Calling all Misfits, Makers and Mad Geniuses
Summer 2026, artist residency:
Free accommodation and food for artists at The Stables Ocean Front Hotel
in Midigama, Sri Lanka
Applications open:
Jan 15–Feb 28, 2026
Residency period:
Apr 1–Oct 30, 2026
(min 2 - max 8 weeks, project dependent)
This could be your home for a month
THE PITCH
We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for soul.
If you’ve ever stared at a blank wall and thought, “I could make that sing,” or looked at a pile of driftwood and saw a throne—this is for you.
The Stables isn’t some polished resort with scented towels and fake smiles.
It’s a place for surfers, wanderers, and people who know how to build beauty from scraps.
We’re perched across from Rams Point, where the waves don’t ask for permission.
Neither do we.
Now we want to make this place even more alive.
More art. More meaning. More weird. More wow.
And we want you to do it.
Our first mural serves as a perfect example for the aesthetics of our hotel.
WHAT YOU CAN MAKE
Anything. Really.
Paint a mural of a monkey riding a jellyfish.
Build a sunshade from leftover fabric and broken dreams.
Turn the rooftop into a jungle lounge.
Design the restaurant like a fever dream.
Make the outdoor gym feel like a temple.
Curate a tiny shop that smells like cinnamon and rebellion.
We’ve seen:
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Cranes and octopuses on the walls
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Driftwood turned into furniture
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Batik art that breathes
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Basket carpet collages
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Stick lamps glowing like fireflies
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Now it’s your turn.
Examples for decorative details
WHAT WE OFFER
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Free stay and food at The Stables (yes, oceanfront, yes, comfy bed, yes, sunsets, yes, delicious food)
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Breakfast and lunch with our crew—real food, real talk
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Materials, transport, day workers—covered if needed
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A place that doesn’t pretend to be fancy, but is real and comfy
WHAT YOU GIVE US
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A pitch: what you want to make, why it matters, how it fits our vibe
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A sketch, render, moodboard—whatever shows your vision
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A rough plan: timeline, shopping list, help you’ll need
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Your preferred residency dates (2–8 weeks between Apr 1–Oct 30 2026)
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Your portfolio or any succesfully finished projects.
WHAT WE’RE HUNGRY FOR
We’re especially into:
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Wall art that punches you in the gut (in a good way)
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Interior design for our restaurant/lobby that feels like a story
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Shop design for a tiny curated space (think: surf, soul, spice)
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Rooftop concepts that make people linger
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Outdoor gym ideas that make people move
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A hanging ceiling which makes our communal areas a vibe
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Concepts for our outdoor garden gym
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A fashion line for our store
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Anything really, stun us
DEADLINES
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Applications open: Jan 15–Feb 28, 2026
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Residency: Apr 1–Oct 30, 2026 (2–8 weeks)
APPLY IF...
You can dream big and build lean.
You can finish what you start.
You want to leave a mark without leaving a mess.
You believe art belongs in places where people live, sweat, surf, and sleep.
This isn’t a gallery. It’s a living space.
Make it sing. Make it scream. Make it beautiful.
We’re waiting.
Some of the many empty spaces