Open call: ALTERLIFE

Rupert (Vilnius) and Sonic Acts (Amsterdam) are pleased to announce the open call for the second edition of ALTERLIFE—a joint production and research residency between Vilnius and Amsterdam. The residency invites interdisciplinary artists and collectives to develop bold, process-driven artwork in response to the escalating climate emergency and the cultural, political, and historical forces shaping our collective future.

The three-month residency is fully funded and split across two periods: April–May 2026 at Rupert in Vilnius, and November 2026 at Sonic Acts in Amsterdam. Artists will present research during each residency, with the final work to be exhibited, possibly as iterations, at Rupert (2026/2027) and the Sonic Acts Biennial (2028).

Theme
The programme title draws from feminist scholar M Murphy’s concept of ‘alterlife’, which acknowledges how life, human and non-human, has been chemically and structurally altered by centuries of colonial and capitalist oppression. Inspired by Saidiya Hartman’s critical fabulation—a method of reclaiming lost histories through experimental storytelling—ALTERLIFE encourages critical, speculative, and research-driven practices that imagine new ways of being, relating, and creating.

What we offer:
–A combined three-month residency, with fully-funded stays at Rupert (April–May 2026) and Sonic Acts (Nov 2026), including accommodation and workspace.
–EUR 3,800 total for the combined residency, and up to EUR 400 travel support for each location. 
–Funding includes a total of EUR 7,000 for both presentations (2,000 for Rupert in Vilnius and 5,000 for Sonic Acts in Amsterdam), along with guidance and support for the development and production of a new artwork. 
–Project featured on the Sonic Acts and Rupert websites or publications.
–Feedback sessions, help with funding applications, and production assistance.
–Support from local artists and curators in each city.
–Research presentation as part of public programming in Vilnius and Amsterdam (2026). Final work shown at Rupert (2026/2027) and Sonic Acts Biennial (2028).

What we expect 
This residency supports the development of a new artwork over a three-month period, split between Vilnius and Amsterdam, and culminates in the production of a new commission – with iterations to be presented at Rupert and at the Sonic Acts Biennial in 2028. During the residency, artists are expected to share their research and work-in-progress through a public presentation in each location. This may take the form of a lecture, performance, sound or field walk, screening, or other format suited to the artist’s practice. We are particularly interested in works that incorporate video, sound, performance, or other hybrid forms. In their applications, artists should demonstrate a clear vision for how their practice will evolve across both locations and culminate in a final project.

Eligibility and selection 
This residency welcomes all EU-based artists to submit their proposals. We encourage individual artists or duos who take a multidisciplinary approach, particularly practices which incorporate sound and video.

Applications
We invite artists to submit a CV, portfolio (up to 5 works, maximum 10 pages and 10 MB), project description for the production of new work (up to 600 words), and a feasible sample production budget for both presentations.

Application deadline: Sunday,  August 17, 2025, 23:59 CEST

More information about this open call can be found here.

For further enquiries, please contact us at residency@sonicacts.com.

ALTERLIFE is part of New Perspectives for Action, a collaboration between Rupert and Sonic Acts, and is a project of Re-Imagine Europe, co-funded by the European Union.