Nes Artist Residency in Skagaströnd, Iceland has last minute spots available in Sept, Oct, and/or Nov, 2026. Our self-directed & self-funded program is open to artists, musicians, performers, writers, and researchers of all backgrounds to focus on their work in a remote location with opportunities for artistic and cultural exchange. Length of stay: 1-3 months.
Duration of residency
Stays are 1-3 months in Sept, Oct, and/or November.
Accommodation
Each artist has a private bedroom in a house with fellow residents sharing kitchen, bathrooms, and common areas.
Disciplines, work equipment and assistance
Artists working in any field, from any background can apply for a residency at Nes, although we currently have no kiln access, and prohibit materials with inhalation risk in our shared studio space, such as turpentine and powdered pigments. Contact onsite@neslist.is with questions about materials.
Staff are available for on-site guidance, tech support, and exhibition assistance.
Studio / Workspace
We provide all residents with an individual workspace within a shared open plan studio and/or research library, and, for additional fee, performers can occupy the private dance studio, and musicians can access the local music school piano. All workspaces have free WiFi access.
Fees and support
While our residency fees are subsidized by support from the local municipality, many artists apply for additional funding in their home country.
900 Euro/Month Fee Includes:
- Private bedroom in a shared house
- Workspace in a shared studio and/or library
- Access to screening room/projectors
- Basic onsite support and guidance
Expectations towards the artist
There is no requirement to produce finish work, but the artist is asked to present a talk to fellow residents, and attend an Open Studio event at the end of each month, open to the local community.
Application information
Apply on SlideRoom / contact nes@neslist.is for more information.
Eligibility
Artists working in any field, from any background can apply for a residency at Nes. Nes provides all residents with an individual workspace within a shared open plan studio and/or research library. Writers have the opportunity to work in the Research Library, dancers and performers the Dance Studio, and musicians can access the local music school. While Nes strives to remove barriers to access, Nes may not currently be accessible to everyone.
You may need to apply for a Schengen Visa (valid for 90 days within the Schengen Zone) to travel to Iceland, so artists are advised to start the process as soon as possible. In late 2026, 60 visa exempt countries will be required to submit an ETIAS travel authorization form to travel to Europe.
Nes is a self-funded residency and is not able to offer scholarships or stipends to artists at this time.
Evaluation Criteria
Nes values work that demonstrates curiosity and experimentation, and which can be realized using Nes facilities. Nes appreciates artists seeking to deepen or re-evaluate their practice, and proposals connected to Skagaströnd and Iceland, although site-specific work is not required. Nes suggests including a clear description of materials, process, and intention, and believes that traditional markers of professional achievement do not necessarily indicate artistic excellence.
Nes is highly selective when reviewing proposals that make use of generative AI, and will assess such projects on an individual basis, favoring proposals that make transparent interrogations of these technologies. Applications are assessed by human review.
An application fee of 15 USD/13 EURO covers the cost of the SlideRoom service.