UrbanApa

UrbanApa continues with the UA Miniresidencies concept in autumn-winter 2025.

UA Miniresidensies is a concept that aims to enable and support artists’ and makers’ research or work in progress in a soft, light and communal way.

The miniresidencies serve our long-term dream to alleviate the urgent need for working spaces, enrich the local grassroot scene and create expanded structures of support.

UrbanApa offers short 1-2 week residencies in 5 different locations in Helsinki. The residency includes a small working fee and production fee for residency artists and support from a producer.

Now we are looking for artists and artist groups to join us – UrbanApa needs you!

The concept is created from the need to:

1. Offer short and low-fi residencies for working, creating, sharing, experimenting. UrbanApa wants to host and hold space for artists of diverse backgrounds and practices to create, research, come together, be lost or surprise themselves. The ways of working can be movement, jamming, installing moodboards, inattention, reading, napping, writing, zoning in and out, encountering, sharing or whatever else is the current need.
2. Alleviate the urgent need for accessible and affordable spaces. Access to time, affordable working spaces and other resources should be a right, not a privilege of the few.
3. Support the local art scene, especially upcoming, young, underrepresented, marginalized and experimental artists and makers.
4. Work towards sustainability. This means reinforcing the local structures of working. Artists and makers should have the possibility to work locally.
5. Bring lightness, joy, playfulness, sharing and communality to the local art scene.

UrbanApa strives to be antiracist and feminist. We are always dreaming of a lively, diverse, equitable and joyous art field.

This time we continue with our thematic landscape of our festival, joy & resistance.

This theme asks: What brings you hope and joy right now? How can joy and resistance coexist? How to start imagining new ways of working, creating and collaborating that centralize joy in ways that are radical, pleasurable, sustainable, and collective? How are you joyously resisting oppressive structures? And can joy and resistance be many things at once – communal, pleasurable, light, subversive?

We offer miniresidencies in five different spaces of different profiles around Helsinki. The residencies are from 1-2 weeks long and can accommodate 1-3 artists per residency. During the residency, the artists will receive a small working fee, some production support as well as light mentoring/artistic support.

What the mini residency contains: 

• A working space for indicated number of days, around 8h/day depending of the space
• a residency fee of 500€ / week / person (so max 1000€ / person for a 2 week residency)
• a production/material fee of 500€
• Light support from an producer
• one residency can accommodate 1–3 artists, so a single artist or a small collective or working group

What we cannot offer this time:

• Additional tech support that is not at the residency space
• Expenses outside of working fee (i.e., additional travel nor accommodation costs / refunds)
• Support larger working  groups than 3 people
• Accommodation is not included unless stated otherwise

What we ask:

• Commitment to be present IRL. This residency can not be done remotely.
• Agreement to have a light sharing or showing of some sort of the process or ‘work in progress’ at the end. The format of the sharing can be negotiated and the time will be set in a production meeting after the selection has been made.
• Respect UA ethical guidelines. Please familiarize yourself with them here.
• Respect to the spaces of the residency. You are responsible for the space including the final cleaning.
• The work can take many kinds of forms. This residency could be a first dip into something, a work in progress or a visit to a practice.

Museum of Impossible Forms | 11.-23.11.2025

More information about the space and the possibilities here

Outo Olo | 17.-28.11.2025

More information about the space and the possibilities here

Nordic Culture Point / Nordisk kulturkontakt | 17.-23.11.2025

More information about the space and the possibilities here

Post Theatre Collective | 8.-14.12.2025

More information about the space and the possibilities here

HIAP | 15.-21.12.2025

More information about the space and the possibilities here

Museum of Impossible Forms

Our Location is 900m (10min walk) from Kalasatama Metro Station in the direction of Sompasaari. The nearest tram stop serves line No. 13 from Redi and leaves you at our door.‍

The space is at ground level. It is free from accessibility thresholds, and has an accessible toilet.

Outo Olo

The space is wheelchair accessible with assistance. There is a movable ramp that covers the two steps in the entrance. The door is 67 cm wide. The nearest accessible toilet is a public one at Dallapé park.

