Open Call: Craftwork 4.0 ALL Residencies

Apply as a duo by December 1st through this link

ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture is one of the hosting venues of Craftwork 4.0 ALL, a European project co-funded by Creative Europe that explores the meeting point between contemporary craft and immersive digital practices. Through residencies, labs and creative encounters, the project connects artists, makers, designers and technologists to imagine new hybrid forms of production, storytelling and cultural transmission.

Applications are open until 1 December.

1-WEEK RESIDENCY

Title: Augmented Craft: From Visual Language to Digital Presence
Period: May 2027

This intensive five-day residency focuses on augmenting an existing craft piece or series through a clear, presentable digital layer.

During the residency, the selected duo will:

• Define an “augmentation intent” based on photos and sketches of their existing work
• Build a simple ComfyUI workflow to generate visual variations (textures, atmospheres, narratives) that can inform the digital layer
• Choose one main route for their project
• Work on basic presentation skills, so that the digital outcome is not only technically functional but also legible as an artistic proposal

2-WEEK RESIDENCY

Title: Augmented Craft: From Material Intelligence to Hybrid Presence
(focus on circularity, upcycled materials, fabrication and digital augmentation)
Period: October and/or early November 2026

This ten-day residency invites duos to move from material intelligence and circularity to a fully hybrid physical–digital piece.

Across the residency, participants will:

• Source and test reclaimed and upcycled materials, paying attention to their histories, textures and structural possibilities

• Define a modest build plan and produce a handmade Prototype v1 that preserves traces of context, use and time

• Work with ComfyUI to develop AI-assisted visual directions that suggest how the digital layer might extend or transform the craft object

• Commit to one digital augmentation path: a mobile AR preview, or an XR (Meta Quest) preview, both created from photo-based 3D capture (e.g. Gaussian Splatting) and integrated into Unity with optional overlays, or a 15–30 second projection / real-time loop in TouchDesigner, with simple video mapping on a photo, mock-up or, when appropriate, directly on the object

• Use, with guidance, the 2× Snapmaker Artisan 3-in-1 stations (3D printing, laser cutting/engraving, CNC) to add one targeted fabricated element to the piece, evolving it into Prototype v2

• close the residency with a lightweight open-studio, where they present the physical work, its digital augmentation and a compact set of documentation materials

Who can apply and how it works

This call is open to craft practitioners from:

• any European country
• any non-EU participating country in the Creative Europe Programme:
  Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Tunisia and Ukraine

You must apply as a duo (two people) using the official form here.

More information about the application form, detailed deadlines, selection criteria and further practical information here.

Explanatory video

You can watch an explanatory video about both residencies: 

About Craftwork 4.0 ALL

Craftwork 4.0 ALL is a European project co-funded by Creative Europe that explores the intersection between traditional craft and contemporary digital practices. Through happenings, labs and creative gatherings in different countries, the project connects artists, craftspeople, designers and technologists to co-create new hybrid forms of production, dialogue and cultural transmission.

Contact: For any questions regarding the residencies please send an email: maria.rubies@espronceda.net