Stimuleringsfonds

For the Open Call Saga Residency 2026, the Creative Industries Fund NL in collaboration with the Mondriaan Fund received 42 applications. On behalf of the Creative Industries Fund NL, Studio Rosana Escobar has been selected for a working period in Saga, Japan. Team Internationalisation reflects on the selection.

2 June 2026

For this residency, the Creative Industries Fund NL selects one designer and the Mondriaan Fund selects one artist, who will live and work in Saga at the same time for three months. The working period in Japan gives designers and artists the space to conduct artistic and technical research and develop their own work. This takes place in close collaboration with the local craftspeople involved who specialise in washi (Japanese paper) and woodworking. Saga has a rich tradition of various crafts, including Arita porcelain, Nao washi and furniture-making in Morodomi.

general impression

There was significant interest in the call, reflecting a broader interest in exchange with Japanese craft traditions. This is also evident, for example, in the interest shown in the residency in Arita and in the applications for the Internationalisation Grant Scheme and International Vouchers.

In the submitted proposals, the committee recognised a strong focus on material-driven research. The traditional production cultures in Saga often serve as a starting point for reinterpretation: applicants draw on region-specific materials and processes to explore new applications and design strategies. Also striking is the pronounced cross-disciplinary approach at the intersection of design, craft, textiles and technology.

In the proposals that received a positive assessment, collaboration with local craftspeople played a central role, with explicit attention paid to reciprocity and sustainable relationships. In some proposals, the committee noted a lack of concrete ambition to embed the results of the residency internationally, for example through presentations or long-term collaborations.

Blurring the Line Between Paper and Textile – Rosana Escobar
Rosana Escobar has been selected via the Fund. Biologist and textile designer Rosana Escobar approaches paper as a textile during her residency at the Nao Tesuki workshop. Central to her work is the usually invisible process of papermaking: fibres interwoven to form paper. By viewing washi paper as felt or fabric, Escobar brings the material closer to her own practice, which centres on ecological rhythms, circular production and connection with communities.

In Saga, she experiments with a variety of techniques: spinning paper into thread, weaving and braiding. In this way, she explores the limits of the material’s transparency and strength. The project unfolds in three phases. First, Escobar engages in dialogue with farmers and local makers and conducts fieldwork. She studies the plant’s life cycle and the production process of washi. Next, a library of samples is built up, forming the basis for three final textiles, where Escobar explores paper both as a fabric and as a sculptural material. In this way, she connects the tactile traditions of Saga with her own design vision.

assessment

The submitted proposals were assessed by the committee on the basis of three criteria: the artistic quality of the work, the quality of the development plan, and the motivation in relation to the objective of the residency and the intended international exchange. The three criteria contributed equally to the final score.

numbers

A total of 27 proposals were submitted for the Open Call Saga Residency 2026. After a check on the formal criteria and completeness, 25 applications were taken into consideration via the Fund. Of the nine applications that received a positive assessment, Studio Rosana Escobar received the highest score. A budget of € 12,000 was made available by the Fund for one residency period. Studio Rosana Escobar receives this amount as a contribution towards travel, materials, transport and accommodation costs.

follow-up

The Open Call Saga Residency 2026 is the first edition of this working period and serves as a pilot. Following its conclusion, this edition will be evaluated before a decision is made on whether the call will have a sequel. Keep an eye on the Fund’s website and newsletter for more information.