AqTushetii

about us

Aqtushetii is a self-organized, non-profit artist residency in Georgia, founded in 2017 in Omalo, Tusheti.

Set in one of Europe’s most remote mountain regions, it operates within a landscape defined by high altitude, ancient defensive architecture, and living craft traditions.

The program brings together artists and researchers for independent practice, exchange, and collaboration.

Residency Open Call 2026

Residency Period: 15 July – 15 Oct 2026

Minimum Stay: 1 month

Capacity: Maximum three artists in residence at any given time

Residency Conditions

The residency provides:

Shared accommodation in the residency house

Three daily meals

Access to private or shared studio spaces, assigned according to project needs and availability

Materials support for project development

A small working cohort (maximum three artists in residence at a time)

The residency prioritizes concentrated practice in a quiet, remote setting.

Studio / Workspace

Artists have access to a range of shared studio and workshop spaces within the residency. These include studios for painting and visual arts, a ceramic studio equipped with electric, wood-fired, and raku kilns, a fully equipped silversmithing studio, a sound recording studio, a photographic darkroom, and workshop areas with woodworking and metalworking tools. Some workspaces may be used individually depending on the discipline and project, while specialized workshops and equipment are shared among residents.

Outdoor working areas in the surrounding landscape are also available.

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

CV / Portfolio outlining artistic practice

Project description (max. 200 words) describing intended research or work

Work samples (images or links to recent projects)

Proposals should clearly articulate a development framework for the residency period.

Cost of Participation:

€70 per day

The fee includes accommodation, meals, studio access, and materials support.

Travel costs to and from Tusheti are not included and must be arranged independently.

Artists requiring specialized or large-scale materials should indicate this in their proposal.

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Expectations

Selected artists are expected to:

Reside at Aqtushetii for a minimum of one month within the residency period

Develop a body of work, a project, or research during their stay

Engage thoughtfully with the local environment and cultural context

Provide documentation of their process and outcomes

The residency emphasizes independent practice and sustained engagement rather than production deadlines.

Who Should Apply

Artists working in:

Visual arts, Ceramics, Photography, Sound art, Writing, Research, and Interdisciplinary practices

Submission:

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: Aqtushetii Residency Application 2026

Ceramic Workshop - 2026

Workshops 2026

Workshop Period: 15 – 24 July

Aqtushetii is pleased to invite applications for our annual ceramic workshop, held each summer at our residency in Omalo, Tusheti.

Set within the remote landscape of the Caucasus mountains, the workshop offers a focused and immersive environment for working with clay, learning traditional and contemporary techniques, and developing individual projects.

This year’s program will be led by Georgian ceramic artist Beka Tabaghua, who will guide participants through a structured yet open-ended 10-day process, from first contact with the material to final presentation.

Program Overview

Over the course of the workshop, participants will be introduced to the material properties of clay and a range of hand-building and firing techniques. The program is designed to support both beginners and those with prior experience.

The workshop includes:

Introduction to clay and fundamental techniques, including coil building, plastering, and their combination.

Guidance in developing, composing, and finalizing individual works.

Glazing, dyeing, and preparation for firing, including test firings.

Throwing wheel masterclasses.

Firings using three different methods: wood-fired kiln, electric kiln, and Raku firing

A final exhibition/showcase of works created during the program

Eligibility

The workshop is open to participants of all backgrounds and levels of experience.

Alongside the structured sessions, there will be time for independent work, informal exchange, and engagement with the surrounding landscape.

Cost of Participation

The participation fee is €1120 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Materials

Transport Tbilisi - Omalo - Tbilisi

Accommodation

Three meals per day

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

A brief portfolio with links to your work (audio, video, or website)

A short statement describing your background

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: Ceramic

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Tushetian Weaving - 2026

Workshop Period: 26 July-4 August, Omalo, Tusheti

Aqtushetii is pleased to invite applications for a workshop on traditional Tushetian wool craft, held at our residency in Omalo, Tusheti. Set within the remote landscape of the Caucasus mountains, the workshop offers an immersive ten-day environment for engaging with local textile traditions: from raw material to finished work.

