6 bursaries are offered for individual artists to come and stay to think, write and research for 4 days in Motion Chapel. Artists will stay in a private room with a desk, and have access to the training space when it is not in use by other artists in residence. Elise and Emmet will be available for informal advice during their stay. This residency is geared at artists who wish to spend time either on their conceptual frameworks as artists, their productions, or fundraising.
DATES FOR 2026
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Space and Time to Think #1
Application Open: 15th Dec
Application Deadline: 12th Jan
Residency Period: 9-11th March
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Space and Time to Think #2
Application Open: 29th Dec
Application Deadline: 26th Jan
Residency Period: #2 : 23-25th March
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Space and Time to Think #3
Application Open: 2nd Feb
Application Deadline: 2nd March
Residency Period: #3 : 27th – 29th April
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Space and Time to Think #4
Application Open: 6th April
Application Deadline: 4th May
Residency Period: #4 : 29th June – 1st July
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Space and Time to Think #5
Application Open: 20th July
Application Deadline: 17th Aug
Residency Period: #5 : 12-14th October
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Space and Time to Think #6
Application Open: 27th July
Application Deadline: 24th Aug
Residency Period: #6 : 19-21st October
Residency Project Description:
The residencies are open internationally to professional artists working in the field of circus and street arts. Motion Chapel selects artists based on artistic quality, necessity, diversity and how the project resonates with Motion Chapels stated goals and the selection committee. Artists will be selected and invited for a thinking and writing residency at Motion Chapel. As Motion Chapel receives funding from the Irish Arts Council, at least three of the six projects must be initiated by Irish artists or artists based in Ireland.
The selection is made through shortlisting by our producers and further curated by the selection committee of Motion Chapel. Application deadlines are 8 weeks ahead of the residencies; there are multiple deadlines throughout the year. Before filling out the application form, please read the following sections below:
Criteria and Application Content:
We are seeking to support individual artists, duos will be accepted but the fee offered will remain the same.
Application language: English
Applicants are asked to send:
- A description or a pitch of an artistic idea or a project they will spend time developing. (200 words max.)
- Description of how you will spend your time at Motion Chapel. (200 words max.)
- A CV with previous artistic experience. (2 page max.)
Application Deadline Details:
Deadline for applications is 8 weeks before the residency start date.
Selected artists will receive an answer within 2 weeks.
Reply to the remaining applicants will be sent by email three weeks after the deadline at the latest.
Residency Goals – Space to Think:
- Research: Early exploration of an artistic idea or project through thinking, writing and reflection
- Development: Taking an already developed idea to the next stage through writing and reflection and planning
- Exploration: Exploring a new direction of the artistic work and practice
- Fundraising: writing grant applications or focusing on other fundraising activities for your project
- Production time: Using the residency to line up all the logistics for your artistic project, such as contacting and speaking to collaborators, reaching out to potential partners, booking venues and timelining your creation process.
Residency Framework and Budget:
- Shared access to the Motion Chapel community and office space
- Access to the training space when it’s not in use
- Access to the grounds of Motion Chapel
- €50 Travel Allowance
- €200 Artist Stipend
- 3 nights of accommodation
- Self catered kitchen facilities available, Artist lunch included
The following is not offered:
- Per diems are not covered by Motion Chapel
- Motion Chapel asks the artists or the producers of the artists themselves to book tickets for their own travels.
- Other expenses incurred as part of the residency
Collaboration and Responsibility:
We collaborate on the production and communication of the residency. Therefore artists or their producer are expected to:
- Participate in online meetings and respond to emails, communicate and share information with their artistic team, book tickets for all travels, collect receipts for reimbursement and add up the amount spent, and send an invoice with artistic fees and reimbursement costs, and participate in an evaluation meeting online if applicable.
- Contribute with information and visuals on the work for our website, social media and newsletter.
- Include Motion Chapel on future publicity materials relating to the work related to the residency.
- Give feedback on the process of the residency.
At Motion Chapel we aim to follow the artistic work after the residency and keep in touch.
Funded by the Arts Council of Ireland.








