CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR AN ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAMME AT THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART (HLRS)
The programme supports artists who are interested in training, knowledge acquisition and collaboration at the interface between supercomputing, artificial intelligence and art. It offers artists a unique opportunity to work directly with world-class research infrastructures and specialists.
1. GENERAL OPEN CALL INFORMATION
The programme aims to promote artistic research, provide venues for encounters, exchange and discourse, and enable the establishment of sustainable cooperation networks by strengthening international artists and cultural institutions.
Computer simulations and artificial intelligence are fundamentally changing science, technology, politics, and society in ways that are still only vaguely understood. ReACH, the Research Center for eCulture and the Humanities, combines a training centre, a creative laboratory, and an observatory for electronic culture. Its mission is to promote the future of culture and creativity in dialogue with artificial intelligence.
This call invites artists from Spain and Germany to a five-day residency at HLRS during the festival theGATE (www.thegate-festival.com). The programme aims to inspire artists and introduce them to the opportunities, challenges and implications of the digital age. The workshop will encourage participants to familiarise themselves with computer-assisted thinking and artificial intelligence, skills that are becoming increasingly important in artistic/cultural environments.
2. PARTICIPATION
Creative professionals from the fields of fine arts, architecture, design, games, music or film are eligible to participate. A completed bachelor’s degree is required.
ABOUT THE MSC
The Media Solution Centre Baden-Württemberg e.V. (MSC) is a non-profit creative and research centre based at HLRS in Stuttgart. The MSC was founded in 2018 by HLRS and the ZKM Karlsruhe and combines art, science and technology through supercomputing, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and advanced visualisation. It offers cooperation programmes such as artist residencies in the CreativeLab, training courses in the Advanced School and an eCulture Observatory. The MSC supports digital art and cultural innovation by organising events such as theGATE Festival, hosting S+T+ARTS residencies, and collaborating on interactive, AI-powered shows and theatre performances.
ABOUT HLRS
The High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) was founded in 1996 and was the first national supercomputing centre in Germany. It provides access to advanced computing resources for science, industry and the public sector and supports research in the fields of complex simulation, scientific visualisation and artificial intelligence. As a central facility of the University of Stuttgart and a founding member of the Gauss Computing Centre, HLRS enables large-scale computer research throughout Germany and Europe.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The selected participants will complete a five-day workshop focusing on HPC, artificial intelligence and simulation/visualisation in an immersive CAVE environment. The workshop will be led by Prof. Marcos Cuzziol, a researcher in the field of artificial intelligence at the University of São Paulo, where he is developing the “Art and Algorithms” project.
The workshop is part of HLRS’s theGATE festival, which includes lectures, panel discussions, and symposia on the topic of “Digital-Human Convergence.”
This residency is designed as an exploratory phase: a space to test ideas, refine concepts or develop initial prototypes. You can expand an existing project, further develop ongoing work or formulate a completely new artistic research direction inspired by your stay at HLRS.
We are looking for residents who already have an initial idea or area of interest that they would like to explore in greater depth with the help of AI and powerful IT tools. The MSC is currently developing the “Artistic Research to Business” (AR2B) initiative and would like to involve selected participants of this residency in future phases of this programme. For this reason, projects with long-term potential or clearly formulated research intentions are particularly welcome.
At the end of the workshop, each artist will give a short pitch presentation introducing their project idea, the insights gained during their stay, and possible next steps. The MSC team will support them in preparing this final presentation during the week.
Research is the main objective of this programme. Curiosity, a willingness to experiment and an openness to engaging with new technologies are the most important qualities. Previous experience with AI or HPC is an advantage but not a prerequisite.
3. FUNDING
Thanks to funding from MSC members, the regular daily rate of €250 per day has been reduced to just €50 per day for the five selected German participants. This means that the total price for the 5-day workshop is only €250. The funding also covers part of the organisational support and resources on site.
In addition to the workshop, the selected artists will receive:
- Access to all festival programme items (conference, exhibition, discussions)
- Support with orientation and finding accommodation
The actual travel and accommodation costs are not fully covered and are the responsibility of the participants, apart from the reduced participation fee. However, the funding considerably reduces the financial hurdle.
4. DURATION OF STAY
Five days, 18. – 22. May 2026
5. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND APPLICATION DEADLINE
The following documents must be submitted in English for the application:
- Online form (general and administrative information). To fill out the form, please click here.
- Proposal (PDF) with a description of the research project you wish to carry out or your expectations and ideas for the period of your stay.
- Curriculum vitae (PDF) detailing your academic background and previous projects..
- Artistic portfolio (PDF).
- Any additional documents or information you consider relevant to the understanding and evaluation of your proposal.
CONTACT AND HELP
If you have any questions about the call for applications or need help with your application, please contact the MSC at matt@msc-bw.com
- All documents must be received by Thursday, 31 March 2026, 23:59 CET.
- After this deadline, applications or corrections to the content will not be accepted under any circumstances.
- The final decision will be announced on the website after the selected artists have been notified personally via the email address they provided.
Notwithstanding the documents required for participation, the following documents will be requested if the selection process is successful:
- Copy of identity card/foreign resident card with residence permit;
- Proof of health insurance or European Health Insurance Card covering possible medical emergencies during the stay.
A selection committee consisting of Matthias Hauser (CEO MSC), Marcos Cuzziol (University of São Paulo), and Dr. Uwe Wössner (HLRS Stuttgart) selects candidates based on the quality of their work and their potential to make optimal use of the programme.
7. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
7.1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Participants are responsible for the originality and authorship of the projects they submit and guarantee that they legally own all intellectual property rights to them. In this regard, they guarantee peaceful use by the organisers and expressly release them from any liability for damages and/or disadvantages that may arise directly or indirectly from their failure to comply with this guarantee. Participants expressly authorise the organisers to use their names in any way they deem appropriate for the purposes of this competition.
7.2. DATA PROTECTION
Participants agree that the personal data provided in the context of this competition may be processed in the personal data records (competition participants, contract conclusions and invoicing) of the organisers for the purpose of handling this competition.
7.3. IMAGE RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS
Participants acknowledge that they may appear in images (photographs, videos, etc.) taken during their stay on the premises for subsequent informational or promotional purposes, and consent to such use.
7.4. ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
By participating in the competition, participants accept these terms and conditions of participation.