Nordic Culture Point / Nordisk kulturkontakt

• Although wheelchair users can get to and around Nordic Culture Point’s premises in Suomenlinna, the building does have some obstacles so it is useful to have a companion. Please contact us for more information about accessibility in Suomenlinna!
• Familiarise yourself with the island’s accessibility on the Suomenlinna website. This map shows a more accessible route. Nordic Culture Point is at number 33 (this is not the same as the B28 address).
• HSL operates ferries from Salutorget in Helsinki to Suomenlinna. The shortest route from the quay to Nordic Culture Point’s premises is 900 metres. In the summer, FRS tourist boats also operate from Salutorget to Susisaari in Suomenlinna.
• The numbers of the buildings in Suomenlinna include a letter (according to the island) and the building number. Nordic Culture Point is located on Susisaari (the letter B in the address system). B28 is a long, light-red single-storey building.

Post Theatre Collective

The building is accessible with a movable ramp to cover the steps to the elevator. The studio space is accessible, including an accessible toilet and a kitchen. More detailed info regarding specific needs can be inquired.

HIAP

Accessibility at Suomenlinna (HIAP Office & Studios)

• Transport: Accessible via ferry from Helsinki Market Square (every 20 mins in summer, every 40 mins in winter). 15-minute walk from the ferry pier to the venue. Taxis do not operate on the island; cars/vans can be taken on the ferry.
• Parking & Drop-off: No designated disabled parking, but limited parking near HIAP buildings may be arranged with staff. Main drop-off/pick-up is at the ferry terminals.
• Entrances: Main entrance has a step and no power-assisted doors; no ramps or lifts in the facilities. Keys and codes are required to access studios/apartments. Reception is not staffed.
• Bathrooms: HIAP toilets are not wheelchair-accessible. Nearest accessible toilet is at the Summer Theatre (building 36 on the Suomenlinna map).
• Movement: Corridors are clear, but steps at entrances may require assistance. No automatic doors.
• Wayfinding: Limited signage inside; a signpost and nameplate outside. Maps are provided for events. No tactile signage.

Overall: The Suomenlinna venue has significant accessibility challenges, particularly for wheelchair users, due to steps, lack of lifts/ramps, and non-accessible toilets in HIAP buildings. Some support from staff and advance planning are needed.

A very detailed list of accessibility info can be found on HIAP*s web page via this link: https://www.hiap.fi/accessibility/

We are looking for a diverse group of artists and makers from different backgrounds.

Anybody can apply but we prioritize/emphasize makers artists from underrepresented groups, upcoming artists, artists and makers with less opportunities and access to institutional resources or spaces.

We ask what kind of opportunities, needs, ideas, ways of working, methods, aesthetics, the thematic landscape or the different spaces propose right now.

And what do you need? What would you like to do? What are you interested in?

You can propose:

• Practice, concept, research, demo, work-in-progress, etc.
• Choreographic relation, working method, installation, score, etc.
• Something else! What?

The proposal does not need to be directly related to the theme of joy & resistance, but the theme can be used as a starting point, landscape or inspiration.

NB. Please consider already the possibilities as well as the restrictions of the different spaces.

To apply, please fill this application form: https://forms.gle/6sgfK6zeakf8szHY6 by 1st October 23:59 (Finnish time)

If you are not able to submit through the application for, you can also send us an application via email.

Email application

Send us a CV or bio + free-form application (max. A4 or link to max. 3min. video) stating at least:

• Who are you?
• What do you do / working plan for the residency (what, how, why)?
• Possible connection with the theme
• What residency period are you applying to? NB. Please note, you can only apply for one!
• Can you (and your group) commit to being physically present for the whole residency period
• Other needs or wishes (access or otherwise)

Please equip all attachments with your name and contact information.

NB! that all participants are required to commit to the platform’s ethical guidelines.

Name the email “OPEN CALL 2025” and send your proposal via email to sonya@urbanapa.fi by 1 October 2025 at 23:59 (Finnish time).

You will hear from us only once the application period is over.