Rimbun Dahan welcomes international artists (from countries other than those in the ASEAN/Southeast Asian region), with or without partners and family accompanying them. This residency is recommended for those looking for solitude, silence and/or space to work. Resident artists should demonstrate serious artistic engagement with any of the following elements in their proposal:
- Our indigenous Southeast Asian garden/arboretum, or Southeast Asian botany in general
- Tropical reforestation/rewilding
- Our collection of heritage Malay textiles
- The heritage houses at Rimbun Dahan
- The history, culture or natural environment of Southeast Asia
We provide living space and work space on a user-pays basis for residencies from 1 month onwards.
Fee structure for stays in 2024:
- MYR (Malaysian Ringgit) 5000 a month + 8% SST for artists staying in our Rumah Balai, Artist’s Cottage, or guest house
- MYR (Malaysian Ringgit) 7000 a month + 8% SST for artists staying in our two heritage houses, Rumah Uda Manap or Rumah Penang (option usually reserved for artists travelling with families or in groups)
- Fees for periods longer than a month will be pro-rated based on the fee structure above.
- Residencies shorter than one month are only granted under outstanding circumstances and may require full payment for one month, regardless of length of stay.
We are able to provide a preliminary offer letter for the purposes of funding applications. We also recommend checking this resource for funding opportunities. Applications are accepted throughout the year but please send applications no less than one month before the intended start of your residency.
Deposit and Fee Payment
A 50% deposit to secure your booking is required at least 30 days before the start of the residency, with the balance to be paid on arrival before the end of the artist residency. Payment should be made via bank transfer, or other options discussed prior to your arrival. We do not accept credit cards. Reservations without deposit are not confirmed.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel the booking up to 30 days before your date of arrival, we will refund to you 90% of your deposit, less the cost of any international transfer charges. Following that, within 30 days of the booking, there is no refund of the deposit.
If your dates shift by a few days at the last minute, due to unavoidable factors such as flight cancellation or illness, we will reschedule your stay, depending on availability of accommodation.
Accommodation and Amenities
The choice of accommodation will depend on availability. Requirements can be discussed with the residency manager. The fee includes fortnightly room cleaning and linen change, weekly transport to nearby supermarket, administrative support, and free WiFi in the artist lounge. The swimming pool and tennis court are available for use by all resident artists.
This residency is open to couples and groups, but all must be accommodated within a single house if you are making a single payment. Please stipulate the number of bedrooms required when applying, and age of any accompanying children, so we can suggest the appropriate accommodation. Our largest house (Rumah Uda Manap), can sleep up to 7 people, in four bedrooms.
Flights and Visas
Securing and maintaining valid visas for the duration of the residency is the responsibility of the artist. We do not provide work visas for visiting artists. Artists are also responsible for arranging their own transport for their arrival at and departure from Rimbun Dahan – we recommend booking flights on weekdays during work hours, as navigating your way to us at night can be tricky and might require more expensive taxi fares.
Public Activities
Resident artists in this programme have the option to participate in our occasional Open Days, either by hosting an open studio (sharing work and discussing creative process with visitors, private sale of works permitted) or an on-site workshop (sharing expertise with either selected participants or the general public, for free or for a fee). Please note that our Open Days are occasional, and are not guaranteed to take place during an artist’s stay.
Rimbun Dahan does not provide any other opportunities for public activities, exhibition or performance for resident artists in this programme. Resident artists in this programme are welcome to independently organise their own public events or activities in venues outside Rimbun Dahan during their residency.
Please see here for FAQs for Resident Artists.
To see a list of past resident artists from this program, please click here.
Application Process
Please email arts@rimbundahan.org with the subject “Open Residency for International Artists” and include the following:
- Your CV or portfolio
- Desired dates for and duration of your residency
- Number of people involved in the residency, including ages of any accompanying children
- A proposal for your arts practice during your residency at Rimbun Dahan, engaging with one of the elements listed above (max 150 words).
If your residency is within the next 6 months, it is best to email us first to check for availability before submitting your application.
While we respect the rights of everyone to their own beliefs, if your artistic practice is centered around beliefs in alternative medicine, mystic spirituality, horoscopes and astrology, or the supernatural, we do not encourage you to apply. Thank you for your understanding.
Artists and arts managers from ASEAN should refer to the funded Southeast Asian Arts Residency.