Callie's

What Callie's does

Callie's is a Berlin-based non-profit experimental institution (Callie's gGmbH, HRB 213990, VAT-ID DE328573459) founded in 2018 and operating since its inaugural public program launch on September 16, 2020. It is housed in a renovated 1870s machine factory at Lindower Strasse 20-22, Berlin-Wedding, designed by ASA studio albanese and Heim Balp Architekten, with a rooftop extension, original brick, freight elevator, and three custom two-story micro-apartments carved from a vertical unused shaft. The organization runs a free, self-guided, non-transactional artist residency program without production obligations, comprising Studio Residency (160-220m2 private studios), Movement Studio Residency (with 78m2 sprung floor), Writing Residency (Writer's Room), and a cooperative Sound Studio (180m2, acoustically treated, equipped with Klein + Hummel quadraphonic PA, Allen & Heath and Midas 32-channel mixers, Grace/Audient preamps, RME sound card, Ableton Live and Reaper DAW). Artists at all career stages across visual art, music, choreography, writing, and curating apply via rolling open applications.

The institution serves three customer segments: artists-in-residence (free of charge, including optional micro-apartment accommodation), the general public (free exhibitions, workshops, talks, performances, and listening sessions), and patrons/supporters (annual contributions starting at €100, with tax-deductible status under German non-profit law). Distribution is direct: artists are selected via rolling applications, public programs operate on a free walk-in basis (with limited exceptions), and publications (e.g., 'An occasion to consider a book' by Isabel Lewis, €14, co-published with Edition Taube and Floating Opera Press) are sold through the online shop via PayPal. Marketing is community-led and low-cost, relying on the callies.berlin website, Instagram (@calliesberlin), Facebook (@callies.berlin), and a Mailchimp newsletter, with no paid advertising.

The operating model is donation- and patronage-driven under a registered gemeinnützige GmbH structure. Headcount is 6, led by Managing Director (Geschäftsführerin) Jarrett Gregory. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; earned revenue is structurally minimal given free residency and free public programming. The organization maintains an alumni network of 100+ residents that includes internationally recognized figures such as Camille Henrot, Roni Horn, Lawrence Weiner, Pierre Huyghe, Bouchra Khalili, Ibrahim Mahama, and Jeremy Shaw. No venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment ownership has been disclosed.

Name

Callie's

Legal name

Callie's gGmbH

Website

https://callies.berlin

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Callie's is a Berlin-based non-profit experimental art institution (Callie's gGmbH) founded in 2018 that runs a free, non-transactional artist residency program, public programming, and donation-supported operations from a renovated 1870s factory in Wedding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artist Residency Programs

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Quiet/Work-Friendly (Digital Nomad) Hostels (THAMAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Guest Suites / In-Law Units (Private Room + Separate Entrance) (THAMABAE)

Keywords

• Artist residency programs
• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Non-profit art institution
• Cultural exchange programs
• Artist studio spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Patronage: Callie's operates as a non-profit gGmbH (gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung) in Berlin. The primary revenue mechanism is donations and patronage contributions from supporters. Patronage tiers begin at €100 annually, with supporters invited to artist- and curator-led tours, exhibition previews, and special events. All contributions are tax-deductible under German non-profit law.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Callie's is a non-profit experimental institution in Berlin's Wedding district that provides free, self-guided artist residencies including private studio space (160–220m2), optional on-site micro-apartment accommodation (approx. 17m2), and access to a Sound Studio, Movement Studio, and Writer's Room. The organization also runs free public programs (exhibitions, workshops, talks, readings, performances) and sells limited-edition artist publications through an online shop. Residencies carry no application fee, no participation costs, and no production obligations.

