Background and history
ArtCircleResidence was founded as an Not-for-profit association by German Ambassador to Australia Dr. Anna Prinz during her posting to Australia 2016-2019 to improve German -Australian Relations and connections to Europe. Musicians and Visual Artists from Europe and Australia jointly performed at government houses, wineries and official residencies in Australia. These efforts continued also with residencies and performances in Sweden 2019-2021 organized during her posting as German Ambassador to Sweden. The network of artists and events can be seen at www.artcircleresidence.net
Back in Europe Ambassador Prinz founded ArtCircleResidence-Europe Connect e.V. in Düsseldorf which was operational 2021-2024 with a focus on performaces in Germany and Croatia. Events and artists can be seen at www.acr-europe.net.
The spiritual father of the Art Circle Residency idea was late visual artists Etko Tutta in Slovenia who started a similar project (krog umetnošti) much earlier and connected the German Embassy in Slovenia and more than 14 other Diplomatic Missions in „Art Embassies“ to create weeks of international art exchanges in music and art in residencies at wineries, exhibitions and concerts in castles and official buildings in the Nova Goriza Region of Slovenia, close to Venice. 2013-2016 Dr. Prinz already supported these efforts working as German ambassador to Slovenia and invited German artists to participate.
Retiring to Munich from official ambassadorial duties ambassador Dr. Anna Prinz dissolved the not for profit association ArtCircleResidence-Europe Connect e.V. in Düsseldorf. Cultural exchange in Europe is now realized by supporters who serve as „art angels“, hosting musicians and artists free of charge in their private residencies and support workshops and concerts in cooperation with the local community in Istria, for a start in 2025 with the community of Vizinada. Not for profit activities and networks can be found on the website: www.acr-europe.net.
Learn more about Art Circle Residence - Europe Connect here and view Past Events.
„Art Angels“ – promoting talent in music and art
Art Circle Residencies promote cultural contacts in Europe and the creation of music and art already for more than two decades in Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Australia and Sweden in various judicial forms. To support talent in music and art “art angels” are needed, similar to their support in the “start-up” scene.
Art Circle Residencies support activities of „art angels“, such as individuals or communities who can earn „wings“ by their cooperation. Their support and wings can be shown on this website to inform about activities and as a token of appreciation and gratitude. The projects are not organized by ArtCircleResidence -Europe connect e.V. instead by the respective „art angel“ who takes the initiative to start a new project.
The first „art angel 2025“ is Christiane von Spieß, member of the Board of „Theater- und Konzertfreunde“ Dortmund, Germany.
Learn more about Art Angels here
2025 Music Scholarships - Now Open
2025 Creative Music Scholarships sponsored by Art Angels in Vizinada in Istria/ Croatia.
Art Angels connected via „ArtCircleResidence-Europe Connect“ in cooperation with the Glenn Buschmann Jazz Academy are offering scholarships for outstanding musicians of the Glenn Buschmann Jazz Academy in Dortmund,
During their workshop they will meet young Croatian musicians, stay in Istrian homes and practice music, accompanied by their professors.
The Italian Community in Vizinada is offering their music studios for free for a week (between 14. - 21.10.25). „Art Angels“ are offering free accommodation and meals in private houses in Višnjan and Vizinada. The not for profit organization „Konzert- und Theaterfreunde Dortmund“ is sponsoring travel expenses of the young musicians.
A final concert for the community of Vizinada on 18.10.2025 and a joint music session with Croatian musicians will be organised during their stay to connect young European talented musicians.
Our Sponsors:
Initial „Art Angels“ and Sponsors for these scholarships are:
Christiane von Spiess, Vorstand "Theater- und Konzertfreunde"
Uwe Plath, Leiter der Glenn Buschmann Jazz Akademie
Dr. Anna Elisabeth Prinz, former German Ambassador, founder of ArtCircleResidence in Australia and Germany.
Natalie Trefz, “runcreative” design office in Melbourne, Art Angel from Australia.
Ini Bergau-Hoffmann, Art Angel in Visnjan
Barbara Glauning, Art Angel in Visnjan
Neda Pilato, President of the Italian Community in Visinada/Vizinada, Istria
All sponsors will all get wings during the music week in Vizinada in October 2025!
Please get in touch if you would like to contribute and gain the Art Angel wings too !
ArtCircleResidence - Europe connect is changing its judicial form.
Sponsorship will be done by "art angels" who sponsor events or artists. ArtCircleResidence - Europe Connect , founded in Düsseldorf in 2021 will be transformed into: „Friends of ArtCircleResidence“ not an association. In the future „art angels“ will promote cultural exchange without saving taxes as this has proven irrelevant to those contributing and has just added administrative tasks.
The focus in the years to come will be on cooperation mainly in music, literature and art by supporting Art Circle residencies and European cultural cooperation in a residency in Vizinada, Istria in Northern Croatia, sponsored by art angels or individual funding.
For further information please contact us at artcircleresidence@gmail.com
LATEST UPDATES
Upcoming in 2025 - Artist Marko Braijkovič
Exhibition of paintings by Marko Braijkovič, Croatian painter from Grožnjan, Istria, in Germany.
