AqTushetii

about us

Aqtushetii is a self-organized, non-profit artist residency in Georgia, founded in 2017 in Omalo, Tusheti.

Set in one of Europe’s most remote mountain regions, it operates within a landscape defined by high altitude, ancient defensive architecture, and living craft traditions.

The program brings together artists and researchers for independent practice, exchange, and collaboration.

Residency Open Call 2026

Residency Period: 15 July – 15 Oct 2026

Minimum Stay: 1 month

Capacity: Maximum three artists in residence at any given time

Residency Conditions

The residency provides:

Shared accommodation in the residency house

Three daily meals

Access to private or shared studio spaces, assigned according to project needs and availability

Materials support for project development

A small working cohort (maximum three artists in residence at a time)

The residency prioritizes concentrated practice in a quiet, remote setting.

Studio / Workspace

Artists have access to a range of shared studio and workshop spaces within the residency. These include studios for painting and visual arts, a ceramic studio equipped with electric, wood-fired, and raku kilns, a fully equipped silversmithing studio, a sound recording studio, a photographic darkroom, and workshop areas with woodworking and metalworking tools. Some workspaces may be used individually depending on the discipline and project, while specialized workshops and equipment are shared among residents.

Outdoor working areas in the surrounding landscape are also available.

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

CV / Portfolio outlining artistic practice

Project description (max. 200 words) describing intended research or work

Work samples (images or links to recent projects)

Proposals should clearly articulate a development framework for the residency period.

Participation Fee:

€70 per day

The fee includes accommodation, meals, studio access, and materials support.

Travel costs to and from Tusheti are not included and must be arranged independently.

Artists requiring specialized or large-scale materials should indicate this in their proposal.

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Expectations

Selected artists are expected to:

Reside at Aqtushetii for a minimum of one month within the residency period

Develop a body of work, a project, or research during their stay

Engage thoughtfully with the local environment and cultural context

Provide documentation of their process and outcomes

The residency emphasizes independent practice and sustained engagement rather than production deadlines.

Who Should Apply

Artists working in:

Visual arts, Ceramics, Photography, Sound art, Writing, Research, and Interdisciplinary practices

Submission:

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: Aqtushetii Residency Application 2026

Caucasus All Frequency Composer’s Workshop 2026

Workshops 2026

Workshop Period: 24 August – 2 September

The workshop is intended for musicians, composers, sound designers, and other sonic practitioners iinterested in engagements between “traditional” musics (and the musical communities to whom they belong) and contemporary composition, music technology, and creative collaboration.

Led by the musician/composer Giorgi Koberidze and musicologist/synthesist Ben Wheeler, the program will include masterclasses, discussions, listening sessions, and collaborative workshops. The sessions will include overviews of local Caucasian folk music traditions and in-depth introductions to the music of Tusheti in particular, as well as other musical traditions from around the world, all of which support the workshop’s wider theme: establishing a personalized approach to sonic engagement that foregrounds creativity, reciprocity, and environment in regard to local and global musical cultures and practitioners.

Participants will be invited to share their own practices, experiment with new techniques and tools, and perform at a group showcase at the end of the residency.

The number of participants is limited, allowing for an intensive and collaborative working environment.

The Programme Schedule

Sunday, August 24th
Arrival / Welcome reception

Monday, August 25th
Introduction to the Residency / Overview of Tushetian Music and Culture / Composing Creatively with Traditional Elements / Participant Share Session

Tuesday, August 26th
Film Scoring: Alternative Sonic Approaches / Organological Overview of Caucasus Instruments / New Approaches to Graphic Scores

Wednesday, August 27th
"Folk" and modular Synthesis / The Ethics of "Borrowed Sound"

Thursday, August 28th
Collaborating with Nature: "Ecomusic" / one-on-one meetings, portfolio consultation

Friday, August 29th
Field recording trip to Dartlo

Saturday, August 30th
Non-Standard Editing Techniques in DAWs / Short Film and Listening Session/

Sunday, August 31st
Open Studio Day / Final Concert

Monday, September 1st
Portfolio presentations / final consultation

Tuesday, September 2nd
Farewell Breakfast / Departure

Eligibility

Applications are open to musicians, composers, sound artists, producers, and other sound practitioners from any background. No formal academic training is required

Participation Fee

The participation fee is €1150 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Transport Tbilisi - Omalo - Tbilisi

Accommodation

Three meals per day

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

A brief portfolio with links to your work (audio, video, or website)

A short statement describing your background

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: CAF

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.