Tips and opportunities in October 2024

Meet other illustrators, or learn how to seek funding and sharpen your negotiation skills! In October’s list, you’ll find festivals, social gatherings, and valuable courses and seminars.

Open calls and calls for applications

Three-month design residency in Germany

Accommodation, material costs, travel expenses, and a small salary are included in Pforzheim’s EMMA Scholarship. It’s aimed at young designers across all design disciplines, from jewellery to communication. Applicants must be under 35 at the time of application or recently graduated and must hold a degree. Apply by 15 November. Read more here!

Swedish Arts Grants Committee Scholarships

Right now, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee has several open calls.

• The work and long-term scholarship aims to give artists the opportunity to pursue and deepen their artistic practice. Scholarships are available for one, two, five, and ten years. To apply, you need to be a professional artist and have works exhibited in public settings. Apply by 13 November via the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.
• The International Exchange and Travel Grant supports artists in creating, developing, and deepening international contacts. You can apply for grants to travel abroad, for example, for a residency, to participate in an exhibition, or to attend a seminar. You can also apply to invite one or more international artists to Sweden to share their experiences and knowledge through collaborative work or exchanges. Apply by 5 December, 14:00. Read more here!

Apply for studio support – Stockholm City

If you are a professional (or newly graduated) artist within the visual arts, and registered in Stockholm, with a rented studio in Stockholm or its surrounding municipalities, you can apply for three-year support to help cover studio rent. The application period runs from 14 October to 15 November at 15:00. Read more here!

Open call: Risokompis blindfolded collaborative poster project – remote

Risokompis is a recurring art project where two creatives create a joint poster without seeing what the other is making. The result is printed in A2 format using a Risograph. Risokompis is now opening an open call. Sign up if you’d like to participate in the next round of this art project.

Events and Courses

Price It Right: webinar on fees, contracts, and negotiation

The European Illustrators Forum (EIF) has released a recorded webinar supporting freelancers in illustration and design. Are you curious about how to set the right fee, price copyright, negotiate, or write contracts? Or do you just want to check if your knowledge in these areas is up to date? Learn more about EIF and find the webinar here!

STPLN:s gratisworkshops för frilansare – Malmö

Welcome to another round of short and free courses and lectures! STPLN:LAB is an incubator: a forum for support for independent freelancers in the creative and cultural field. The courses are focused on helping you develop sustainable and creative approches to your freelance business.

• How not to be a Sell-out (while selling out). 17 and 31 October. In this open lecture we delve deep into the essence of effective self-promotion that aligns with your artistic integrity as we'll explore how your social, cultural and financial capital impacts your ability to grow and successfully reach out as an artist. We will also look at how you can start thinking about marketing with the method of funnels
  Sustainable Collaborations 5 November. Can you decide how to solve conflicts with each other in advance? This workshop explores how your artistry can coexist with external collaborators, and cover strategies for successful joint projects with others.
• Social Impact Canvas for Professional Creators & Artists (EN) 14 November. kl 14-17. Measure your impact on society and explore new ways to support financial stability.
• Stress? No Stress! (EN) lecture 19 November and workshop 3 December. Tools and the knowledge you may need to lead a healthier and more balanced freelance life.

Learn about funding/support and how to apply for it – Östersund

Welcome to the financing forum for cultural and creative industries! Region Jämtland Härjedalen invites you to an information session and workshop on support and funding for companies, artists, and organisations in the region. Register by 4 October. The forum will be held on Saturday 12 October, from 09:30 to 15:00, in Building C at Campus Östersund.

Participate in 24-hour comics day – Åmål (and internationally)

Challenge yourself in comic creation by taking part in the international event 24-hour comics day. For the twentieth year in a row, comic artists around the world will gather to marathon-create their own comics. The goal is to produce 24 pages in 24 hours!

From 4–6 October, Seriefrämjandet is hosting a 24-hour comics day event in collaboration with Bokdagar i Dalsland. Accommodation, meals, workspace, and a city tour are included in the participant fee. You can read more about Seriefrämjandet’s 24-hour comics day here.

Meetups and illustrators' fika – Hjo, Lidköping, and Gothenburg

Seriefrämjandet also invites you to "ritfika", social gatherings for illustrators who want to meet at a café and draw together. These events will take place in Hjo, Lidköping, and Gothenburg respectively.

Course on planning and funding your project idea – Halland

This course is for those who may have struggled with getting their project applications approved or found it difficult to know how to write a good application. You will learn about the cultural policy landscape and how various forms of public funding work, how to structure and plan your project ideas, and most importantly, how to improve your grant writing skills. The course is held twice, once in Varberg and once in Halmstad. To apply, you must be active in Halland. Apply by 13 October via Kulturakademin.

Illustrationsfestival – Malmö

For the third year in a row, the Illustrationsfestival is back! Illustration enthusiasts, curious beginners, professionals, and everyone in between are welcome to dive into the many perspectives of illustration art alongside professional illustrators and designers from across the Nordics. Through discussions, lectures, and workshops, the festival explores the creative process and offers a behind-the-scenes look. Free entry and activities all day, at Inkonst in Malmö on 19 October.

Our catalogue release party 25 October – Gothenburg

Come and celebrate the freshly printed Swedish Illustrators & Graphic Designers 2025 catalogue with us on 25 October! Illustratörcentrum is kicking off the event Seriefesten with a festive catalogue launch of the latest edition of our award-winning portfolio catalogue. Join us for mingling, grab a copy (limited number available), and stay for an evening packed with activities. Seriefesten is part of the festival Seriefest i Väst and Kulturnatta. You can read more about Seriefesten and the release party here.

Seriefest i Väst – Region Västra Götaland

The comics festival for all of Västra Götaland is back from 17–24 October, and you are warmly welcome. There will be lectures, workshops, exhibitions, parties, markets, and much more. Events will be held in Gothenburg, Skövde, Mariestad, Mölndal, Trollhättan, and other places in the region. Seriefest i Väst is organised by Seriefrämjandet, and you can find the programme here.

Self-Leadership Course for Artists – Gotland

Self-leadership is part of being a cultural creator. No one else tells you how to organise your work or which jobs to say yes or no to. Therefore, you need to be the leader who gives yourself the right conditions to do a good job. 

Gotland’s Museum invites you to the course Self-Leadership for Artists, a professional development opportunity designed to advance your creative and artistic practice, on 13–14 November. The course is led by Olof Svensson from Kulturinkubatorn on Öland. For more information, contact art developer Armin Scholler at Gotland’s Museum: armin.scholler@gotlandsmuseum.se.

Drink & Draw at Moderna Museet – Stockholm

Drop by for a free, creative after-work session in the Café Bar at Moderna Museet! Drink & Draw is held once a month on a Friday. Paper and an art educator will be available. No pre-registration needed. Upcoming dates: 25 October, 22 November. Read more on the museum’s website.

Money: Two Days on Cultural Support for Freelancers – remote

What grants are available? How do applications and selection processes work? What criteria and priorities affect who receives support? On 20–21 November, the digital event Money: Two Days on Cultural Support for Freelancers returns. Several national and Nordic funders, as well as municipalities that support the independent cultural sector, will present their operations and current grants. There will be opportunities to ask questions. Experienced professionals from the independent cultural sector will share their tips. Learn more and register by 18 November via Region Västra Götaland’s platform.

Publicerat 4 October 2024