International Artist-in-Residence Program | Kansas (USA) – Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Poland)

In collaboration with the Kansas Arts Commission, we are launching an international artist residency program. As part of the first residency, artists from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship will have the opportunity to participate in a two-week creative residency in the heart of the United States—Matfield Green, Kansas. In turn, as part of the return visit, a foreign artist will come to Poland, to the smallest town in our province—Górzna. The call for applications begins on August 11, 2026.

The partnership exchange program is based on the idea of dialogue with local communities and seeking inspiration in unique natural ecosystems.

The project partners are: the Local Government of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province (Poland) and the Kansas Department of Commerce / Kansas Arts Commission (USA).

Destination: Kansas (USA)

In late April or early June 2027, a person from the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship will travel to Matfield Green, Kansas. The residency is located within the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve—one of the last remaining tallgrass prairie ecosystems in the world.

Matfield Green is a small town with a population of just 45, where the tradition of the American ranch blends with contemporary art. Amid the picturesque prairie hills, independent art spaces operate here. It is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle, find peace and quiet, and fully focus on the creative process.

Destination: Górzno (Poland)

Next, an artist from abroad will be hosted in our region. They will spend their time in Górzno—a small town located within the picturesque Górzno-Lidzbark Landscape Park. The local partner for this part of the project is the Municipal Cultural Center in Górzno, which will provide lodging, meals, and a workspace for the artist from the U.S. The program also includes a study visit to WOAK in Toruń.

Both residencies will last 14 to 16 days (excluding travel time).

Who is this program for?

We invite people involved in the arts in the broadest sense, such as painting, graphic arts, performance art, literature, and music. The organizers do not require participants to produce a finished work—what matters most is the creative process itself, the exchange of experiences, and integration with the local community.

This call for applications is aimed at non-professional artists. Applicants may have a degree in the arts (such as a diploma from an art college) and may be engaged in teaching, educational, or academic work (such as working at a school or college, or leading workshops). It is important that applicants do not earn a commercial living from their own creative work.

The main goal is to support artistically engaged individuals from our province and to build lasting, international cultural bridges. This is an opportunity to break away from the daily routine and work in extraordinary natural settings—both on the American prairie and in our forests in Górzno.

How do I sign up?

The application period begins on August 11, 2026, and will run through October 11, 2026.

The application form and the application guidelines will be available starting on the first day of the application period at www.woak.pl.

For logistical reasons (due to the specific location of the residency in Kansas), applicants for the trip to the U.S. are required to hold a valid Class B driver’s license.

The organizer will provide the selected participant with the following support: coverage of airfare, lodging, meals, insurance, car rental on-site, and compensation for participation in the project.

The project partners are the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Arts Commission.

The project was co-financed from the budget of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province Local Government.