Artist Residencies in Skriðuklaustur

Why Skriðuklaustur is on artists’ radar

Skriðuklaustur is not a city at all. It’s a former estate and cultural site in Fljótsdalur, East Iceland, near the town of Egilsstaðir. The draw here is simple: quiet, uninterrupted time in a historic house surrounded by dramatic landscape.

If you’re used to residencies packed with communal studios, open calls for collaborations, and constant social energy, Skriðuklaustur is a different rhythm. The main residency, Klaustrið AiR, is more like a research retreat inside a writer’s house than an art factory.

Think of it as a place to disappear into a project: writing, composing, editing, research-heavy work, or slow visual projects that benefit from solitude and a fixed routine.

The core residency: Klaustrið AiR

The main reason artists, writers, and scholars come to Skriðuklaustur is the Klaustrið Artist in Residence program run by the Gunnar Gunnarsson Institute. It’s housed in the former home of Icelandic writer Gunnar Gunnarsson and is built around quiet, long-form work.

Who Klaustrið suits best

Klaustrið accepts a wide range of creative and research-based practices, including:

• writers and translators
• scholars and researchers
• composers and sound artists
• visual artists
• musicians
• dancers and choreographers
• other creative professionals with a clear project

The residency is strongest for artists who:

• want solitude and can structure their own time
• are developing a clearly defined project rather than experimenting aimlessly
• enjoy working in a historically loaded building
• can work without a large peer group or daily crits

If your practice is social, participatory, or depends heavily on a local art crowd, Klaustrið may feel too quiet. If you’ve been craving time away from the city to finish a manuscript, develop a score, or dive deep into research, this place supports exactly that.

Residency format and what’s included

Klaustrið is an individual residency: usually one artist or scholar at a time. That’s crucial to understand, because it shapes the social and creative dynamic.

Basic structure:

• Length: typically 3–6 weeks
• Housing: a self-contained apartment on the upper floor of the Writer’s House (Gunnarshús)
• Spaces: bedroom, living room (often doubling as studio), kitchen, bathroom
• Fee structure: no rent for the apartment, just a modest confirmation fee
• Funding: no stipend or production budget, so you cover your own travel and living costs
• Transport support: transfer from the nearest town (usually Egilsstaðir) to Skriðuklaustur is provided by the residency

The apartment itself is part workspace, part living space. You won’t find industrial-scale studio facilities; the atmosphere is more like working inside a historical, domestic interior.

Selection priorities and how they affect your project

Selection is handled by the board and director of the Gunnar Gunnarsson Institute, and the program has clear thematic preferences. Priority usually goes to projects that:

• relate to Gunnar Gunnarsson’s life or writing
• focus on East Iceland or East Icelandic studies

Other projects are also considered and are evaluated based on your proposal and CV. Even if your work isn’t overtly literary or research-based, you can strengthen your application by connecting your project to:

• the idea of the writer’s house as a site
• East Icelandic landscape, ecology, or culture
• questions around translation, storytelling, or archives

If your proposal could realistically exist anywhere, and you don’t explain why it belongs in Skriðuklaustur specifically, you’ll be competing at a disadvantage against projects that clearly plug into the site’s identity.

Expectations during your stay

The residency itself is free of rent, and in exchange, residents are expected to give something back to the institution and/or local public. This can look like:

• a talk or reading
• a small presentation or event
• a contribution to an existing program
• a donated artwork or other agreed-upon form of contribution

This doesn’t mean you need to mount a full-scale exhibition; it just means you should be prepared to share your work or research in some way by the end.

Place, context, and “art scene”

Skriðuklaustur isn’t built around a dense arts ecosystem with multiple studios and galleries. The cultural life here is anchored in the Gunnar Gunnarsson Institute and its activities.

The cultural center and Gallery Klaustur

The site at Skriðuklaustur functions as a cultural center with:

• the museum and writer’s house
• a seasonal restaurant/café
• guided tours, especially in summer
• contemporary exhibitions and displays
• Gallery Klaustur, a small gallery space on the first floor of the Writer’s House

Gallery Klaustur hosts exhibitions by:

• regional artists
• artists connected to East Iceland
• sometimes past or current residents of Klaustrið

If exhibiting during your stay is important to you, it’s worth asking early in the application or planning stage how your project could intersect with the gallery or public program. The space is small, so think in terms of focused, portable work rather than large installations requiring extensive technical support.

Nearby arts infrastructure

Most practical and cultural infrastructure is in Egilsstaðir, the closest town. Egilsstaðir provides:

• shops and supermarkets
• transport connections (domestic flights and long-distance buses)
• local cultural institutions and events across East Iceland

Artistically, East Iceland has pockets of activity but not a big commercial gallery circuit. If your priority is selling work during your stay, this location may not be ideal. If you are more interested in research, production, or site-responsive projects, the lower commercial pressure can be freeing.

Social and community experience

You won’t be surrounded by a large group of other residents. The social fabric of your time here usually comes from:

• conversations with staff at the Institute
• visitors and tourists in the summer season
• any events you participate in at Skriðuklaustur or in Egilsstaðir

For some artists, this feels like a relief; for others, it can feel isolating. If you know you rely on peer feedback, it helps to line up online studio visits or check-ins with friends and colleagues while you’re there.

Daily life: money, food, and logistics

Because housing is free (apart from the confirmation fee), the main costs to plan for are travel, food, and materials.

Budget planning

When you prepare a budget for a stay in Skriðuklaustur, factor in:

• International travel: flights to Iceland
• Domestic travel: flight or bus to Egilsstaðir, then the residency’s transfer to Skriðuklaustur
• Groceries: food bought mostly in Egilsstaðir and cooked at the apartment
• Art materials: anything specialized should be brought with you; local options are limited
• Insurance: travel and health insurance, especially important in rural and weather-exposed regions

Because there is no stipend, many artists pair this residency with grants from their home country or broader Nordic/European funding if eligible.

