Silence Residency

The Silence residency is an international multidisciplinary residency for artists focusing on performing arts. The Silence residency does not exclude any form of art but primarily supports multidisciplinary work, various performing arts projects, contemporary circus projects, and cooperation of artists from the northern regions. The artists-in-residence are selected on the basis of applications.

Three new working groups were selected for the Silence residency for summer 2025. In addition to these, a SUO team will be working in the residency and was selected in 2024 for a 3-year residency from 2024 to 2026.

RUPTURES

Working group: Wilhelmiina Ojanen, choreographer-performer. Reettaleena Rauhala, choreographer-performer. Kardo Shiwan, dramaturge-performer.

The working group also includes Tapani Rinne, musician. Mirei Kato, costume and space designer. Riikka Karjalainen, lighting designer.

The Kettle is Always On

Working group: Melody Nolan, circus artist (NL). Lily Nolan, circus artist (NL).

SYÖPÄKLOVNI (EL PAYASO DE LA MUERTE), Discoporo-kollektiivi

Working group: Ringa Aarimo, circus artist. Susanna Leppänen, musician. Onni Tulla, light and sound designer

The Silence residency provides a working space suitable for performing arts in the community hall of Kaukonen ("Tökäri"). The village of Kaukonen is located amidst the pure and beautiful nature of Kittilä, along the river Ounasjoki. These premises provide a unique setting for creating art, allowing artists to focus on their work and let go of daily stress and the hectic city life. Artists are encouraged to use the old buildings of Kaukonen village as well as the beautiful scenery both as a source of inspiration and as performance venues. Artists staying at the residence are expected to show a high artistic level and interest in public work during their stay. 

Integration of the applicant's project needs with the facilities provided by the residence is the primary factor guiding the process of selecting applicants. We aim to choose both young, aspiring professional artists and more experienced artists. Multidisciplinary approaches to art and projects that make use of different types of established performing arts are also given emphasis when artists are chosen.

Applying for Silence residency:

Apply for summer residencies in 2026 by 1st of June 2025.

The application needs to include the following information: a work plan, the requested dates of the residency period, information about the team (headcount and presentations of the team members), the wishes of the artist or team regarding the residency period, the applicant's suggestion for the public event (demo, public discussion, open rehearsal, workshop, school visit, etc.), and details about the possible funding already granted to the project. 

The working periods at Silence Residency will take place in July and August 2026.

More info about the Silence Residency and the application process by email: residenssi[a]hiljaisuusfestivaali.fi.

The artists-in-residence are chosen by artist experts and producers of Silence organisation. The decisions will be announced in August 2025. Every applicant will be contacted in person.

WORKING AT THE RESIDENCE

The Silence residence is meant for both Finnish and international artists. The residence provides a working space for an artist or a team for 2 weeks at a time, based on applications. 

The working space offered by the residence is the Kaukonen community hall, with a surface area of 7.9 m x 9.6 m and a height of 4.46 m. If needed, dance mats, one aerial rigging point, lighting and audio devices suitable for rehearsal use, and yoga/acrobatics mats are provided. The artist-in-residence may also use the green room of the community hall. 

Artists-in-residence are also provided with the following: an apartment for 1 to 3 persons in the community house, bedlinen, shower and bathroom facilities, possibility to do laundry, an internet connection, and a kitchen. For a small fee, transportation and procurement of other equipment or appurtenance, as well as additional accommodation, can be arranged if needed. 

During the residency, an event open to the public will be arranged in a way that has been agreed with the artists beforehand. The public event could be, for example, a meeting with the artists, a discussion, a demo presentation, a workshop or a school visit. The residence personnel will help the artists arrange the public events, acquire the supplies, and get to know the surroundings. The personnel will also act as a contact between the artists-in-residence and the locals. 

The Silence residency began operating in 2015, and back then it primarily enabled the artistic work of the artists and teams chosen to perform in the Silence festival. In 2016, the association rented the Kaukonen community hall from Pohjanpalo organisation for 10 years. Since then, the community hall has been the focus of residency operations. A project to develop the residency operations was commenced in 2017 and it will continue until the end of 2018. During this project, experiences on the functionality of the residence will be collected, and the space will be renovated to better meet the needs of artistic work. During the development project, residency is offered to artists free of charge. 

For more information on residency operations, please contact residenssi[a]hiljaisuusfestivaali.fi.