PICTURE BERLIN, now in its seventh year, is a residency program which takes place in the city of Berlin, Germany. Every year PICTURE BERLIN seeks to bring a diverse group of artists together from various mediums and countries to concentrate and focus on the development of their work through a series of stimulating and engaging programming. Since 2015, PICTURE BERLIN offers both a summer session (seven weeks) and a fall session (ten days).
The newly expanded seven week Summer Session is designed for emerging artists who are searching for a supportive atmosphere to both push their work further and gain professional development skills while doing so. A rigorous studio practice forms the heart of the program and working in community with an international, multigenerational group of resident artists is its soul. The dynamic programming offers over fifteen lectures by Berlin based artists, one-on-one discussions with ten international artists and curators, multiple exhibitions, work reviews, studio visits, a curatorial marathon, choreographed artist walks and group meals. All the while, this programming promotes and encourages artist community engagement to our resident artists. Berlin clearly shapes the program and is the springboard naturally flowing into the greater European art scene. The residents are offered the opportunity to present their work in two exhibitions during the summer. The summer session encourages each resident artist to explore their own creative potential within a supportive atmosphere.
The fall session takes the summer session highlights and compresses them into a ten day program, which intensively explores the art scene through a multitude of artist studio visits, a guided gallery tour and also a guided project space tour, artist walks and portfolio reviews with Berlin based curators. The fall session is focused on professional development. The residents are offered the opportunity to do a public talk about their work during the program. The fall session seeks to support resident artists as they explore what it means to professionalize their practice within a European context.
Founded in 2009 by artists for artists, PICTURE BERLIN continues to be run by artists as a hybrid program merging the concentrated studio practice of an artist residency with the support of an art academy like structure. PICTURE BERLIN becomes a network designed in part by each session’s artists. As the weeks go by, living and working together, the boundaries dissolve. There is no separation between studio practice, a one-on-one critique, or a shared meal. Every experience informs the next. PICTURE BERLIN is a dynamic way to actively engage in the energetic art scene that is Berlin—the PICTURE BERLIN residents are immersed and quickly become integrated into the scene.
The extended PICTURE BERLIN community is dedicated to being open and collaborative whilst committed to offering connections within the cultural fabric that is Berlin through it’s diverse and dynamic programming. For that reason, amongst others, it is not uncommon for alumni residents to express that PICTURE BERLIN was a life changing experience for them.
The free and downloadable application is open to emerging artists everywhere and the deadline for applying is February 20. For further insight into the program and a detailed explanation of program fees please visit our http://www.pictureberlin.org/">website or contact us directly.