Call for application: 2025 Róng Design Library Residency Programme x Pro Helvetia Shanghai

Residency for Swiss Designers 

Pro Helvetia Shanghai supports two to four Swiss designers to become Róng Design Library’s residents for the year 2025. The candidate designers will be able to research and study Chinese traditional handicrafts and materials (bamboo, silk, mud, copper, paper, etc.), and combine the learnt techniques with their own practice. 

The selected designers will benefit from the following:

• International flight tickets
• One-month accommodation
• Budget for traditional craftsmanship workshop visit (flight/ road transportation & accommodation)
• Materials and sample-making support（up to CNY 5,000=CHF 600）
• One local assistant
• A one-to-one professional adviser support from the four co-founders of Róng Library during the designer’s stay, including design and production support and business development consultant in China
• Possibility to use the showcase space in Róng Design Library to exhibit the results of the residency
• Possibility of exhibiting at fairs
• Matchmaking events with related local business owners  

How to apply? 

The application file must include (in PDF version): 

• Studio contact information (Website, social media pages, etc.)
• CV and a short biography (approx. 150 words)
• Portfolio (max. 10 images of previous works)
• Motivation letter (approx. 300 words) explaining what you plan to create during your residency period 
• Proposed dates of your residency (suggest up to 3 periods) 

Application Criteria

• Emerging talents are designers who completed their professional education in a design-relevant field or who founded a company (as a legal entity, a sole proprietorship or company) less than seven years ago
• At least 50% of the studio members are Swiss citizens or permanent residents in Switzerland. If there is more than one studio member who would like to apply for this residency project, each of them will need to submit a separate application.  

To participate in the 2025 residency programme for Swiss designers, please send your application to shanghai@prohelvetia.org before noon, Thursday, 26 September 2024 (UTC+2).

Timeline 

• Application deadline: noon, 26 September 2024
• Announcement of candidate: Wednesday, 25 October 2024
• Residency period: One month, between March 2024 and December 2025

Questions 

Please email us at  jfan@prohelvetia.ch for any questions.

We are looking forward to receiving your applications!