BACKGROUND
Photo North (Oulu, Finland) and Street Level Photoworks (Glasgow, Scotland) have a strong history of collaboration through residency programmes and sharing knowledge on an organisational level since 2019. Their shared values of experimentation through photography and artists support continues again in 2026 with the support of The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland. Their mutual concerns on environmental issues offers a wide thematic framework for artistic exploration.
Street Level Photoworks, Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre, and The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland invite applications for an artist residency in Scotland focusing on issues around contemporary northern landscapes and contemporary phenomena in Northern regions through photography.
ABOUT
This open call is directed at professional artists working with photography and lens-based practices. We are especially looking for applicants who are based in Northern Finland, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu or Lapland, or applicants who have a strong connection to the region whether living there or through a strong personal or cultural connection.
The programme explores landscape in different forms: how large-scale environmental, political, and industrial transformations are reshaping our understanding and use of land and how these processes become more visible through photography.
The residency aims to provide time for the artist to research and develop a new or ongoing project. Whilst this is open-ended, we are keen that the artist gathers material which will be developed into a body of work / artistic output.
The selected artist(s) will participate in:
● A one-month residency in Glasgow, Scotland hosted by Street Level Photoworks, in November 2026.
As part of the programme, we expect the artist to:
– give an artist talk at Street Level Photoworks on their practice at the time of the residency, which will be included in the Season of Photography in Scotland which commences in September 2026.
– give an artist talk at the Pohjoinen valokuva festival held in Oulu in autumn 2027.
– the artist may be invited to present work made during the residency in a group exhibition at the Pohjoinen valokuva festival. If so, curatorial guidance will be provided throughout the exhibition process.
– as above, outcomes will be considered for a curated group show at Street Level Photoworks in later 2027 profiling Scottish and Finnish work undertaken as part of the partnership between Street Level, Photo North and other Finnish connections.
THEMATIC FOCUS
We invite artists to reflect on contemporary northern landscapes and contemporary phenomena in Northern regions through photography. Northern regions here refers to Scotland and to Northern Finland.
Landscape is considered as both the geographical concept of landscape as nature and to the urban and social landscapes in which people live, move, and work: the meanings people assign to their landscapes in the form of belonging, traditional rights and home.
CURATORIAL SUPPORT
Street Level Photoworks and Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre will provide advice before and some support after the residency period at Street Level Photoworks. The artist will have a pre-meeting with the residency organisers to find the common goals and actions during the residency period and to clarify expectations on all sides.
Street Level will provide introductions to other individuals and organisations in its photography network in Scotland with the purpose of amplifying knowledge exchange between Scotland and Finland.
SHARED SPACE AND FACILITIES
Street Level is a gallery and production centre. A range of facilities are available from traditional darkroom, digital suite and photography lighting studio. Whilst these will be available to the artist, it is not a condition that the facilities are utilised as the residency involves research and information gathering.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
• Application Live: 1st June, 12pm Finnish time
• Deadline: 30th June, 5pm Finnish time
• Support:
– Travel and accommodation is included
– Artists fee: EUR 3,000 (inclusive of per diems)
– Applications will be submitted via Google forms
– The application language is English
– Selection will take place after the deadline date and the successful applicant will be notified by the end of July 2026.
APPLICATION CRITERIA
The open call for applications is open for professional Northern Finnish based artists, as well as artists who have a strong connection to the region.
The application must demonstrate (in English):
- Motivation letter must include a clear engagement with the general thematic focus [one page]
- Artist Bio (½ A4)
- CV [max 1 page]
- Portfolio [maximum 10 projects]
JURY
The selection will be made by a professional jury consisting of Malcolm Dickson, Director at Street Level Photoworks, Curator Amanda Hakoköngäs, from Aine Art Museum in Tornio, and Sara Kärpänen, Arts and Society Programme Director at The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.
