Frequently asked questions

Yes, full availability during onboarding is expected. It's the foundational, intensive period that kicks off the residency: a dedicated stretch of time to step away from daily obligations, share and sharpen your research question, and get properly introduced to the venues, partners, and facilities you'll be working with throughout the program. Also your production team will be formed.

No. We don’t expect every artist to engage with every facility. We select cohorts where different artists tap into different resources—so that across the group, the full range of expertise is activated. Your proposal should identify which facilities and expertise are most relevant to your research.

Emerging Artists (2–4 years experience) receive more intensive mentorship and a structured trajectory, with a 2-month onboarding. They receive a €18,000 fee and €5,000 R&D budget. Established Artists (5+ years) have greater autonomy and flexibility, with a 1-month onboarding. They receive a €26,000 fee and €15,000 R&D budget. Both tracks participate in the same sprints and activations.

The Artist Fee is your compensation for your time and professional commitment—like a salary. The R&D Budget is a lump sum you can spend on materials, equipment, travel, and other production needs not covered by consortium facilities, staff, and collaborators.

No. The residency averages approximately 2–2.5 days per week. However, workload varies: intensive periods (Sprints, Onboarding, Public Activations) may require 3 days per week or more, while low-intensity periods (Summer Incubator, holidays) have substantially reduced obligations.

You need a legal address in the Netherlands, but don’t need to be based in Amsterdam. That said, the consortium’s facilities are concentrated in the Amsterdam area, so regular travel will be necessary. Accommodation is available at Fort Penningsveer during intensive periods.

No papers. When we say artistic research, we mean reflection that happens live, in the moment, while you’re making decisions. Thinking through your hands. Your practice is the research. The knowledge you create emerges through your art, not in writing about it afterwards. We’ll have a documentalist working with you to capture insights as they emerge.

That’s what laboratories are for. We follow a “Permanent Beta” philosophy—productive failure is valued as much as success. We’re interested in what you learn along the way, not just whether you achieve a predetermined outcome.

We’re not asking you to teach formal classes. We’re inviting you to share your process, questions, and insights through collaborative workshops, feedback sessions, documentation, and engagement with students and researchers. It’s a two-way exchange—you learn from others as much as you contribute.

Yes, but only collectives of maximum two members are allowed. The Artist Fee is shared between members (approximately 50% each), which reduces individual hourly rates but maintains the total project investment. The R&D budget remains the same.

Yes. A second open call for Round 2 will open in September 2026 for residencies starting in early 2027. Round 2 will include 2 Emerging and 2 Established positions. Stage IX aims to continue the residency programme afterwards.

Research into immersion and embodied experiences is essential. High-level technical expertise is not required. However, you must demonstrate that they have a clear understanding and knowledge of immersive experiences and the extent to which technology – as an intermediate partner – can play a role in this.

No. Stage IX supports immersive experience as a broad artistic field, including digital, physical, and hybrid environments. Tech-based and low-tech approaches are welcome, as long as immersion is central to the proposal and inquiry.

No. Stage IX supports early to mid-stage projects that allow room for development, iteration, and discovery during the residency.

Stage IX is a curated residency. While anyone meeting the eligibility requirements may apply, the final cohort is composed through a selection process that considers both individual proposals and the collective balance of practices. Stage IX is designed as a collaborative research environment. Residents are selected not only for the strength of their proposal, but also to build a cohort with different immersive practices and backgrounds so that residents can learn from one another and generate broader sector impact together.

Stage IX operates as a shared research environment in which consortium partners also act as co-researchers and collaborators. The programme is designed to build knowledge collectively—through artistic practice, testing, reflection, and documentation.

Please get in touch via info[at]stage-ix.com or join the online information session on Wednesday 23 September from 3:00-5:00 PM.