Mission

The Playground Residence is there to offer you, a musician, time and space to engage in (practice based) research and development, or create new and adventurous work. Because being a music creator, you need adventures and some headspace you can't get at home. Meeting like minded artists and professionals broadens your horizon. Our mission is to provide a playground. A place to meet other musicians and to provide a place to learn from eachother. But also a place to cooperate on making our planet a little healthier and kinder thru music.

Why?

There are several 'why's':

- During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that musicians weren't able to practice the most important part of their profession: playing together in real life (besides performing for a reallife audience). Musicians build their networks by playing together and enjoying eachothers company. With The Playground Residence we are offering time and space to make music.

- Music is an artform, and one that renews itself and grows all the time. It's not only an artform, but also a major economical system.  Especially in pop, jazz and contemporary music. Popular music and the industry we build around it, is often about 'efficiency' and volatile moves. To make great music, you have to take your time. That's why we stay away from short writing camps and one day studio sessiosn. We provide time and space to recharge the battery and build a international network in good company.

- There are many support programs for initiating new music and partnerships in Europe. We want to offer a safe haven for both performing and creating musicians. This makes The Playground Residence unique, because we're also there for session musicians, beat creators and songwriters. And ofcourse we welcome lead artists as well.

How?

- The Playground Residence provides musicians and music industry professionals with a place to create and engage. Not a just a weekend, but at least ten days - two weeks.

- It's about the process, not about the product. If a musician wants to work in solitude, we offer a private room and workspace. We also provide group spaces and bigger studios. We think it's fun and good to meet like minded professionals, with a healthy amount of privacy.

- The entire artistic product stays with its creator. Unlike writing camps, in The Playground Residence musicians can keep all rights and credits on songs and other created materials.

- The Playground Residence is there for professional musicians who need to recharge, broaden their horizons, or simply want new inspiration. We focus on music professionals (musicians, content creators and enterpreneurs), between 20 and 80 years old.

- Besides providing a playground for pros, we also offer several activities in which participants can engage, with a focus on social and environmental situations. This varies from taking a city tour, via sitting around a camp fire to business meetings and listening sessions at record companies.

- There will be two major residency projects each year in 2023 and 2024. Besides the main residencies we set up four peer meetings and gatherings per year. Those will take place in The Netherlands (Utrecht, Nijmegen, Maastricht and Zwolle). We encourage our participants to invite colleagues to join these peer meetings.

About

The Playground Residence is initiated from The Netherlands, but takes please at different locations around Europe. In 2023 and 2024 in The Netherlands and Germany. Sometimes in a big metropolitan city, close enough to the vibrant clubs to enjoy a good party, and far away enough to really focus on your own, new music and ideas. There are multiple music writing rooms available, all equipped with studio monitoring, audio interface, table, chairs and power supply. Two of them are equipped with a full band backline. Our group accommodation is suited for 20 residents. Several rooms have private bathrooms, and there are plenty communal spaces like living rooms, a small theater, a small bar and a garden.

For whom

The Playground Residence is there for pop music creators. In 2023 and 2024 we focus on professionals from The Netherlands and Germany. Our program is suited for everyone who's practising the type of culture that first became popular when the crooners in the early 1950’s hit the stage. So everything from electronic dance music, to hiphop, ska, americana to metal. If you’re looking for a place to hyperfocus on your music, write your business plan, but also interact with peers in your studio, have lunch, diner or a drink together with inspiring peers, then this is your place to be!

You are an open minded music professional, but there’s also place for like minded writers, playwrights, and fine artists. More into schlager music? Then this might not your type of project ;-).

Where?

In 2023 and 2024 we will organize The Playground Residence four times in total. Two times in Germany, Two times in The Netherlands. We start of in The Netherlands and Germany because we know these countries best. Besides those four residencies, we are building our international network. More countries will be added to our project list when we are ready.

When?

The Playground Residence takes place every summer in Berlin and every winter in The Netherlands. There are four peer meetings scheduled throughout the year. The summer edition will take place from July 7th till July 17th in Berlin. We are currently planning a winter edition in Maastricht (The Netherlands).

Selection

Residents for The Playground Residence are selected on the based on the provided portfolio and questionnaire. We invite whom we believe in and who we want to give a chance to create new work or to continue working on a project. Those who come, are not here by chance. We provide a safe and healthy environment. We provide good food and beverages and encourage traveling by public transport. For your stay at The Playground Residence, an unlimited public transport card is included. We also help you to travel to and from the venue in a climate neutral way (as far as possible).

All applications will be reviewed and selected by our advisory board (more info down below). Every applicant receives a written substantiation after the selection process. When selecting the group, we focus on:

- creating a group with professionals who may work well together

- demographic spread (seniors, mediors and juniors)

- different skills (we like to mix songwriters, managers, drummers, etc.)

- different social backgrounds

- full availabilty (there's no hopping on or off for just a day or two, only the full residency)

During The Playground Residence you get:

- full board, completely carbon neutral stay, public transport included

- time and space to work on your own music and with peers

- every week two interesting speakers on a non-music related subject

- every week three meetings with industry professionals

- lots of jam sessions / studio sessions (if you want to)

In return, we may ask you to share your The Playground Residence-experience during peer meetings we organize at several locations, like for example De Basis, Nijmegen (The Netherlands), Clash Learning & Exchange, Berlin (Germany), And No Man's Land Utrecht (The Netherlands). This way you can actively take part in creating knowledge about informal and non-formal learning in pop music.

Stuff you have to take care of:

- you have to pay a fee (depending on the location from €350 or a bit more) to take part

- trip to the residency location and back home

- you have to bring you own musical instrument

We're a bunch of music industry enthusiasts, who are always there to help other professionals develop themselves. We have years of experience working for music platforms, universities, and music development programs. We joined forces to create the ultimate residency platform for pop musicians. Starting from The Netherlands, ready to conquer your hearts. We are united in Stichting Playgar (derived from playground artist residence or playground artistic research).

We are currently expanding our advisory board. Besides all the professionals and organisations mentioned down below,  Marie Fol and Frank Kimenai are involved as independent advisors.