Product overview

Callie's is a non-profit experimental art institution offering a comprehensive residency program as its core product. The program includes multiple residency types: Studio Residency (160-220m2 private studios), Movement Studio Residency (with sprung floor), Sound Studio Residency (shared sound studio), and Writing Residency (Writer's Room). Supporting facilities include three Micro-Apartments for visiting artists and a Sound Studio for sound-based practice. The institution also operated the a.p. bookshop and maintains an online shop for artist publications. The program is self-guided with no production requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artist Residency Program A free, self-guided residency program offering private studio space (160–220m2 with natural light, courtyard views, alarm systems, WiFi, and heating), access to a Movement Studio with a 78m2 sprung floor, a shared Sound Studio, and a Writer's Room. Residencies have been standardized to approximately 6 months, host at least 5 artists simultaneously, and carry no application fees, participation costs, or production obligations. Artists at all career stages across visual art, sound, movement, writing, and interdisciplinary practice are eligible.
• Sound Studio A 180m2 fully acoustically treated rehearsal, performance, mixing, and recording space equipped with a quadraphonic Klein + Hummel PA system, 32-channel Allen & Heath and Midas mixers, Grace and Audient preamps, RME sound card, Ableton Live and Reaper DAW software, and a talkback system. The facility is shared cooperatively by 2–5 sound artists or musicians simultaneously via a common calendar system and serves as an interdisciplinary research, rehearsal, and performance venue within Callie's residency program.
• Micro-Apartments Three on-site micro-apartments of approximately 17m2 each, built within a vertical unused shaft of the renovated 1870s machine factory. Each features a two-story layout designed by Studio Mieke Meijer (Rotterdam), handmade horsehair mattresses by Daniel Heer (Berlin), Blaudruck (Indigo) fabric printed with original 1920s Bauhaus blocks from Dürerhaus Erfurt, and floor-to-ceiling curtain panels by Adam Pogue (Los Angeles). Apartments include a sleeping area with a natural latex mattress (140x200cm), private bathroom with shower, fully equipped kitchen with induction hob, WiFi, access to on-site laundry, and a freight elevator. Offered as optional accommodation to resident artists.
• Online Shop (Artist Publications) An online shop hosted on callies.berlin selling limited-edition publications and works by artists associated with the institution. Payments are processed via PayPal, with publications shipped at additional cost (e.g., 'An occasion to consider a book' by Isabel Lewis, co-published with Edition Taube and Floating Opera Press, sold at €14.00 plus shipping, edition of 1,250).
• Public Programs (Exhibitions, Workshops, Talks, Performances) Free public cultural programming including exhibitions, workshops, talks, readings, music performances, and listening sessions, open to local and international audiences at the Berlin venue. Programs function as the institution's primary community engagement and audience-development mechanism and serve to engage the broader cultural public beyond the residency cohort.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 artists have participated in the residency program since inception.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Edition TaubeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publisher of 'An occasion to consider a book' by Isabel Lewis, sold through Callie's shop. This is a co-publishing collaboration for a specific publication rather than a broad strategic alliance.
• Floating Opera PressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-publisher of 'An occasion to consider a book' by Isabel Lewis, sold through Callie's shop. A small independent press collaboration for a specific artist publication.
• Studio Mieke MeijerminorOthersDesigned the two-story staircase for Callie's three micro-apartments. A one-off design partnership for the custom interior fit-out of the residential spaces.
• Adam PogueminorOthersLos Angeles-based artist and designer who created the floor-to-ceiling curtain panels for the three micro-apartments at Callie's.
• Daniel HeerminorOthersBerlin-based craftsperson who handmade the horsehair mattresses featured in the micro-apartments. Partnered as part of the bespoke interior design of the residential spaces.
• Dürerhaus ErfurtminorOthersSupplied Blaudruck (Indigo) fabric printed with original 1920s Bauhaus printing blocks for the micro-apartments at Callie's, contributing to the unique handmade character of the residential spaces.
• Commune DesignminorOthersListed as a partner for Callie's micro-apartments, contributing to the bespoke design and furnishing of the on-site residential spaces.
• ServomutominorOthersListed as a partner for Callie's micro-apartments, contributing to the bespoke design and furnishing of the on-site residential spaces.
• TREE ItaliaminorOthersListed as a partner for Callie's micro-apartments, contributing to the bespoke design and furnishing of the on-site residential spaces.
• dormiente GmbHminorOthersListed with friendly support (Mit freundlicher Unterstützung) for Callie's micro-apartments, contributing to the residential fit-out.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program: DAAD's Artists-in-Berlin Program is the most prestigious long-running international artist residency in Berlin, offering studio space and stipends to invited artists. It is the closest historical and functional analog to Callie's non-transactional residency model in the same city.
• Gasworks: Gasworks in London is a non-profit residency and contemporary art center offering studio space to international artists alongside exhibitions and public programs. Its combination of free studio residency and free public programming parallels Callie's structure.
• Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten: Rijksakademie in Amsterdam is a two-year residency for international artists and curators offering studios, technical facilities, and stipends. Its non-transactional, research-oriented approach and emphasis on interdisciplinary exchange mirror Callie's model.
• Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle: CCA Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw is a contemporary art institution combining exhibitions, public programming, and residency opportunities for international artists. Its hybrid residency-and-public-institution model parallels Callie's structure.
• International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP): ISCP is a New York-based non-profit residency supporting international artists and curators with studio space, public programs, and exhibitions. It is directly comparable in mission, residency-plus-public-programming format, and international artist focus.
• Künstlerhaus Bethanien: Künstlerhaus Bethanien is a Berlin-based non-profit residency for international contemporary artists, offering studio space, living allowances, and exhibition opportunities. Its target population, mission, and city overlap make it a directly comparable operating peer.
• Cité Internationale des Arts: Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris is a major international residency housing 300+ studios and apartments for visiting artists across all disciplines. Its scale, multi-discipline focus, and residency-plus-exhibition model are closely aligned with Callie's positioning.
• Akademie Schloss Solitude: Akademie Schloss Solitude is a German non-profit residency in Stuttgart supporting international artists, designers, and scholars with stipends, studios, and living space. Its interdisciplinary, non-transactional focus and German institutional positioning closely resemble Callie's.
• Deutsche Akademie Rom Villa Massimo: Villa Massimo is a German government-funded artist residency in Rome offering studios, accommodation, and stipends to invited artists. Its mission, residency length, and German institutional lineage make it a closely analogous peer.

Broad incumbents

• Triangle Network: Triangle Network is a global affiliation of artist residencies and arts organizations, including many direct peers of Callie's. It is comparable as a broad incumbent ecosystem player that channels artists, programs, and resources across residency nodes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calliesberlin
• Facebookfacebook.com/callies.berlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/calliesberlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/callies-berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Callie's