AIAAR is a residency for Indigenous artists from the Canadian North, hosted by the Sámi cultural centre Aejlies. Set in Dearna (Tärnaby), Sweden – a mountain village in the heart of Sápmi – the residency offers a unique opportunity to develop your ideas and artistic practice in a collaborative, Indigenous-led environment. We welcome artists from all disciplines.

Aejlies Indigenous Arctic Art Residency in Dearna, Sweden

Deadline for applications: March 27, 2026. (Please note that the deadline is based on Pacific Time, Vancouver, Canada.)

Residency period of your choice, 2-4 weeks during October/November 2026.

This call is open to Indigenous artists from Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Quebec, and Labrador, in accordance with the funding guidelines.

AIAAR is hosted by Aejlies and financed by The Global Arctic Leadership Initiative (GALI), a Canadian program that supports initiatives that promote Canada's interests and values in international Arctic engagement.

About the Residency

AIAAR offers: 

• A stay of 2–4 weeks in October/November 2026 (based on your needs)
• An artist fee of 35,000 SEK (approx. 5,000 CAD) paid according to Swedish regulations
• Covered travel costs to and from Sweden
• Accommodation and access to various workspaces
• Opportunities to build meaningful connections within the Sámi community

This is a residency shaped around your practice and your needs.

Whether you are looking for quiet time to work, new inspiration, or local collaboration, we aim to provide the support and setting to make that possible. 

We do not require you to produce finished artwork during your stay. The residency may focus on research, experimentation, or other artistic practices.

A Secure Indigenous Context for Artistic Exploration

Aejlies offers a Sámi-led, Indigenous residency environment rooted in local knowledge, traditions, and contemporary artistic practice.

An important part of the residency is engagement with the local community.

We invite you to take part in a form of artistic exchange with the public — such as a talk, workshop, open studio, or work-in-progress sharing — co-planned together with Aejlies.

Applications are welcome from solo artists or artist pairs. If applying as a pair, please submit a joint proposal.

Facilities and Environment

Dearna (Tärnaby) is a small Sámi community in northern Sweden, surrounded by mountains, lakes and rivers. You’ll be hosted in comfortable local accommodation and have access to shared workspaces such as: 

• A large studio with dance floor
• Craft rooms
• Art studio
• Office
• Communal gathering spaces  

Nature is close by, with much to explore.

Aejlies will support your arrival and facilitate connections with people in the local community – such as elders, artists, and culture bearers.

Fees and Additional Support

The residency provides an artist honorarium of 35,000 SEK (approximately 5,000 CAD), along with covered travel expenses.

Additional funding is available for local transportation, materials, and other stay-related costs.

Applicants may also apply to the Canada Council for the Arts.

Aejlies maintains an open dialogue with artists regarding additional funding.

If your project requires additional production funding or involves more than two participants, please outline this in your application.

The final budget will be agreed upon in consultation with the project coordinator and Aejlies' steering group.

How to Apply

Applications are reviewed by a selection group including Indigenous artists, local Sámi representatives, and members of Aejlies.

We will assess your application based on your artistic proposal and how you wish to develop your practice within this Indigenous context. 

A number of applicants will be invited to an online conversation before the final decision is made. All applicants will be notified of the outcome in early June 2026.

Please submit the following materials via the application form by March 27, 2026. 

• A short biography (approx. 500 characters)
• A brief project proposal (max. 2,000 characters)
• Your CV
• A portfolio with up to four relevant projects (max. three images per project)
• If applying as a pair, include both CVs in the same file
• Tell us how you heard about this residency (open question)

Applications are welcome in English or French. If needed you can contact the Canada Council for the Arts for translation help.

Read more about AIAAR: [https://aejlies.se/aiaar]

Contact

Oskar Östergren Njajta, Director of Aejlies Sámi Centre

If you need to get in touch, please contact us through the 'Contact curator' tab. 

About the Organisers

Aejlies is a Sámi cultural centre and gathering space in Tärnaby, Sweden, founded in 2020.

Through exhibitions, courses, cultural events, and international residencies, Aejlies supports Sámi and other Indigenous artists across disciplines.

The AIAAR residency is financed by GALI – the Global Arctic Leadership Initiative in Canada – and is part of a long-term effort to build stronger connections between Sápmi and Indigenous communities in the Canadian North.

The aim is to establish a sustainable Arctic Indigenous Art Residency, foster ongoing artistic collaborations, and encourage the development of new projects grounded in Indigenous and Arctic perspectives.