Uckermark: Sternhagen Gut

Long walks across vast fields, apple harvest season, creative retreat: leave the city behind to dedicate yourself completely to your music with peace and focus.

The Musicboard grants two three-week residencies at Sternhagen Gut in the Uckermark District of Brandenburg to Berlin-based solo musicians, duos, groups or bands from the electronic or electro-acoustic fields. Sternhagen Gut is an ideal retreat for musicians who want to work, write and compose their music in a focused and peaceful environment. On site, there is the possibility to further develop material in a simple, in-house recording studio. The Musicboard residents are supported in the implementation of their project by mentoring with Gudrun Gut.

The Musicboard residency programme intends to be accessible to everyone and as inclusive as possible. If you have questions about the accessibility of this residency and if it can be taken up accompanied by family, please contact Maureen Noe before applying: maureen.noe@musicboard.berlin.de.

Eligible to apply are:

• musicians living and working in Berlin
• musicians from electronic or electro-acoustic fields that work professionally and stand out through their creative achievements
• musicians with a high level of independence and personal initiative
• musicians who reflect on their own social position and are critical of power imbalances and discrimination

Musicboard grants two three-week residencies at Sternhagen Gut from 23 September – 14 October 2024. The periods are set, the residencies cannot be shortened or postponed.

Sternhagen Gut is located about 100 km northeast of Berlin in the picturesque region of Uckermark. It is a former manor and farm house, which is owned by the Berlin musicians Gudrun Gut and Thomas Fehlmann. It has repeatedly been serving as a place of work and inspiration for musicians. The large garden and the adjoining overgrown park offer a quiet residency location during the apple harvest season in autumn.

The resident artists live and work in either the Turmwohnung or the Large Apartment of the manor house. The large apartment is suitable for solo artists, duos, groups or bands (maximum 4 persons). Please note: The large apartment has two double bedrooms, which would have to be shared if fully taken. The Turmwohnung is suitable for solo artists.

The apartments feature a tech table which can be equipped with a small mixing desk and monitors (Yamaha NS-10 and Yamaha HS5) and offer space to set up the residents’ own instruments. By arrangement, there is also the possibility to continue or mix the newly developed works with other instruments in the simple, in-house recording studio. There might be other guests in the house during the residency period. During the residencies, Gudrun Gut is present as contact person and supports the artists with the development of their artistic projects during their stay as part of an individual mentoring.

There are three bicycles available to explore the vast area, the nearby lakes, the nature reserve and the forests, or to shop in the neighbouring village. The residents have to take care of the travel and catering themselves, the apartments both have a fully equipped kitchen. A car is recommended but not essential.

The Musicboard covers:

• the costs for accommodation, arrival and departure, three days of studio use as well as ten hours of mentoring
• a weekly stipend in the amount of 250 euros per person
• a singular contribution to project-related costs in the amount of 500 euros per residency
• a child allowance of 219 euros per child and a supplement of 279 euros for an accompanying caregiver if the residency is taken up with a child

The following information and documents must be supplied, in German or in English, using exclusively the application tool that can be accessed via the button at the end of this page:

• Completed Application Form
• Artistic project & motivation
  motivation and presentation of the planned artistic project in the context of the residency
• Artistic profile
  including a list of artistic milestones such as shows, productions, releases, collaborations, awards and grants
• Three music samples
  to be uploaded as mp3s
• Scans of certificate of registration or personal ID (front and back)
  indicating Berlin as place of residence. For bands, the registration certificate of the applicant band member is sufficient.
• for non-EU citizens: Passport scan
  including residence permit, duration of stay, and type of work permit. For bands, the document of the applicant band member is sufficient.

In each round of funding, applicants may apply for more than one residency. In this case, separate applications must be submitted.

Only fully completed documents can be considered. All applications will be handled confidentially and used exclusively for decision-making and funding purposes. Publication of certain relevant details is granted by the applicant as part of the application process.

The residencies are awarded through Musicboard Berlin GmbH upon recommendation of an independent jury of Berlin-based pop experts and in consultation with the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion. Jury members are usually appointed for a period of three years. The following jury is appointed to the Scholarships & Residencies programme in 2024:

• Aida Baghernejad
  cultural journalist
• Ebru »Ebow« Düzgün
  artist, label owner, manager and event organiser
• Ji-Hun Kim
  Editor-in-chief Das Filter, freelance lecturer, DJ and music producer
• Misla Tesfamariam
  artist manager, label owner
• Thien Nguyen
  label owner, DJ, music and film producer
• Yeşim Duman
  curator, moderator, DJ

A short description of the jury members is available here.

Here we have collected some frequently asked questions about Musicboard’s residencies. This information is intended for general advice, is not legally binding, and does not take the place of an examination of individual circumstances. We will gladly answer further, detailed questions on the funding programme by phone or by email. Please read the FAQ and other explanatory notes on this website carefully before contacting us. We also recommend the free services of the Kulturförderberatung by Kreativ Kultur Berlin, which supports artists in all disciplines in their search for possible funding, can offer tips for preparing applications and can provide review of applications.

What is meant by »living and working in Berlin«?

In this residency programme, Musicboard funds exclusively musicians and bands who live and work in Berlin. Residency and creative focus must be verified with residence permits or personal ID (front and back). The nationality of the musician is irrelevant to the funding decision. However, for non-EU citizens filing an application, it is necessary in addition to the Berlin residence certificate to provide a passport that includes residence permit, duration of stay, and type of work permit. Please note that Berlin residence must be officially verified. Rent contracts etc. are not sufficient for proof of residence. We kindly ask you to refrain from submitting such documents containing sensitive personal data.

I’ve just submitted another application to Musicboard. Can I still apply for the residency?

In general, it is possible for musicians to be funded repeatedly and in successive periods. In each round of funding, applicants may apply for more than one residency. In this case, separate applications must be submitted. It is also possible to simultaneously apply for a scholarship and one or multiple residencies. In this case, separate applications must be submitted as well. In general, due to the large number of applications in a given funding round, the jury will recommend only one grant per artist.

How do I submit my letter of motivation?

Since 2023, the motivation can be entered into fields in the online application form. In the application form, applicants must explain, among other things, why they are applying for the residency and what artistic project or type of collaboration they would like to pursue as part of the residency. In addition, they are asked what they expect to gain from the residency for their own artistic and professional development.

How should my artistic profile look like?

The artistic resume is meant to describe the applicants’ artistic career. In the application form, we also ask for milestones in the artistic career in the form of a brief list of artistic milestones such as shows, productions, releases, collaborations, residencies, awards, and grants. You are welcome to voluntarily provide information about your accessibility requirements and your social position in the field access information (e.g. self-description, gender, disability, age, sexual identity), if it plays a role in your artistic identity and your work and you would like the jury and partners to be aware of it.

What songs can I submit as music samples? Are demos acceptable?

The artistic resume is meant to describe the applicants’ artistic career. In the application form, we also ask for milestones in the artistic career in the form of a brief list of artistic milestones such as shows, productions, releases, collaborations, residencies, awards and grants. The document can be submitted in English or German.

Are your residencies accessible and/or family-friendly?

The Musicboard residency programme is intended to be accessible to everyone and as inclusive as possible. Whether a residency is accessible or can be taken up accompanied by family depends very much on the particular location and the individual needs of the applicant. At Sternhagen Gut, accommodating family members might be possible, but must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Sternhagen Gut is not accessible for wheelchair users. If you have questions about the accessibility and family-friendliness of this residency, please contact Maureen Noe before applying: maureen.noe@musicboard.berlin.de.

When exactly is the application deadline?

The application deadline for the residency is 1 June 2024 at 6:00 p.m. Until then, applications can be submitted online and will be posted as received before the deadline. The application has been successfully received as soon as it appears in your user profile in the »Submitted Applications« section. We recommend allowing plenty of time for the application and its attachments to upload, and not waiting until the last minute to apply. The upload speed of our servers can decline with increased traffic to the website. If technical problems arise, please take a screenshot, save the application draft and notify us by email at: maureen.noe@musicboard.berlin.de

What are the jury’s selection criteria?

The jury makes its recommendations primarily on the basis of the quality of artistic work, the chances of success and the conclusiveness of the proposed project. A particular focus of the jury is the music samples provided. In addition to these general criteria, transcultural criteria play a major role, especially in the awarding of international and co-creation residencies, e.g. whether applicants have familiarised themselves with the residency location and its cultural context, whether they already have personal or professional connections to the local music culture or whether transculturality is reflected in the applicant’s proposal. Funding decisions are made with a view toward building the diversity of Berlin’s music scene. Musicboard and the appointed jury place great value on diversity, inclusion and gender balance.

When will I be informed of the funding decision?

The jury’s decision follows the application deadline by 4 to 6 weeks, and applicants are informed by email. Acceptances and rejections are sent at the same time. Usually, more applications are received than can be funded, and Musicboard is not obliged to explain its decision. There is no legal entitlement to funding.

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