The workshop will be led by local Tushetian specialist and ethnographer Nanuli Azikuri, with translation provided by workshop facilitators Ana Gvelesiani and Tamara Kalkhitashvili @omalo_fiber_guild

Overview

The workshop opens with the history and cultural context of Tushetian wool traditions, then moves through the full craft process:

The history and cultural context of Tushetian wool traditions

Traditional weaving and related techniques

Wool processing and natural dyeing methods

Fieldwork to gather wild plants for natural dyeing

Eligibility

The workshop is open to participants of all backgrounds and levels of experience. No prior experience in weaving or natural dyeing is required. Alongside the structured sessions, there will be time for independent work, informal exchange, and engagement with the surrounding landscape.

Cost of Participation

The participation fee is €1200 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Transport Tbilisi - Omalo - Tbilisi

Accommodation

All the necessary materials and tools

Three meals per day

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Application Materials

A brief letter of motivation

A brief portfolio or documentation of any relevant creative practice: photos, a website

link, or a CV (optional)

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com. Subject line: Weaving Workshop 2026

After Mountain 2026

Workshop Period: 5-14 August, Omalo, Tusheti

Taking place August 5–14 at our residency, the workshop will be led by Elene Sidamonidze and Elene Kobidze.

Across these 10 days, we’ll move between working outdoors and spending time in the darkroom, following the full process from shooting to developing and printing. The idea is not only to learn techniques, but to understand how images take shape through each stage.

After Mountain has been running at Aqtushetii since 2019, welcoming both those who are just starting and those already working with photography who want time to focus, experiment, or shift their practice in a different setting. There is no strict division between levels - participants work alongside each other, in pairs, groups, or individually. Some sessions are structured, others are more open.

Alongside the work, we’ll spend time walking, exploring Tushetian villages, and shooting in different conditions throughout the day. Back in the darkroom, we’ll go through developing and printing: working slowly, testing, making mistakes, adjusting, and trying again.

Toward the end of the workshop, we will gather what has been produced: prints, fragments, and experiments, and put together a small presentation or exhibition.

The workshop includes:

Introduction (participants, cameras, basics of film photography: exposure, light, framing)

Group and individual sessions/guidance

Shooting, walking, and exploring the area

Film developing (chemistry and process)

Darkroom printing using an enlarger

(Optional) experimenting with alternative printing methods

Eligibility

The workshop is open to participants of all backgrounds and levels of experience

Cost of Participation

The participation fee is €1200 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Transport Tbilisi - Omalo - Tbilisi

Accommodation

Three daily meals

Darkroom equipment and materials

Black and White film rolls

Application Materials

A brief letter of motivation

A brief portfolio or documentation of any relevant creative practice: photos, a website, link, or a CV (optional)

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com. Subject line: After Mountain 2026

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Georgian Polyphonic Singing Workshop — 2026

Workshop Period: 16–25 August, Omalo, Tusheti

Aqtushetii is pleased to invite applications for a workshop on Georgian polyphonic singing, held at our residency in Omalo, Tusheti.

Set within the remote landscape of the Caucasus mountains, the workshop offers an immersive environment for engaging with traditional Georgian vocal practice, learning songs from different regions, and understanding their cultural and historical context.

This year’s program will be led by singer and folklorist Davit Shughliashvili, with Levan Bitarovi joining. Together, they will guide participants through a structured yet open process combining practical singing with theoretical insight.

Program Overview

Over the course of the workshop, participants will learn and practice Georgian polyphonic folk songs from various regions. The program combines vocal training with elements of ethnomusicology, offering insight into the origins, meanings, and structures of the songs.

The workshop includes:

Learning and practicing polyphonic folk songs from different regions of Georgia

Introduction to traditional Georgian chant and selected urban songs

Theoretical sessions on ethnomusicology and historical context

Listening sessions and guided discussions

Excursions, including singing in different environments and near places of worship

The daily schedule will be divided into two sessions, each approximately two hours long.

