Open calls

Open calls

Open call

Ateliers Rubenianum

In the spring of 2026, MORPHO and Onder Stroom will launch a new studio project in the former Rubenianum. Artists can apply for eight workspaces in this office building overlooking the historic inner courtyard, where the library of the Rubens House was once located. In collaboration with Onder Stroom, MORPHO will temporarily transform the building into a vibrant, lively, and creative space. Onder Stroom will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the site. Special attention is given to collective initiatives that experience a lack of space in the city.

What are the benefits?

  • Private or shared workspaces, ranging from 13.65 m² to 78 m².
  • Rent at €5.5 per m² per month.
  • Costs and charges (utilities, internet, insurance) at €1.5 per m² per month, excluding VAT.
  • Rental contract for a minimum of one year.
  • Use of the shared space and kitchen.
  • The building is maintained by the MORPHO team.
  • A lift provides access to the upper floors.

For whom?

  • You are professionally active as an artist.
  • You live in Antwerp (including districts).
  • Your work focuses on the visual arts, possibly with a transdisciplinary approach.
  • You are welcome regardless of age, ethno-cultural background, gender diversity, neurodiversity, and more.

Onder Stroom is looking for...
Onder Stroom is a collective committed to experimentation, collaboration, and imagining space in the city. We are enthusiastic about:

  • Artist collectives and individual artists actively engaged with “space in the city.”
  • Multidisciplinary artists working at the intersection of visual art, performance, and music.
  • People who believe in knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and the power of collective togetherness.

Selection procedure

How to apply

  • First step: attend one of the viewing days to visit the studios, meet our teams, and ask any questions you may have. Please confirm your attendance here.
  • The application form will be sent to everyone who has attended a viewing day. For a visual reference of the spaces, you can find photos here.
  • Do you have additional questions? Please contact us at studios@morphoantwerp.be.

Save the dates

  • Viewing days: 17 and 24 February 2026, the guided tour starts promptly at 12:00
  • Application deadline: 1 March 2026
  • Announcement of results: by 20 March 2026 at the latest
  • Move-in date: April 2026

Selection criteria
During the selection process, we consider the following questions:

  • Is the studio project’s strong community focus relevant to the artist’s practice?
  • Is there a match between the needs of the artist(s) and what the workspaces can offer?
  • Does the application contribute to the diversity and cohesion of the studio community?

Jury
Applications will be collectively reviewed by a jury composed of members from the MORPHO and Onder Stroom teams.

About MORPHO

MORPHO is an Antwerp-based nonprofit that supports artists in their artistic development and advocates for their place within the city. MORPHO initiates studio projects and residency programmes that offer artists time and space to work, alongside a community of peers and sessions that empower and connect them. MORPHO’s main premises—housing its office and residency—are located in a former monastery and historic townhouse behind Antwerp Central Station and the Zoo. In addition, MORPHO manages fifteen studio buildings in the city centre and surrounding districts, renting subsidised workspaces to approximately 250 artists. With the support of the City of Antwerp and the Flemish Government, MORPHO aims to build and sustain a solid, lively base for artistic practice.

About Onder Stroom

Onder Stroom is a creative powerhouse that has been committed to collective experimentation and the reimagining of urban spaces since 2019. From 2019 to 2023, we were based in the former mooring warehouse along the Scheldt; since then, we have continued as a nomadic collective.
We create temporary spaces for art, music, performance, and experimentation, reactivating (vacant) locations as collective environments where process, exchange, and collaboration take centre stage.
Currently, Onder Stroom is working on Meer Meer in collaboration with Het Bos & Pizza Gallery (residency week), Coming Soon (online radio & community space), and Out of Space Festival, a multidisciplinary festival exploring the importance of space in the city.