Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) and the European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC) are pleased to announce that gastronomer and artist Carles Tarrassó has been selected as the AC/E resident for 2026.
His proposal was chosen for its outstanding ability to combine a technically challenging project with pressing contemporary issues. The project aims to preserve the shape and structure of fruits and vegetables from historic botanical gardens in the Netherlands in clay as they dry out and decay. Drawing inspiration from the still-life genre—particularly within seventeenth-century Dutch tradition—Tarrassó connects the concept of nature morte to the loss of biodiversity and the elusive boundary between art and life. Furthermore, he will incorporate edible elements to make taste, scent, and colour tangible, resulting in a unique gastronomic and ceramic experience.
Carles Tarrassó (1995) works at the intersection of gastronomy and contemporary art. Holding a B.A. in Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, he completed master’s degrees in Gastronomic Science (specializing in avant-garde cuisine) and Ecological Humanities (sustainability and eco-social transition). Approaching sensory experience as a mode of thought, he explores new configurations of the gastronomic across sculpture, installation, edible experiences, and live arts.
About the residency: Acción Cultural Española (AC/E) and the European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC) in the Netherlands unceasingly maintain this annual collaboration to foster artistic experimentation in ceramics. This residency program is aimed at Spanish creators (artists, designers, musicians, or architects) with an experimental attitude and an imaginative work plan. Prior experience in working with ceramics is not required, as the centre provides the resident with state-of-the-art facilities and expert technical guidance.
Details of the 2026 Edition The residency lasts twelve weeks and will take place from August 13 to November 4, 2026. The primary objective is to enable the creator to develop a project that would be impossible to realize without the specialized knowledge and technical facilities provided by the EKWC.
What does the residency include? Thanks to the support of AC/E, the selected candidate receives:
Round-trip flights from their place of residence in Spain.
Accommodation during the stay.
Technical advice and full access to EKWC facilities.
A budget of up to €1,250 (incl. VAT) for materials and firing costs.
A final grant of €2,500 from AC/E to cover subsistence and production expenses.
Deadlines and Application
Application deadline: May 31, 2026.
Announcement of selection: June 17, 2026.
This annual collaboration reaffirms Acción Cultural Española's commitment to the international mobility of our creators, allowing them to work in world-class centres of excellence and explore new material languages.
Organized by: European Ceramic Workcentre (EKWC)
In collaboration with: Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)
Location: Oisterwijk, Netherlands
Centre website: https://ekwc.nl/
