The Artist in Residence program of donumenta e.V. is part of the AiR Platform Danube Region and open to artists from the European Danube region. The one-month artist residency offered by donumenta e.V. revolves around the question:

What does the history of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Regensburg tell people who look at it from the outside and how can this history be made accessible and useful for the present and the future? 

The call of donumenta e.V. is addressed to artists who are already known for projects in public space. The donumenta Artist in Residence principle provides for intensive research, accompaniment by a historian, access to archives and initial work sketches for the first residency. At the Artist Talk, the artist will present his/her respective approach to the World Heritage city and discuss initial project ideas with the audience of Regensburg. 

Since its establishment in 2002, donumenta e.V. has been actively engaged in international cultural exchange in the countries of the Danube region. To support this dialogue and integration within the region through contemporary art, the association develops and utilises new, innovative formats for cross-border encounters, presentations, and exchanges. The donumenta e.V. represents contemporary art from the 14 countries of the Danube region: multimedia, performance, installation, photography, painting, crossover – boundless. It has established and presents Regensburg as a hotspot for international cultural exchange along the Danube, contributing to the profile of the World Heritage City as a place of contemporary art. Regensburg serves as a space for dialogue and resonance, where donumenta reaches various social groups beyond its own echo chamber. The registered non-profit association was founded in 2002 in Regensburg following actions by artists against war and displacement along the Danube and has successfully realised numerous international projects since 2002.

With HERITAGE TODAY/TOMORROW as the theme of the Artist in Residence programme, donumenta e.V. invites international artists to engage with the historical heritage of Regensburg in a contemporary manner. The central theme focuses on current challenges and future tasks. At present, this project concentrates on the historical heritage of all eras from the perspective of artists from the Danube countries. To do this, donumenta e.V. has invited numerous artists from the EU Danube Rregion in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and invites additional artists in 2022 for a four-week stay in Regensburg as part of its AiR programme.

In 2023 and 2024, donumenta e.V. invited a total of 10 artists to stay in Regensburg under the title WORLD HERITAGE REVISITED. WORLD HERITAGE REVISITED 2023 - 2025 refers to the multi-layered historical heritage of the UNESCO World Heritage City. donumenta Artists in Residence create connections between history and the present with their works, make them understandable, anchor them in the collective memory of urban society and thus provide new and surprising perspectives on the city, its inhabitants and current social challenges. In this way, art helps people to anchor themselves between the past, present and future. This increases the quality of social interaction and international exchange, starting from the UNESCO World Heritage City of Regensburg, which is itself a World Heritage Site, and the presentation of works by international artists in public enables a low-threshold reception of art for all people and is the prerequisite for encounters and dialog. It is about giving as many people as possible direct access to their history.

WORLD HERITAGE REVISITED 2023 - 2025 takes the concept of UNESCO World Heritage of Humanity seriously, develops it further and thus makes it possible to make history accessible and available in a special way. - Understanding it as heritage in the literal sense!
“Ah, history has something to do with me”, will be the realization after encountering the works of the donumenta Artists in Residence. The in situ installations will surprise. This approach is unique in Bavaria! And far beyond. The project ideas developed during the residency have been and will be realized as temporary in-situ installations.

UPCOMING 2025 "donumenta ClimArt - Artists for a Resilient Future"