Netherlands-based project
Artist-run
Not-for-profit
Open call, no specific experience required
Artist fee paid
2026 residencies now in planning
Middle Ground is an artist residency series based on a cargo bike.
Its intention, as a roaming art residency, is to connect and reclaim in a society where binary politics and geographies are cut through by anger, fear, and motorways. Today it is taboo to look for ways to compromise with “the other side” rather than finding solidarity with all people. But sometimes, all it can take is to ride a bike somewhere and talk to someone new, to realise that we’re not so different, and often, we want the same things.
Putting the format of an artist residency on a cargo bike is both a political and practical choice.
If the intention is to bridge division, in ways uniting working people, then we need to get rid of the walls that shut each other out. Art spaces are often exclusionary, and art ideals are often disconnected from the reality of living.
Middle Ground uses the cargo bike to melt these boundaries. When someone shows up in a small village on a strange giant bike, even if they look suspicious, they’re going to illicit some kind of mutual connection with local people.
Artists apply to use a specially equipped cargo bike for a month. It will have essentials for travel and art making, as well as space for individual artist equipment.
This first iteration took place in summer 2025 and consisted of 4 artist journeys starting in the Netherlands. During a 1-4 week period each cycled somewhere, met people, and connected to places. These experiences formed the basis of a body of artistic research with potential to be developed further after the residency and continue to engage directly with communities they met.
In summer 2025 4 artists undertook residencies, becoming artists in motion for up to 1 month each and gathering bodies of research to take onwards in their practices. You can see updates from throughout the journeys on the Middle Ground instagram.
CAR is currently working on a publication charting their routes, experiences, research, and more. This will be launched in early 2026. In the meantime you can see more about the selected artists on their sites/profiles:
After the completion of the 2025 residencies, the project is now in a reflection and funding application phase. We hope to launch the open call and campaign for 2026 in spring.
Whether you are an artist interested in taking part, a brand or fund that would like to sponsor, or an individual also passionate about cycling art and society, you can get involved already.
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For more information, to get in touch for questions or with offers of support and funding please email: