DESERT 23°S: Arts & Ecology Research Residency
ATACAMA DESERT · NORTHERN CHILE
creative practice in dialogue with land, ecologies & planetary change.
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The Atacama Desert is an ethereal landscape that invites reflection on the thresholds between humanity and vast more-than-human worlds. With volcanic plains, metamorphic pools, and night skies that intertwine human existence with the cosmos, it offers a space for contemplation and invites us to rethink our relationship with the natural world. The extreme conditions of this territory challenge perceptions of life on Earth, revealing stories of resilience and coexistence in the face of environmental fragility. As one of the driest places on the planet, it faces growing threats from over-mining and unsustainable water extraction — reflecting broader narratives of environmental exploitation and planetary imbalance.
Rather than prescribing outcomes, our residency offers time and space for participants to develop their own reflective processes and creative inquiries, engaging with the place through careful observation, situated learning, and personal artistic exploration during their time here.
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Our site-responsive residencies provide spaces for reflective artistic practice, situated research, and dialogue rooted in ecological and cultural contexts. Through independent work, guided field visits, and sessions with long-term local collaborators, participants explore diverse relationships with land, ecologies, and knowledge systems. The program fosters shared learning and supports artists and practitioners in developing thoughtful, place-based work in relation to the specific ecologies, cultures, and knowledge systems of each territory.
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The Atacama Desert is a vast, high-altitude landscape shaped by extreme aridity, active volcanism, and unique ecological adaptations. At the foothills of the Andes, sheltered within agricultural oases sustained by snowmelt, we host our residency within a small rural context that offers both proximity to the surrounding ecosystems and space for focused, reflective work.
The oases provide a point of contrast to the wider desert’s open terrain — where life, agriculture, and human presence have coexisted for generations within these fragile, water-fed valleys. Here, participants are invited into an immersive period of work, reflection, and place-based inquiry.
Rooted in movement, our project remains nomadic by design—shifting our base within the wider region depending on season, conditions, and ongoing work. Over the years, we have carefully traversed the diverse ecologies of this 128,000 km² territory—from the Pacific coast to the high-altitude borders of Argentina and Bolivia. Our current base near San Pedro de Atacama offers both refuge and reach—situated between the Salar, the mountains, and diverse habitats home to flamingos, wild camelids, pumas, ancient geologies, and layers of cultural history.
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Applications are currently open to join during the following time periods:
2026
September 27 - October 18, 2026
October 24 - November 14, 2026
November 20 - December 11, 2026
DEADLINES:
We run a series of rolling deadlines in the period upcoming to our programs. Decisions on applications take between 5-7 days after the deadlines.
31.07.2026
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Simple, shared accommodation in a rural setting connected to local communities and natural surroundings. Rooms are shared (2–3 people), with communal bathroom, shower, and kitchen facilities. Private rooms may be available upon request, depending on availability.
Participants also have access to a shared kitchen, fridge, freezer, outdoor dining area, fire pit, and simple furnishings to support everyday living during the residency.
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Our residency offers simple outdoor workspaces that allow participants to develop their practice in close relation to the surrounding landscape. Communal working areas include open-air tables, basic tools, and electricity (with occasional outages — solar chargers are recommended). Artists are responsible for bringing any specific materials or equipment required for their work.
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Participants have full access to shared kitchen facilities for self-catering throughout the residency. We provide basic cooking equipment (pots, pans, utensils), kitchen staples (salt, cooking oil, instant coffee, tea), safe drinking water, and essential hygiene items. Participants are responsible for their own meals, with regular transport provided for grocery shopping during the program.
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A dedicated on-site coordinator is available during set hours, with emergency contact available outside these times. Before arrival, participants also receive personalized online support and guidance via email to assist with travel planning, packing, and preparation.
Our residency team includes local collaborators, who bring place-based knowledge to the program and are fully compensated for their contributions. The team also works with local drivers to support logistics and contextual sessions during field visits. Throughout the residency, participants receive ongoing practical and creative guidance from our core team and collaborators.
RESIDENCY Inclusions:
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Our program offers a carefully balanced structure combining independent practice with scheduled group field visits to ecological and cultural sites, sessions with local collaborators who share place-based knowledge and perspectives, and peer sharing within the group. Activities are designed to foster reflection, deepen understanding of the territory, and support individual creative inquiry.
The program typically balances guided and self-directed time, with approximately 50% of the schedule dedicated to programmed group activities, and the remaining time reserved for independent research and creative work. Each edition is shaped by the season, location, and the unique dynamics of the group.
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We organize group visits to selected ecological and cultural sites to support participants in developing a deeper understanding of place. These visits offer time for observation, reflection, and being present within the surrounding landscape, contributing to each participant’s personal process and creative inquiry.
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Pre-scheduled sessions with local collaborators who share perspectives, knowledge, and practices connected to place, creating space for shared dialogue, reflection, and contextual insight within the residency process. These collaborators form part of our core residency team and are fully compensated for their contributions.
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Structured but open-format sessions (typically scheduled 3 times during the residency) offer participants the opportunity to share works-in-progress and engage in informal group conversations, creating space for mutual reflection and exchange within the group.
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We provide personalized guidance prior to arrival, including travel planning advice, packing recommendations, and assistance with residency preparation via email.
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Participants live and work in small, international groups, typically ranging from 3 to 14 participants depending on season and location. In some periods, we also offer space for individual artists and researchers who prefer to work independently. All participants remain connected to our growing alumni network of over 400 artists and practitioners, creating opportunities for ongoing exchange, reflection, and shared dialogue beyond the residency.
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National park entry fees and applicable contributions to local
communities are included for our programmed activities. -
Participants receive ongoing support through conversations with our on-site team and residency directors (in person or online), offering space for dialogue, reflection, and feedback within the context of the residency. These exchanges draw on artistic, ecological, and contextual experience, providing participants with perspectives and guidance as they navigate their independent process.
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Local transport is provided for programmed field visits and weekly supply runs.
PROGRAM Fees + Financial Aid:
This residency operates through a participation fee, which covers the real costs of running our programme in a remote desert environment and support our collaborations, accommodation, shared resources, and on-the-ground coordination.
As an independent, artist-led non-profit, we do not receive regular institutional funding and do not accept support from extractive industries.
To keep the programme accessible, we use a sliding-scale model and offer partial or full financial support each season, as well as guidance for external funding.
We also provide reduced rates and fully funded places for Latin American and BIPOC artists.
If cost is a barrier, we encourage applicants to contact us. Financial aid can be requested through the application form or by email.
You can find the full fee brackets and all available financial aid options by clicking the button below.
how to apply
La Wayaka Current welcomes artists, researchers, and interdisciplinary practitioners from diverse backgrounds and stages of practice, who are open to engaging respectfully with place, ecology, and culture through creative inquiry.
We invite participants who approach these contexts with sensitivity, openness, and a willingness to reflect on the relationships between their work and the territories they enter.
Applications are submitted through our online form, where you’ll be asked to share your personal details, preferred dates and location, and a short statement of intent. You'll also respond to several scenario-based questions that help us better understand your approach.
If applying for financial aid, please indicate this directly within the form. For joint or collaborative applications, one person may submit on behalf of the group.
ZERO Application FeeS