Food and supplies

You’ll be cooking for yourself most of the time. The apartment’s kitchen allows for a normal cooking routine. In practice, many residents:

• stock up on groceries in Egilsstaðir on arrival
• supplement with occasional meals or coffee at the Skriðuklaustur restaurant/café when it’s open
• plan their food more carefully than in a city, because last-minute shopping runs aren’t always practical

If you have dietary restrictions, bring specific items you’re attached to; you’ll find basic ingredients, but your exact staples might not be available.

Access, transport, and seasonality

Reaching Skriðuklaustur usually follows this sequence:

• arrive in Iceland (often via Reykjavík)
• take a domestic flight or long-distance bus to Egilsstaðir
• meet the residency’s arranged transport from Egilsstaðir to Skriðuklaustur

The residency’s promise of transport from the nearest town is a big logistical help, especially if you’re arriving with bags and materials.

Seasonal conditions matter in Iceland. Summer means easier roads and long daylight; winter can bring challenging driving conditions and very short days. Plan your arrival and departure with potential weather disruptions in mind, especially if you have connecting flights.

Where you “live” as an artist in Skriðuklaustur

There aren’t multiple neighborhoods to compare and choose from. Your base is the residency itself.

The residency apartment as live/work space

The apartment in Gunnarshús is where you sleep, cook, and usually work. This has some very specific implications:

• Your studio is also your living room, so consider how your practice fits into a domestic-scale environment.
• If you work with noise (sound, music, or performance), check with the residency about reasonable sound levels in a historical building.
• Light, views, and the presence of history in the architecture all feed into the mood of the work; many artists use this to their advantage.

Because everything is in one place, daily routines tend to become very stable: work, walks in the landscape, meals, more work. If you thrive on structure, this can be ideal.

Using Egilsstaðir as your external base

Egilsstaðir functions as your external anchor point for:

• larger grocery trips
• banking and post services
• medical services if needed
• changing buses or flights

If you’re combining Klaustrið with other projects across East Iceland, you might book nights in Egilsstaðir before or after the residency to manage your travel more easily.

Working, showing, and sharing your project

While Klaustrið is primarily about focused work, there are ways to connect publicly with what you’re doing.

Presenting work through the Gunnar Gunnarsson Institute

The residency expects some form of sharing. That sharing is usually coordinated with the Institute’s existing structure:

• author talks or readings
• informal lectures about research or process
• small-scale exhibitions or displays in Gallery Klaustur or other parts of the house
• donating a work or publication to the Institute

The key is to think about your public contribution as part of the site’s memory. A small, well-considered talk or a carefully chosen donated piece often has more impact than a rushed, over-ambitious event.

Connecting with the broader East Iceland scene

Skriðuklaustur is not isolated culturally, even if it feels geographically remote. You can connect with:

• regional institutions and events in and around Egilsstaðir
• other residencies and cultural centers in East and North Iceland if you extend your trip
• local communities interested in literature, music, and visual art

If your project involves local participation, it helps to communicate this early with the residency so they can advise on what’s realistic in terms of timing and partners.

Visas, paperwork, and planning ahead

Klaustrið accepts both Icelandic and international residents. For non-EEA/EU/Schengen artists, entries usually fall under short-stay Schengen rules, depending on nationality and length of stay.

Key points to check

Before you commit, you should verify:

• whether you need a Schengen visa for your nationality
• whether your planned stay length fits within short-stay conditions
• what proof of funds and insurance you need
• how early you must apply for a visa relative to your residency dates

Because the residency does not pay a stipend, you may need to show your own financial resources. The residency’s acceptance letter can usually help document your accommodation, so request any formal paperwork well ahead of consular appointments.

Choosing your season at Skriðuklaustur

The character of this residency changes significantly with the season, so align your project with the atmosphere you want.

Summer: active site, maximum light

Summer brings:

• long daylight hours
• more visitors to the museum and café
• guided tours and exhibitions
• easier travel logistics

This can be ideal for work that relies on the landscape, outdoor photography, or interaction with visitors. If you need absolute silence, be aware that the site is livelier at this time of year, though your apartment remains private.

Spring and autumn: balanced quiet

Shoulder seasons often mean:

• quieter visitor numbers
• noticeable but not extreme changes in light and weather
• a strong sense of retreat without total isolation

These months can work well for writers, researchers, and visual artists who want focus but still appreciate seeing people around the site occasionally.

Winter: deep retreat

Winter at Skriðuklaustur is about:

• very short daylight hours
• snow and variable road conditions
• a strong sense of isolation and interiority

This suits artists who want to be fully immersed in a slow, introspective rhythm and whose work responds to darkness, weather, or quiet. It requires more careful planning for travel and self-care, especially if you’re sensitive to low light.

Who Skriðuklaustur is really for

Klaustrið AiR in Skriðuklaustur is well suited to artists who:

• work independently and enjoy long stretches of uninterrupted time
• have research or projects connected to literature, landscape, or regional history
• are comfortable working in a historic house rather than a large, industrial studio
• can self-fund travel and living costs in exchange for free housing

It’s less ideal for artists who need:

• a large cohort of peers in residence
• daily in-person feedback or teaching
• a commercial gallery scene to actively sell work during the residency
• heavy fabrication support or specialized facilities

If you’re deciding between Skriðuklaustur and a more urban Icelandic residency, think about whether you want a network-building stay or a deep work retreat. Skriðuklaustur is firmly in the second category: a place to go into the work, not to be everywhere at once.

For many artists, that clear focus is exactly the point.