What is Multimadeira?

MultiMadeira is an experimental, independent and self-curated artist residency taking place on Portuguese island Madeira. MultiMadeira is neither profit nor project based. So far we have organized three editions (2013, 2015/2016, 2019/2020) and hosted around 140 artists working in various media and with different geographical and cultural backgrounds. We’ve held more than 200 various public events including concerts, exhibitions, performances and workshops resulting in new music, books, videos and even a computer game (still to be released). Our aim is to create a space for collaboration, meaningful exchange and participation between artists at very different stages of their career while building a temporary community. 

When will it happen again?

This winter (2023/2024), we are expecting you from December 9th until March 9th. You can stay as many weeks as you wish.

Where is the house situated?

It’s in the central area of Funchal. Exact location is yet to be confirmed.

How to apply?

Please read this FAQ to the end and then send in your application containing a project proposal and preferred dates to multimadeira@gmail.com.

How much will it cost me?

For artists, who propose an acceptable project to work on while on Madeira, the price is in a range: from 8€  to 14€ per night. The money is used according to a crowdfunding principle, to share the rent and facility costs of the house. Keep in mind that you choose how much you wish to pay, and that you can recoup some of the money through public events, i.e. concerts, DJ-ing, exhibitions, performances, workshops etc. All events by any artist will have support in organization / promotion / gear and anything else we can provide (modest financial support for production cost is possible).

For those who want to just enjoy their stay and not have any obligation to produce or create something, i.e. “tourists”, the price is in a range from 20€ to 30€ per night. 

You can choose how much you would like to pay, but you do not get any special treatment, if you choose to pay more. By paying more you simply choose to support MultiMadeira and it means we will be able to support the artists’ events more.

You are also responsible for your travel and living costs, but we would gladly send you an invitation letter, if you need one to support your travel grant application. 

Discount: For the first week of residency (Dec 9th – 15th) we are offering a 30% discount for artists who are willing to help us with fixing, tidying, putting in order and preparing the house for the rest of its residents.  We would also like to encourage senior (above 60 years old) artists to participate with a 30% discount, and also artists with kids with a 50% discount for kids’ stay.  

Are there any additional costs?

There is a one-time fee of 7€ per person, which all the participants pay upon arrival. Some communal things, like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, olive oil and other basic spices for the kitchen will be provided. The money collected this way will be used to buy those, so none of us has to worry about it every day.

How do I get to Madeira?

More info and proposed flights soon.

What kind of project should I propose and what are application requirements?

This is entirely up to you. However, near the end of your stay, we will expect you to present what you have been working on, in the form of a public event (presentation, exhibition, performance, concert, etc.) and you’ll have our support in organizing the event. If there are any “unusual” prerequisites for your project, make sure to talk to us about it beforehand, and we’ll see if it’s possible. Your proposal should include up to one page textual description of the project + one image + up to 3 sec sound sample or recording + one sentence in your mother tongue.

What is the deadline for applications, and what is the deadline for booking a stay?

There are no fixed deadlines, but the later you propose, or book, the flights get more expensive, and the chance of the house being already full during your preferred dates grows.

How many people will be sharing a room?

Depending on the situation – we aim for a limit of 2-4 per “artist” room, and “tourists” have slight priorities in being less disturbed. In some peak times, the number 4 might shift towards number 6, in the largest rooms, but there might be optional tents and alternative housing solutions for those more adventurous and open to decentralization of common and shared sleep. We try to make everybody feel like they are at home while staying at MultiMadeira – except you will probably have (many) more flatmates than back home, depending on the housing crisis level in your area.

Will the food be provided?
You have to organize your own food, but there will be a working kitchen in the house you can use on your own and there will be some collective meals once in a while, we hope at least once a week. Keep in mind that when a collective meal is organized, the chef has the priority of using the kitchen. The collective meals are priced according to the chef’s discretion, but should not be more than 8€ for lunch/dinner and 3.5€ for breakfast.

Why are you doing this?

Because we think we all should invest a bit of our time, or our money, in order to create collective opportunities open to everyone without the usual gatekeepers and anyone above us. The particular freedom to do only what we wanted to do, without having to follow dictated budget rules, the ubiquitous receipts and funding deadlines leave us with a joyful power, which we share with the artists, while also demanding to develop their ideas and participate in public events.

Why do you ask artists to “pay-to-play”?

We actually don’t. We are asking you to participate and help us create a space for experiment and meaningful exchange, completely independent from funders, project logic and reports. Also, we aim to support young artists in building confidence, respecting deadlines and investing in their careers.

How much will you earn from this project?

Our aim, like in the previous editions, is to cover expenses of renting a house and utility bills.  This will only happen if we have a high occupancy during most weeks of the residency, and we bear all the risk if this doesn’t happen. Besides that, if there is any surplus it will be invested in production of the final exhibition or publishing.

See you on the island!

#thisyear

Nika Šaravanja | Gineke Pranger | Selina Becker | Niklas Roy | Kati Hyypa | Klara Ravat | Nenad Popov
Michal Shanny | Kazehito Seki | Igor Stanglicky | Bojana Knežević | Florian Japp | Michaela Richter | Jennifer Konig
Nicholas Schärer | Catherine O Shea | Chris Wood | Nataša Kadin | Hrvoje Pelicarić | Marcin Knyziak
 Saša Trifunović | Ilir Gaši | Boris Burić | Ana Dimitrijević | Marko Dimitrijević | Aleksandar Popović | Claire Terrien
 Domagoj Blažević | Natko Stipaničev | Stella Leboš | Ana Boljar | Dora Bilandžić | Dina Milovčić | Tessa Bachrach Krištofić
Franka Tetrinjak | Vanja Vikalo | Sanja Stojkov | Vreni Spieser | Rowan de Freitas | Sarah Parsons
Giordano Canova | Sarah Baron-Brljević |  Leonard Haase | Nemanja Knežević| Ana Konjović | Maša Seničić
Inesa Adamonyte | Jan Pavlović | Maša Milovac | Jonathan Reus | Sissel Marie Tonn | Jennifer Lucy Allan | Ellie Broughton 
Miša Cvijović | Davor Savićenti | Ingrid Plum | Andre Neely | Aylin Neuhofer | Laura Snoad | Katarina Šoškić | Timon Mürer | Tamara Broćić

Andre Loja, Olga Grigori, Fabio Remosso & Barreirinha crew, Irina Andrushko, Chris Csikszentmihalyi, Michael Rosen, Nuno Barcelos, Jorge Maggiore, Jose Zyberchema, Jennifer Lucy Allan, SomoS, Corner College, Sami Nagasaki, Hermann Pitz, Kafe Knjižara Meduza, Cafe Retro, Contrakapa, Søren Jakobsen, Don Renato Barros, Svetlana Mijić, Mane Radmanović and all the others who helped us do things our way.

The first edition of MultiMadeira was run by Luka, Jela and Luka during the last two months of 2013. We’ve hosted a total of 38 artists working in various media and with different geographical and cultural backgrounds. At MultiMadeira, they were encouraged to communicate with each other as well as with the local community. We’ve held over 30 various public events including concerts, exhibitions, performances and workshops.

“Nothing else really exists” is a manually produced collaborative fanzine created at the workshop led by Katarina Šoškić and Lena Gold at Multimadeira, It consists of 18 individual zines contributed by various artists who were part of the residency and hand-sewn and hand-bound into a book. 30 copies were made