The Sharjah Art Foundation Residency Programme is open to visual artists, performance artists, writers, poets, researchers, musicians, filmmakers and other creatives who wish to pursue their experimental, interdisciplinary practice. It offers flights and transportation to the Emirate of Sharjah, accommodation and a monthly stipend. Residents will also have access to the Foundation’s institutional networks and resources.

Locations

Bait Obaid Al Shamsi, a creek-side heritage house in the Al Shuwaiheen neighbourhood, was the personal residence of pearl merchant Obaid bin Hamad Al Shamsi and his family until the 1970s. Dating to the mid-nineteenth century, the complex comprises 16 rooms, which surround an airy central courtyard. In the late 1990s, the house was restored and repurposed as a suite of artist studios and exhibition spaces. The complex offers panoramic views of the creek from its rooftop terrace. Serving as a Sharjah Biennial venue for large-scale installations and performances since 2009, Bait Obaid Al Shamsi also hosts regular art workshops, residencies and year-round events.
 

Facilities:
•    Four ground-floor studios
•    Three rooftop studios
•    Two live-in studios
•    Restrooms with showers
•    Laundry room
 

Retrofitted by Lima-based 51-1 Arquitectos to preserve the feel of open industrial spaces, Kalba Ice Factory boasts well-lighted exhibition areas, art studios and residential accommodation within a natural setting; the complex is located next to Kalba Creek and Al Qurm mangroves, home to many endangered species of birds, turtles and lizards.  The 1970s brutalist concrete structure, enclosed by the saw-tooth silhouette of a corrugated metal roof, was once a fish feed mill and ice storage facility. Acquired by Sharjah Art Foundation in 2012, it was used as a venue for Sharjah Biennials 12 and 15.

 

Facilities:
•    Two duplexes 
•    Two one-bedroom apartments
•    Two studio apartments
•    Two artist studios
•    Convenient access to Fen Café & Restaurant and a nearby is Kalba mall, only a short walk away