods at the Tembe Art Studio available in this round are:
- 1 February to 30 April 2025
- 1 April to 30 June 2025
The residencies overlap each other by a month, which means that the residents spend part of the work period together. Prior to the work period, Marcel Pinas is contacted to develop the plan for the residency period and to update residents on specific circumstances and necessities.
How much?
Per period, the Mondriaan Fund makes a contribution of € 8,666 available to visual artists to help cover travel expenses, material costs and living costs. This sum is intended for one person. In addition, the selected resident is expected to pay a 10% personal contribution (the Mondriaan Fund automatically takes this into account in their ultimate contribution, you do not need to do anything).
In the case that a duo or collaboration is selected for the residency, the contribution associated with the residency will be raised to cover additional travel expenses, as well as a proportionate sum to contribute to the other applicant’s living costs.
The cost of renting the studio/living space and the support for the resident offered by the Tembe Art Studio are not included in the contribution and will be settled by the Mondriaan Fund directly with the Tembe Art Studio.
The contribution offered to artists based in the Dutch Caribbean may be raised to cover potentially higher travel expenses. This will be determined in each individual case.
Applications
The deadline for submitting an application for a work period in 2025 is 21 march before 16:00 PM (CET) / 10:00 AM (AST).
Applications for a contribution for this residency may only be submitted during the annual selection rounds as announced by the Mondriaan Fund on their website. Before submitting an application, please read the explanation for the terms and conditions, application procedure and assessment procedure (on the Residency page).
Please also read the terms and conditions applicable to Mondriaan Fund contributions.
Selection
An advisory committee assists in the selection process, recommending candidates to the Tembe Art Studio based on the submitted documents. Someone from The Tembe Art Studio will be a part of the advisory board.
Other subsidies for Dutch and international residencies
In light of the fact that only 1 or 2 resident(s) can be selected per round, many applicants will unfortunately be disappointed. We would therefore like to draw your attention to the possibility of applying for an Artist Project for another residency. The residency associated with your application may not be linked to a Mondriaan Fund application round.