Open Call

Are you a maker whose work centers around music and sound? Do you like to challenge and innovate formats of concert practices?

Rizoom is looking for artists based in the Netherlands and currently in their first 5 years of professional practice as a maker, for our research trajectory. The trajectory will start in September 2026 and conclude with a public presentation in February or March 2027.

The trajectory offers:

• Opportunity to conduct an artistic research, within a 6-month time frame
• A budget to experiment and develop
• Artistic mentorship
• Professional assistance with practical aspects of your career
• Opportunities and spaces to showcase your research or work in progress
• Open invitation to visit and participate in events organised by our partner institutions
• Connection to a larger professional network and potential collaborators
• Feedback from other artists and professionals in the field

Every trajectory starts with a first conversation with an artistic mentor, where you will make an indicative planning of your trajectory. This helps you crystallise your ideas and develop them throughout your research time into a fully fledged project plan, ready to seek further funding and presentation opportunities after the end of the program.

Please note: The goal is not developing a final product or performance. Your progress and learning path within the trajectory can be presented in various ways at the end of the research period: as text, as an exhibition (photos, video, sculpture, recordings,…), spoken or musical preview, a project pitch, and more.

We connect makers with mentors from our network of cultural organisations based on the concrete research needs and the best possible match of experience, knowledge and contacts an assigned mentor can provide.

This year, one or two selected makers will be eligible for mentorship with our partners at iii on the basis of match of practices and research interests (in fields music & science, technology, instrument invention, experimental sound approaches, etc.).

In your application, we look for

• A concise description of your research question, idea or practice you’d like to focus on within your time at Rizoom
• A brief but representative example of your previous work
• Motivation and personal/artistic drive; we want to hear about the ‘why’ behind your research question
• How does your artistic work relate to current cultural discourse? 

Tip: Focus on method and process rather than final outcome (envisioned performance or other result) in your text. Where would you like to be in 6 months of this research? What is realistic to achieve in this time frame? How flexible/scaleable is your research? What type of support do you need? What are the hurdles currently in your way?

2nd Round: Interview

Results of the 1st round of selection will be communicated on 2 July 2026. The invited shortlist of makers will present their research ideas in person to a small selection committee on 6th or 7th July 2026 in Den Haag (the exact date, time and place will soon be determined and updated here). Candidates will receive questions and guidelines to prepare for the interview in advance.

For any questions about your application or Rizoom, contact project manager Natálie Kulina at info@rizoom.net.