itchy fingers – a writing residency on art books

CAS – Contemporary Art Stavanger and Kiellandsenteret (Stavanger Library and Culture Centre) are thrilled to announce Itchy Fingers – A Writing Residency on Art Books, taking place 8-21 September, 2025.

Inspired by Stavanger writer Alexander Kielland's evocative phrase about 'itchy fingers', this unique residency invites a writer to explore the tactility of art books – their delicate presence, the challenges of delivering them to eager hands, and their power to metaphorically or literally move the world.

Over the course of two weeks, the selected writer will immerse themselves in the Stavanger Library and Culture Centre's rich collection of art books, responding through critique, essay, or experimental forms. The residency will culminate in one or two texts (see terms below) published by CAS – Contemporary Art Stavanger and in the channels of Stavanger Library and Culture Centre.

Key questions to explore include: How should libraries engage with books as artworks? What challenges and possibilities arise when making art books accessible within a public library? And how do art books – both their production and final format – challenge standard practices in the fields of both publishing and contemporary art?

As an added dimension, the residency aligns with Kapittel, Stavanger's International Festival of Literature and Freedom of Speech. The chosen writer will be invited to join a panel discussion, with the final topic shaped by their own perspective.

Are you ready to scratch the itch?