The house of the MJf is situated on the northern shore of the Norwegian Sea in the Lofoten islands.
The residency house of the Maaretta Jaukkuri Foundation is situated in Kvalnes, in the Municipality of Vestvågøy in the Lofoten islands located on the northern shores of the Norwegian Sea. The closest neighbors, beyond the horizon, are Greenland and the Spitsbergen archipelago. Geographically, like other outer edges of the continent, the region is vulnerable to ongoing ecological changes. It is a region of extreme fragility, that bears marks of the human impact on climate change along with the urgent challenges it creates.
You may apply for:
- Two 1-2-month working grants for a visual artist, a researcher in visual arts, a critic, a writer, or a curator
- Dates: August 1 - September 30 and October 1 - 31.
- Amount of the working grant € 3,000 per one-month residency, € 5,500 per two-month residency
- Amount of travel grant depends on the selected means of travel; see further information in the application guidelines. Unlike other residency locations, a travel grant can also be applied for traveling by personal car.
- MJF website
The residents have the whole building at their disposal during their residency period. The building is a two-storey house of about 90 sq.m. consisting of living quarters and a library. It provides all the necessities for simple living, granting free time for undisturbed thinking. The house is equipped for two people with facilities for receiving guests.
The building lies in a rural area with farms as well as dwelling or leisure houses along the long country road Haverringen. As the nearest shops are 30 km away in Leknes, the municipal center, the applicant must have a valid driver’s license.
The residence building of Maaretta Jaukkuri Foundation cannot be reached by public transport. The grant recipient is instead provided with a rental car for the duration of the residency; the car can be picked up at Leknes, which the applicant can reach by land or by air. For this reason, unlike other Cultural Foundation residency locations, a travel grant can also be applied for traveling by personal car.
Anyone working in any field of creating or mediating contemporary art has to be able to situate their own inner voice, their own particular and idiosyncratic experience and knowledge as well as their own often intuitive insights into the wider framework of what is happening in the arts and in the wider context of the contemporary world. For this, one requires reflection, concentration, and time to think over what one has seen and experienced, learnt or left behind, to reflect both in specific as well as in more general terms. This kind of process is often not possible in the midst of one’s daily routines. This is true of people working in institutional settings, but, in particular, of the growing group of independent practitioners in different fields. Maaretta Jaukkuri Foundation provides a setting where the processes of thinking and reflecting are supported, encouraged, and given time.
There is no traditional studio space; instead, the whole set-up is for studying, reflecting, writing, meditating, and dreaming. The surrounding environment is an ever-present source of inspiration for wandering, wondering, and experiencing. Cultural inspiration can be found in Svolvaer, the center of the Lofoten islands situated about an hour's drive from the house. The Grantees will be introduced to the local scene and cultural institutions. Inspiration for work is also provided by a house library and digital connections as well as a telescope to look at the stars.