Cooperation is presently discussed and will be supported by Art Circle Angels in Croatia and Germany.
Further dates and information to be announced shortly.
ACR – recent events
Music Workshop in Ljubljana, Tican & Vizinada | Croatia, June 2024
Domen Gracej, musician and music producer and singer and composer Matjaz Ferenc (Slovenia) as well as singer Cristina Lubiana (Croatia) became “art angels” in June, 2024, sponsoring the production of new songs created by Anna Prinz.
Choir Festival Performance | Vizinada , October 2024
At the invitation of Art Angels Dr. Anna Prinz and Neda Pilato from Vizinada a choir from Gorizia / Nova Goriza participated in a choir festival in Vizinada in October 2024, contributing to new connections between choirs from 3 countries in the region.
Steinway & Sons, Düsseldorf, Music Presentation in Düsseldorf, 24.August 2023
ArtCircleResidence cooperated with Steinway&Sons to invite colleagues for an evening with a concert on one of the innovative Spirio grand pianos. Helene Dabur, Steinway&Sons Düsseldorf, presented the history and purpose of this brand new technology which enables pianists to give live concerts at various locations at a time, playing simultaneously and producing exactly the same sound at the same time.
At our event, renown pianist Tim Alhoff was performing on a Spirio grand piano in Hamburg and on the Spirio grand piano in Düsseldorf at the same time. Luiz Passagli in Düsseldorf explained to us the amazing Steinway technology, which produces these incredible advancements.
Anne Wøolk Workshop, 12-19 September.
Berlin painter “Anne Wölk” conducted an exclusive painting workshop at the observatory in Tican and Vizinada, Croatia. Anne’s work is informed by the aesthetics of space.
See more event images here.
Music Workshop in Düsseldorf, 11.-13.August.
Matjaz Ferenc (Ljubljana) and Andreas Böhmer (oaktree-studio in Düsseldorf) created new songs together during a workshop in Düsseldorf. Throughout the collaboration, they explored the use of artificial intelligence and aim to created two songs titled “robot” and “turn around”. You can hear them in the following weeks. Read about the collaboration and listen to the working recordings on our Events page here.
Highlight of past Artists in Residence Exhibition
ACR-Europe Connect member Natalie Trefz recently met with ACR resident artist Stefanie Schulte for her opening night exhibition at Five Walls Contemporary Art Space in Melbourne. Stephanie’s current works are a series of colour experiments; a combination of architecture in two dimensions and an analysis of the interactions of colour, very much in the spirit of Josef Albers. “The works are finished when a brushstroke reveals to have been the last missing puzzle piece. I always seek for that thin line between ‘simple enough to pass on a clear visual message' and 'complex enough to keep the viewer intrigued'“. Stefanie Schulte PhD, Jerrabomberra, June 2023 [Photo: Stephanie Schulte Left, Natalie Trefz Right]
Exhibition runs July 19th – August 5th 2023.
Meeting on future of cooperation between Art Circle Residence Australia and Germany
Natalie Trefz, Vice President of ACR Australia and Anna Prinz President of ACR Germany met in January 2023 in Stuttgart, Germany, to discuss future cooperation between the two programs and discuss emerging areas of interest for residence programs. In 2022, the famous Australian painter Tsering Hannaford from Adelaide participated with an artist travel grant in 2022 to travel to Croatia, and this collaboration between the two programs will continue with Australian artists, ACR members and supporters being invited to upcoming events planned for 2023 in Europe.
Upcoming events 2023 in Germany and Croatia shall include workshops and lectures on art, music, design and new technologies to promote culture. To strengthen the existing network and innovation with limited ressources activities will focus on the area around Düsseldorf in Germany and Vizinada at the Istrian coast in the wine area around Vizinada.
2022 Summer Events – Croatia & Germany
Over the course of 3 weeks, the 2022 Art Circle Residence - Europe Connect programs have taken place in Croatia and Germany with artists and performances by this years’ residency participants. Artists participating in Croatia included Tsering Hannaford from Adelaide, Australia, recently nominated for the prestigious Archibald portrait painters prize in Sydney, Matjaz Ferenc, pianist from Slovenija, Barbara Tanze from Germany, and Sara and David Circota from Croatia. Performances in Passau and Battenberg included prominent Pianist Yasuto Ohara from Japan.
Reuniting artists with artworks
Dr. Stefanie Schulte, who lives and works in Canberra, Australia has finally been able to travel to Europe to reunite with her paintings that were part of the 2021 June ACR vernissage held in Stockholm, Sweden. Stefanie was unable to travel to Europe due to the pandemic, however supported the event, sending her artworks and makers film to Sweden to continue the cross cultural representation along side the European artists in the program.
Stefanie took time to network and meet with Dr. Anna Prinz and members and the Board of ArtCircleResidence - Europe Connect e.V. in Düsseldorf to continue her connection with the residency program.
H.E. Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of OECD – Lecture, Düsseldorf, Germany
Dr. Anna Prinz, Ambassador ret., founder and president of “ArtCircleResidence-europe connect” met with H.E. Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of OECD at his recent lecture on post-Covid economic development, in Düsseldorf on 2. February 2022.
