Open Call. Pompeii Research Residency for Lithuanian Artists and Researchers

2026-07-18

The Pompeii Archaeological Park (PAP) and the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA) are pleased to announce the launch of an international research residency programme for contemporary artists and researchers.

One of the world’s most important archaeological sites, Pompeii is an extraordinary place of historical and material stratification. More than an exceptional testimony to the ancient world, it is today also a unique environment for contemporary research, where archaeology, cultural heritage, landscape, memory, conservation and artistic practice intersect, generating new perspectives across disciplines.

In recent years, the Pompeii Archaeological Park has actively fostered dialogue between ancient heritage and contemporary culture, recognising artistic and scholarly research as essential tools for generating new interpretations of the site. Through programmes, commissions and collaborations, the Park promotes encounters between artists, researchers and the archaeological context, encouraging innovative approaches to the understanding and experience of cultural heritage.

The residency programme is developed in connection with Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters, the contemporary art programme of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, which promotes artistic commissions, fellowships, research projects, publications and long-term collaborations between artists, researchers and the archaeological site.

The initiative is developed in collaboration with the Lithuanian Culture Institute and is part of Lithuanian Culture in Italy 2025–2026, implemented by the Lithuanian Culture Institute in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Italian Republic.

The programme is intended for one Lithuanian contemporary artist or researcher who is a member of the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA) and wishes to develop a research project inspired by the archaeological, historical and cultural context of Pompeii.

Applications from a broad range of disciplines and research practices are encouraged, including visual arts, photography, moving image, architecture, design, archaeology, cultural heritage studies, art history, humanities and other interdisciplinary fields.

The Residency

The residency will last one week and will take place between September and December 2026. The exact dates will be agreed between the selected participant and the organising institutions following the announcement of the results.

During the residency, the selected participant will have access to the archaeological site, the Park’s specialised library, photographic archives and internal research resources. They will have the opportunity to engage directly with the Park’s archaeologists, conservators, art historians and technical staff, as well as with researchers carrying out ongoing projects at Pompeii.

The residency is conceived as an opportunity for immersion in the site’s intellectual and material environment, encouraging dialogue, exchange and the development of an original research project.

The programme covers:
– international travel;
– accommodation (at the Pompeii Archaeological Park accommodation facilities);
– per diem;
– insurance.

Following the residency, the participant will be invited to collaborate with the partner institutions in identifying the most appropriate format for presenting and sharing the outcomes of their research.

Call Schedule

– Application deadline: 15 August 2026
– Results announced: 31 August 2026
– Residency period: one week between September and December 2026 (dates to be agreed with the selected participant)

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted in English and include:
– Curriculum Vitae;
– Portfolio of recent work;
– Research proposal (maximum 2 pages, images may be included), outlining the proposed research project and explaining how the context of Pompeii relates to the applicant’s current artistic or research practice;
–Motivation letter (maximum 1 page), explaining the applicant’s interest in participating in the residency.

Applications must be submitted by 15 August 2026 as a single PDF file to: info@letmekoo.lt

Selection Committee

The selection committee will include representatives of the Pompeii Archaeological Park and the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association. Applications will be evaluated according to the relevance of the applicant’s artistic practice or research to archaeology, cultural heritage, history or related fields, the quality, originality and feasibility of the proposed research project.

Pompeii Archaeological Park
https://pompeiisites.org/en/

Pompeii Commitment. Archaeological Matters
https://pompeiicommitment.org
https://www.instagram.com/pompeii.commitment/

Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA)
https://www.letmekoo.lt/en/

Lithuanian Culture Institute
https://lithuanianculture.lt/en/

The Pompeii Residency Programme is part of Lithuanian Culture in Italy 2025–2026, implemented by the Lithuanian Culture Institute in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Italian Republic.

The activities of the Lithuanian Interdisciplinary Artists’ Association (LIAA) are funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

 

Images

1. Inscription on Marble. Photographic Plate. Pompeii Archaeological Park Archive. Inv. A4105 (Photo by Amedeo Benestante).
2. Tuff Capital from Pompeii Basilica. Photographic Plate, 1935. Pompeii Archaeological Park Archive. Inv. A2443 (Photo by Amedeo Benestante).
3. “Casti Amanti” House, Painted Inscriptions, 1916. Pompeii Archaeological Park Archive. Inv. C786.