Residency theme and artist’s profile
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine causes lost, left and mined lands on the occupied, de-occupied and pre-frontline territories of Ukraine. Thousands of people who have been forced to leave their homes since 2014, found their way to cope with the loss by “reproducing” their homes on the new lands through seedlings, gardening, which re-creates their familiar set up/ambient, or through the cooking and feasting that provoke memories with smells and tastes and gives emotional support through social gathering. Collective seasonal works, traditional crafts co-creation enable to reveal cultural heritage and memory of the Ukrainian regions and national communities of Ukraine. The artists are invited to re-think this phenomena as community building factors and practices that build interpersonal ties.
In our residencies we invite artists to discover all these everyday practices that make us feel like home through the lenses of their artistic mediums.
This year we particularly focus on:
- Site specific projects, safe spaces for creative activities and social gatherings;
- Garden-form or land art projects, work with plants;
- Activities connected to food and cooking;
- Re-thinking traditional craft making techniques.
The expected outcomes in the sense of artistic production is a subject to discussion with selected artists, and may vary between garden-form/land art project, architecture construction or installation in semi-public space, research and publication, video work. Artists are invited to work with participants’ stories through their artistic media, where the creative process intensifies the trustful communication environment.
The final event will be defined together with participated artists. The preliminary ideas are a public event in a festival shape, collective performative dinner, etc.
Additional criteria for artist’s selection:
– to be open and interested in working with communities, open to people, aware of working with sensitive groups of people;
– knowledge about the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war;
– the experience in previous work with Ukrainian context and traveling to Ukraine (since 2022) would be a plus but not necessary.
The artist expected to take part in the training on trauma-aware approach organised by Jam Factory in the beginning of the residency.
Who can apply: Artists who are EU citizens, have the right to reside in the EU, or are from Creative Europe-eligible countries.
Residency conditions
Artist Fee: 1200 EUR netto
Daily Allowance: 15 EUR per day
Production budget: up to 1500 EUR
Accommodation: one-bedroom apartment, the living conditions can be discussed in advance.
Travel support: the cost of round-trip travel.
Involved communities
For the 2026 project we are inviting mixed groups of IDP (internally displaced people) that moved to Lviv since 2014, and the inhabitants of Pidzamche and Znesinnia districts regardless of their status. We strive to unite people around the interest into the residency theme, creating a safe place for creativity and communication, not to differentiate the IDP group. We prepare our program for adults from 18 years old.
The Magic Carpets participating artists have worked with the described categories before in the projects of 2022-2025: https://magiccarpets.eu/residencies/?_sfm_meta_city_to=1094
Expected challenges
One of the challenges that may appear during the residency with an international artist is the language barrier. This could be negotiated by assistance of the manager and curator, however to ensure meaningful engagement, incorporating non-verbal communication methods and inclusive approaches will be essential.
An additional challenge may arise from working with individuals who have experienced trauma due to wartime events. To mitigate any potential negative experiences, the residency team and participating artists will receive training in a trauma-informed approach.
Timeline
7 days between 15/04 – 15/05 – Research trip to Lviv or online meetings with all the participating artists.
30 days between 1/06 – 15/08 – Residency offline in Lviv.
7 days between 15/08 – 30/09 – Presentation of the outcomes and final event.
How to apply?
Email to: o.kasperovych@jamfactory.ua, mark subject line with: AiR Magic Carpets 2026.
What to include:
– CV
– Portfolio
– Letter of your motivation and ideas of the project and activities with the community.
Application deadline: 10 April 2026
Contact information:
Curator: Olena Kasperovych
o.kasperovych@jamfactory.ua
Project Manager: Iryna Kliuchnyk
Magic Carpets Program 2025
About Magic Carpets platform
“Magic Carpets” is a Creative Europe platform uniting 17 European cultural organisations. It supports emerging artists through residencies and creates opportunities to collaborate with other artists and local communities, fostering socially engaged art practices.
Who can apply: Artists who are EU citizens, have the right to reside in the EU, or are from Creative Europe-eligible countries.
Selection process: Each partner organisation reserves the right to select or not select artists from the open call. Artists will be chosen by an international jury representing the hosting organisation to which the application is submitted.
General conditions of the call (Residency limitations):
- Each selected artist will be awarded only one residency through Magic Carpets in 2026;
- By applying to this open call, you agree to the conditions outlined above and in the brief for the specific residency.
Read more about Magic Carpets.
This project is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Organisation overview
Jam Factory Art Center is a contemporary art institution that addresses the challenges of our time and takes a critical stance on global and local processes in society to strengthen and promote its development. Through our exhibitions, theatrical performances, music events, educational initiatives, and community-oriented projects, we engage people in dialogue and enrich their experiences and knowledge.
Vision. Jam Factory Art Center is a contemporary art institution that plays a key role in reflecting and presenting contemporary processes in Ukrainian and international art and culture, opening opportunities for public dialogue.
On 18 November 2023, Jam Factory Art Center in Lviv officially opened its doors to the public. Housed in a former industrial building first used as distillery and later as a fruit bottling plant, Jam Factory Art Center now stages exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, as well as hosts new productions in performative arts and music in a specially designed space.
Location
Jam Factory Art Center is located in the district of Pidzamche, north of central Lviv, once a thriving industrial area. Pidzamche is a residential district of Lviv with an industrial past, where you can see a mix of old buildings and new residential complexes. It doesn’t have touristy streets, but the neighborhood has a unique atmosphere with elements of both history and modernization.
The building that currently houses the Jam Factory Art Center was commissioned by the Jewish entrepreneur Josef Kronik in 1872. It operated as a distillery until the Second World War. After the war, the factory imported wines, and in 1970, it was converted into a plant for bottling fruit and vegetables. Production ceased in the 1990s. From 2008, the building was used on an ad hoc basis for cultural initiatives.
In 2015, Harald Binder Cultural Enterprises bought the building with the aim of creating a multidisciplinary art center. The structural composition of the complex consists of six separate buildings. Grouped around an open courtyard and an extended alley, Jam Factory Art Center is designed as a continuous, flexible space.