ArtCircleResidence in Australia was inspired by one of the recommendations by the High Level Advisory Group Recommendations, presided by Mathias Cormann, when he was Minister of Finance in Australia. He was very happy to learn that the initiative has continued to develop and increase in size via it’s European counterpart (acr-europe) to promote culture and innovation, even at difficult times for artists during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Official Launch Event – Düsseldorf, Germany
ArtCircleResidence-Europe Connect
acr-europe (artcircleresidence-europe connect) was launched on 17.10.21 in Essen Kupferdreh with a benefit concert performance by Yasuto Ohara from Japan. His outstanding Jazz performance inspired the audience, and was a welcome display of excellence through music as we emerge from 2 difficult years of travel and connections.
The event was supported by Havard Club Rhein Ruhr and TFC airline services. „Jazz meets Innovation“ was the focus for the event and the audience was then taken on a guided tour of the cutting edge new simulators used by mayor international airlines for training. The brand new installations are simulating flight conditions extremely close to reality. The increased use of top standard new simulators is saving an enormous amount of cerosine every year and is leading the way to the future of low CO2 emission flying. A glimpse into the future of flying by TFC airline servicds CEO Christian Käufer encouraged us that aviation is offering solutions for air traffic, better training and a cleaner sky.
Members of co-sponsoring Harvard Club Rhein-Ruhr e.V. were greeting by Peter von Hochberg.
Dr. Anna Prinz, president of acr-europe connect e.V. stressed also the long lasting friendship with Japan since 160 years which has made this benefit concert possible. Guests invited to the concert and tour through the future of flying registered for future special events by acr-europe connect.
2022/2023 PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS
After this successful launch, acr-europe, based in Düsseldorf, is now reaching out to other innovative partners for 2022 events. We now have 2 exciting events scheduled for mid 2022, and we are now actively seeking new ideas to promote art and innovation. Please write to us, if you have a proposal: artcircleresidence@gmail.com
ArtCircleResidence-Europe Connect, hosts farewell performances in Sweden
A farewell concert at the residence of the German Ambassador to Sweden before her retirement took place on 26.06.2021 in Stockholm. Among the guests were future participants of the ArtCircleResidence – Europe Connect, in Europe, Ambassadors and creative artists. Due to Corona restrictions the residency was limited to a shorter performance schedule with concerts at the Residence but also at an outside location in Djurgarden to promote the ideas of “no borders in music” as well as no borders in Europe in the context of the Trio Council Presidency of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia with musicians and music from all three countries. Barbara Tanze (Germany), Spela Pirnat (Slovenia) and Eduardo Raon (Portugal).
From Left: German Ambassador to Sweden Dr Anna Prinz, Barbara Tanze (Germany), Eduardo Raon (Portugal) and Spela Pirnat (Slovenia).
‘No Borders in Music’ Workshop | Video Release
Art Circle Residence is proud to present the video release of ‘No Borders in Music’ – a co-operation with the Germany Embassy in Stockholm, working with the German Ambassador Dr Anna Prinz. During the 2 day workshop, artists and advisors discussed the new challenges and opportunities for musicians within the digitisation of music, and the new world of restricted gatherings and live events. Björn Ulvaeus, best known from ABBA as singer songwriter and President of CISAC, contributed to the discussion during the event.
“Without live audiences and gigs, it is obvious the streaming economy, the song economy, is not enough for artists to sustain themselves on.”
Please visit: https://youtu.be/3oO8R0Jeuo0
Dan Tepfer Livestreams performance from Stockholm for Art Circle Residence
Dan Tepfer gave a unique performance for Art Circle Residence initiated by the German Ambassador to Sweden, Dr Anna Prinz, via video link and live streamed on Youtube and Facebook. This unique performance enabled Dan to perform with the musician Robert Ikiz who was also performing remotely in another location in Stockholm.
“Even at times of a pandemic when artists cannot play in the same room there are now technical possibilities to connect and play together. Concerts in residences or wineries can reach a wider audience if streamed in the internet and wonderful wine can add to the pleasure of listening to great music!”
Andrea Wozny and Robert Ikiz create unique performance from German Embassy, Sweden.
View all the most recent events and performances on our Gallery Page
Cultural start of Germany’s EU Council Presidency in Stockholm with ArtCircleResidence performances
The 2020 ArtCircleResidence Artists have successfully opened Germany’s EU Council Preseidency in Stockholm with Music and Artistic performances at the Germany Embassy Stockholm as well as at Blaxsta vineyard located just outside of Stockholm, Sweden.
This year presented many challenges, and those ACR artists who could not attend the event in person due to travel restrictions, found new opportunities to engage via video streaming, live painting from remote locations, and sending performance videos of their artwork creations.
Artist Stefanie Schulte created a beautiful Behind the Scenes video showcasing the creation of her artworks that were shipped to Sweden, while Tsering Hannaford created a portrait of Governor Graf from Linköping via video link to Sweden, while based in Australia.
Watch the videos here on our ‘Artist at Work’ page in the Gallery, and the opening performances on the 2020 Events page in the Gallery.