The workshop will conclude with a group performance presenting the material developed during the program.

Workshop Leaders

Davit Shughliashvili (1964)

Doctor of Musicology and leader of the Anchiskhati Ensemble. Davit was a chant singer at Anchiskhati Cathedral from 1988 to 2017. He is a lecturer at the Tbilisi Conservatory, a professor at the University of Georgian Chant, and Head of the Music Department at the National Library. He has authored several musical collections and has performed widely across Europe, the USA, and Canada. Davit also teaches Georgian folk song internationally, including at Siena Jazz Academy and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

Levan Bitarovi (1991)

Folk musician, singer, and teacher, and a member of the ensemble Adilei. Levan is actively involved in international projects and festivals, leading workshops on Georgian traditional music and contributing to its preservation and dissemination.

https://adilei.ge/ https://www.youtube.com/@levanbitarovi8438/videos

Eligibility

The workshop is open to participants of all backgrounds and levels of experience. Some prior experience in singing is expected.

Alongside the structured sessions, there will be time for informal practice, exchange, and engagement with the surrounding environment.

Cost of Participation

The participation cost is €1160 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Transport Tbilisi – Omalo – Tbilisi

Accommodation

Three meals per day

Application Materials

A brief cover letter

A link to your work (audio/website)

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: Polyphonic Singing Workshop

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.

Caucasus All Frequency Composer’s Workshop 2026

Workshop Period: 29 August – 7 September

The workshop is intended for musicians, composers, sound designers, and other sonic practitioners iinterested in engagements between “traditional” musics (and the musical communities to whom they belong) and contemporary composition, music technology, and creative collaboration.

Led by the musician/composer Giorgi Koberidze and musicologist/synthesist Ben Wheeler, the program will include masterclasses, discussions, listening sessions, and collaborative workshops. The sessions will include overviews of local Caucasian folk music traditions and in-depth introductions to the music of Tusheti in particular, as well as other musical traditions from around the world, all of which support the workshop’s wider theme: establishing a personalized approach to sonic engagement that foregrounds creativity, reciprocity, and environment in regard to local and global musical cultures and practitioners.

Participants will be invited to share their own practices, experiment with new techniques and tools, and perform at a group showcase at the end of the residency.

The number of participants is limited, allowing for an intensive and collaborative working environment.

The Programme Schedule

Saturday, August 29th
Arrival / Welcome reception

Sunday, August 30th
Introduction to the Residency / Overview of Tushetian Music and Culture / Composing Creatively with Traditional Elements / Participant Share Session

Monday, August 31st
Film Scoring: Alternative Sonic Approaches / Organological Overview of Caucasus Instruments / New Approaches to Graphic Scores

Tuesday, September 1st
"Folk" and Modular Synthesis / The Ethics of "Borrowed Sound"

Wednesday, September 2nd
Collaborating with Nature: "Ecomusic" / one-on-one meetings, portfolio consultation

Thursday, September 3rd
Field recording trip to Dartlo

Friday, September 4th
Non-Standard Editing Techniques in DAWs / Short Film and Listening Session/

Saturday, September 5th
Open Studio Day / Final Concert

Sunday, September 6th
Portfolio presentations / final consultation

Monday, September 7th
Farewell Breakfast / Departure

Eligibility

Applications are open to musicians, composers, sound artists, producers, and other sound practitioners from any background. No formal academic training is required

Cost of Participation

The participation fee is €1150 (all inclusive).

The fee covers:

Transport Tbilisi - Omalo - Tbilisi

Accommodation

Three meals per day

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

A brief portfolio with links to your work (audio, video, or website)

A short statement describing your background

Please send all materials to: aqtushetii@gmail.com

Subject line: CAF

Application Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The open call remains active until all available residency places are filled.

Due to limited capacity, early applications are encouraged.