The micro-residency (8–12 June 2026) is open to Leipzig-based ensembles and groups (2–5 people) working in the fields of contemporary music, new music, experimental music, music theatre, improvised music, electroacoustic music, sound art, and interdisciplinary sound projects. The residency offers space for artistic experimentation, focused rehearsal work, and the development of new, previously unperformed productions.

Over five days in June 2026, artists will be able to work intensively on a new project in the event hall of the historic arts and crafts yard HP7. On the fifth day, the resulting project will be presented in a public concert, for which a professional concert video will be produced. Each artist will receive a performance fee of €350.

The residency will take place from 8 to 12 June 2026.

The open call is open from 20 February to 20 March 2026. The results of the selection process will be announced on 8 April 2026.

• five days of rehearsal residency in the hall of the arts and crafts yard at Hans-Poeche-Straße 7
• one public concert on 12 June 2026
• a performance fee of €350 per artist
• a professional video recording of the concert: the closing concert will be professionally recorded with video and audio and published on an external video platform. Audio and video recordings will be made available to the participating musicians for unrestricted use
• no keyboard instrument is available
• the venue is not barrier-free (the hall is on the 2nd floor with no lift); we are happy to assist
• artistic and conceptual consultation by members of FOKUS Forum as needed
• basic technical equipment and organisational support
• transport costs within Leipzig can be covered by arrangement
• accommodation, catering, and travel costs cannot be covered
• no keyboard instrument is available
• the five-day period is fixed and cannot be shortened or extended.

Leipzig-based ensembles and project groups

• working in the fields of contemporary music, new music, music theatre, improvised music, electroacoustic music, sound art, and interdisciplinary sound projects
• who wish to work on a new, previously unperformed production
• who pursue experimental, socially relevant, or interdisciplinary approaches
• whose members are of legal age (otherwise there is no age limit!)
• at least half of the participants must be resident in Leipzig.

Participation is open through an open call. Selection is made by a curatorial panel of representatives from FOKUS Forum and hp_sieben e.V. Criteria include artistic quality, innovative potential, feasibility, and diversity of perspectives.

The arts and crafts yard HP7 (Hans-Poeche-Straße 7) is an independent Leipzig cultural and production space with a long history of craft and industry. Since 1860, the three-storey yard has combined historic workshops, heritage conservation, and contemporary artistic use, standing as a testament to the preservation of working and cultural spaces in the Graphisches Viertel.

The rehearsal and concert space for the residency will be the hall on the second floor - a light-filled, elongated room (220 sqm) with wooden flooring. The hall allows for flexible use of space, and has no fixed stage. The spatial arrangement can be designed entirely freely.

The hall on the 2nd floor is only accessible via stairs and is therefore not barrier-free. Unfortunately, the transport of large instruments such as upright or grand pianos into the hall is not possible.

hp_sieben is an association for heritage conservation and cultural work in eastern Leipzig. Based in the arts and crafts yard at Hans-Poeche-Straße 7, the association offers Leipzig's cultural practitioners low-threshold space for cultural events: concerts, exhibitions, workshops, art markets, and film screenings. The association's goals are to network the independent scene, strengthen neighbourhood structures, and preserve the historic fabric of Leipzig's Graphisches Viertel.

FOKUS Forum is a Leipzig network of independent artists that develops, explores, and makes contemporary music in all its facets accessible to a broad audience. Through innovative concert formats, participatory projects, and interdisciplinary collaborations, FOKUS Forum connects music, media art, music theatre, performance, and social discourse. The aim is to break down barriers, create new access points, and establish contemporary music as a vibrant, relevant part of cultural life in Leipzig.

Absolutely yes. Artists may be represented in multiple applications from different formations.

We welcome open and clearly understandable project descriptions. We are not a funding institution and do not set any specific formal or structural requirements.

We are particularly interested in your artistic profile and the work you are currently creating - more than your CV or competition history.

The results will be communicated by email on 8 April 2026.

We want to support projects that are still in the development stage and have not yet been performed.

1× projector, PA system, 2× microphones and 4× headphones are available. You can find the full overview in the HP7 technical equipment list, page 2.

For questions, contact mail@mikroton-residenz.de.