elc team
After six successful years supporting nearly 250 Fellows from around the world, Onassis AiR has evolved into an interdisciplinary hub for the exchange of ideas and practices among Greek and international artists and researchers.
Once again this year, Onassis AiR invites artists from across the globe to apply to the Onassis Foundation’s international artistic research and residency program. Process, research, and experimentation lie at the heart of the program, where participants-both emerging and established creators-are encouraged to deepen their practice without the pressure of presenting a final work.
We have, of course, enjoyed their work during the Onassis AiR Open Days, where they share their research, while many have gone on to international stages with projects that began within the program. These include Mario Banushi, Chara Kotsali, Fotini Stamatelopoulou, Marlene Monteiro Freitas, and Christos Papadopoulos. Others have participated in major international exhibitions, such as Victor Ehikhamenor, Janis Rafa, Sister Sylvester, Eva Papamargariti, and Natalia Manta, or in concerts, like Alexandros Livitsanos and Charbel Haber.
Based in the European South and the Eastern Mediterranean, Onassis AiR encourages dialogue and the exchange of ideas in direct relation to contemporary issues. The program recognizes the need to respond to the tensions and challenges emerging both in its immediate environment and in a constantly shifting global landscape.
Community building is an integral part of the program. All Onassis AiR Fellows take part in a range of activities, including peer-to-peer feedback workshops, organized visits, exchanges of research practices, and collective meetings-fostering coexistence and collaboration within an environment of continuous exploration.
In every residency cycle, participants also take part in a series of public events known as the Onassis AiR Open Days. Each event is shaped around the work of those involved in the program, without focusing on the presentation of a “final” piece, but rather on the creative process that leads to it.
Serving as a gateway to the wider ecosystem of Onassis Culture, Onassis AiR offers Fellows the opportunity to explore future prospects for production, co-production, or presentation of their work, as well as support for its international development. Through close contact with the curatorial team of the Stegi and a personalized mentoring framework, participants can develop their research and projects under the guidance of experienced arts professionals, while expanding their knowledge and networks in their respective fields.
For the 2026/27 season, the program:
• Continues its focus on residencies for creators from the broader field of applied arts (including fashion, sculpture, and design), the performing arts, and digital arts.
• Continues to support professionals seeking to develop skills in technical and production support for performing and digital arts projects through specialized Technical Residencies.
• Introduces a new opportunity for research and project development in collaboration with the Cavafy Archive.
The main facilities of Onassis AiR are located in the vibrant neighborhood of Neos Kosmos, right behind the Onassis Stegi. The spaces are flexible and modular, designed to adapt to the needs of all Fellows and to promote a safe and inclusive collaborative environment.
In 2025, the program expanded its activities to Onassis Ready, the Foundation’s new “factory of ideas and dreams.” Located in the industrial area of Rentis, the building hosts Fellows from Onassis AiR and ONX on its first floor, within a space of approximately 1,000 square meters.
Participants have access to a wide range of technical equipment, workshops, talks, masterclasses, and professional guidance from a broad and multidisciplinary network of Onassis Culture collaborators, including curators, dramaturgs, producers, academics, technologists, and researchers.
With the arrival in Athens of the global Onassis ONX platform, program participants now have further opportunities to strengthen their skills, explore new digital tools, and receive technical support and advisory guidance.
Onassis AiR Open Call 2026/27
The current Open Call invites artists to apply for a ten (10)-week residency program, to be held in Athens between September 2026 and July 2027.
Residencies are organized in three cycles:
Autumn: 14 September 2026 – 27 November 2026
Spring: 8 February 2027 – 16 April 2027
Summer: 10 May 2027 – 16 July 2027
The Onassis AiR Community
Investing in long-term connection, Onassis AiR seeks to remain open to those who have previously participated in its programs. All Fellows become part of the Onassis AiR community and enjoy equal and ongoing access to the program’s spaces and resources, with opportunities to interact with past participants, collaborators, and guests through a series of collective activities and events.
Full Open Call announcement (and access to the application form):
Onassis AiR Open Call 2026/27 | Onassis Foundation
To apply, you must first create a personal account on the Onassis Directory.
Please note that each applicant may submit only one application and/or one project proposal.
All selected participants will receive:
• an artistic fee of €3,500
• a research/production budget
• accommodation
• travel expenses to/from Athens
• a collective budget supporting group research trips and visits
• opportunities to engage with the city’s cultural life through organized activities
• access to mentoring and technical equipment
The working language of the program is English.
For questions regarding the application process or the program that are not covered in the FAQs or related pages, you may contact air@onassis.org until Friday, 27 February 2026, at 18:00 (UTC+2).
Onassis AiR operates Monday to Friday, 10:00–18:00 (UTC+2).
Final application deadline: Tuesday, 3 March 2026, at 12:00 noon (UTC+2).
All applicants will be notified by email of the outcome of their application—regardless of result—on Monday, 15 June 2026.
Application Form
You can read more about the available program strands below and find additional information about the application form in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), in order to determine which option best suits your needs and apply accordingly.
