UAE Artist Residency
UAE Artist Residency
A Journey into the Future, Culture & Desert Landscapes
🗓 1-month immersive residency | 🌍 English & Arabic | 🎟 Limited to 12 artists
The Residency
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a place where the past meets the future, where ancient traditions blend with cutting-edge innovation. This 1-month artist residency is designed for creators, researchers, and visionaries seeking inspiration from both the deep cultural heritage of the Middle East and the futuristic landscapes of the UAE.
From the golden dunes of the desert to the architectural wonders of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, this program offers a unique opportunity to explore modernity, tradition, and artistic expression.
Artists will engage in studio work, research, site visits, and collaborative projects, while immersing themselves in the vibrant cultural and artistic scene of the Emirates.
We welcome:
✅ Artists, filmmakers, photographers, designers, architects, writers, performers, and digital creators interested in exploring themes of innovation, identity, and transformation.
✅ Curators, researchers, and interdisciplinary thinkers seeking to understand the intersection of art, technology, and culture.
✅ Artists looking to develop a project inspired by the UAE’s unique fusion of past and future.
🎟 Limited to 12 artists for a high-quality, immersive experience.
🗣 Languages: English & Arabic.
🔹 Exploring the Future
Dubai’s Museum of the Future: How is art shaping tomorrow?
AI & Digital Art Labs: Immersive experiences and cutting-edge artistic techniques.
Expo City Dubai: A hub for sustainability, innovation, and human progress.
Smart Cities & Futuristic Architecture: Guided visits to iconic structures like the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
🔹 Cultural Immersion & Heritage
Old Dubai & Al Fahidi Historical District: Exploring Emirati traditions, markets (souks), and Arabic calligraphy.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (Abu Dhabi): A masterpiece of Islamic architecture.
Alserkal Avenue: Dubai’s leading contemporary art hub with galleries, studios, and talks.
Local Artists & Craftsmen: Engage with traditional weavers, potters, and calligraphers.
🔹 The Desert as a Creative Landscape
Desert Retreat: 4-day immersive stay in the dunes, reflecting on the silence, vastness, and light.
Bedouin Cultural Experience: Learn storytelling, music, and traditions from the nomadic tribes.
Land Art & Sand Drawing: Creating ephemeral works in the landscape.
Photography & Film Workshop: Capturing the essence of the desert.
🔹 Studio Practice & Research
Dedicated time for project development.
Workshops on art, technology, and sustainability.
Creative dialogues with local and international artists.
🔹 Final Showcase & Public Presentation
Each artist will have the opportunity to present their work through an exhibition, performance, film screening, or digital publication.
📅 Duration: 1 month.
📍 Locations: Dubai, Abu Dhabi & desert retreat.
🏡 Accommodation: Modern artist studios & desert lodges.
🍽 Meals: Mix of catered and self-prepared meals.
Program Cost & What’s Included
💰 Fee:
€4,500 (Full residency: accommodation, workshops, guided visits, materials, desert retreat).
€3,200 (Without accommodation: all activities included).
✅ Included:
✔ Accommodation & meals (if selected).
✔ All workshops & guided visits.
✔ Studio/workspace access.
✔ Curatorial & professional guidance.
✔ Local transportation for site visits.
✔ Final exhibition & documentation.
❌ Not included:
✖ Flights to/from UAE.
✖ Personal expenses.
📩 Apply now – Limited to 12 artists.
The Wellbeing Planet is a visionary project that explores the intersection of art, science, and human experience, focusing on how spaces, landscapes, and sensory perception shape creativity, cognition, and well-being. Through artist residencies, research programs, and immersive journeys, we invite creators, thinkers, and visionaries to engage in transformative experiences in some of the most inspiring places on Earth. Whether in futuristic cities, ancient cultural hubs, or pristine natural environments, our mission is to merge art and science, tradition and innovation, opening pathways to new ways of seeing, feeling, and creating.
Our work takes us across the world, exploring countries such as Japan, China, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, and the United Arab Emirates, where we collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to foster artistic and intellectual exchange.
This initiative is directed by Koncha Pinos, a polymath, explorer, and pioneer in neuroaesthetics, renowned for her groundbreaking studies on Picasso, Gaudí, and Dunas. Her work seamlessly blends dance, visual arts, psychology, nature, and aesthetics, always driven by an insatiable curiosity for cultures, knowledge fields, and human consciousness. Passionate about both science and art, Koncha’s vision is to expand the boundaries of creativity and perception, inspiring others to see, feel, and think beyond the ordinary. 🚀✨
