Open Call
NONAGON welcomes artists and musicians for an audiovisual, site-specific residency
Residency period: July 7 – 20, 2025
Public performance: July 19 – 20, 2025 & Nonagon Festival July 17 – 18, 2026
Funded by: Region Västernorrland & Kulturrådet
NONAGON invites four artists to participate in a two-week site-specific residency at the abandoned oil cisterns on Svanö in Ådalen, Sweden. We are looking for sound artists and visual artists who want to collaborate across artistic boundaries and create new interdisciplinary works.
About the Residency
The residency focuses on creating works that integrate the unique architecture and acoustics of the cisterns. Participants are encouraged to work site-specifically, treating the cisterns as both an instrument and a canvas for light and projections. Multidisciplinary artists and audiovisual creators are encouraged to apply. One sound artist will be paired with one visual artist to collaboratively develop an audiovisual live performance.
Expectations
Site-specific work: You are expected to create a piece that responds to the unique spatiality and acoustics of the cistern.
Interdisciplinary collaboration: You will be paired with an artist from a different discipline and are expected to work in an interdisciplinary process.
Work-in-progress presentation: A public showcase of the work in progress at the end of the residency in the cistern.
Artist talk: Participation in a public discussion about the artistic process.
Festival performance: Presentation of the final work at the Nonagon Festival in the summer of 2026.
Eligibility
Open to both emerging and established artists and musicians working experimentally across all disciplines, including but not limited to visual media, music, sound art, digital media, film, animation, light art, performance, fine arts, algorithmic composition, VJing, and installation. Applicants must be open to collaboration, to work site-specifically with the cisterns, and be able to present the final piece live at the festival in 2026.
About the Cisterns
The abandoned oil cisterns on Svanö offer a unique acoustic environment with 25 seconds of reverberation and walls partially covered in thick black oil and rust. The cylindrical space creates an inspiring atmosphere for artistic expression.
About Svanö
Svanö has a rich industrial history spanning over 400 years, significantly influencing Sweden’s social and economic development. Although many forest industries shut down in the mid-20th century, the cisterns remain as a reminder of the area’s vibrant past.
About NONAGON
Since 2021, NONAGON has organized an interdisciplinary arts and music festival on Svanö, transforming the cisterns into performance spaces for audiovisual installations and live performances. Over 120 artists from across Europe and the Nordic region have contributed to exploring the cisterns’ unique spatial and acoustic properties.
Funding & Resources
Residency fee & production budget: 10,000 SEK per artist, paid after the work-in-progress presentation.
Performance & artist talk fee: 9,000 SEK per artist, paid after the festival performance in 2026.
Travel grant: Up to 3,500 SEK per person for national and international travel.
Cisterns & Technical Resources
The cisterns are available throughout the residency for artistic work, recording, and experimentation with sound, light, and spatial installations. A projector and PA system are available.
Studio & Technical Equipment
Participants will have access to a studio, sound and video production facilities, and an exhibition space at Studio Ådalen in Sollefteå during the residency.
Software:
Avid Pro Tools Ultimate
Ableton
Resolume Arena
Adobe Creative Cloud
Izotope RX11
Audio Equipment:
2 × Yamaha HS8 speakers
3–4 × Genelec 1080 speakers
1 × Subwoofer
Stereo & 5.1 surround listening
Video Equipment:
Large display screen
Analogue video monitors
Video mixer
Artists are expected to bring their own technical equipment, materials, and tools necessary for their artistic work.
Accommodation & Workspace
Residency participants will stay at Klockestrands Skolhus, located on the mainland approximately 3 km from the cisterns. This charming historic building features shared kitchen facilities and simple workspaces. Participants are responsible for their own meals, and communal dinners are encouraged. Since the different locations are spread out, a driver’s license and access to a car is recommended.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit a presentation of your artistic practice and a description of how you plan to work site-specifically in the cisterns via this application form.
Application deadline: March 31, 2025, 23:59 (CET).