Four San Antonio Artists Selected for 2026-2027 Berlin Residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien

The Contemporary at Blue Star in San Antonio has chosen four artists from Bexar County for its Berlin Residency program for 2026-2027. The selected individuals are Cassie Gnehm, a realist painter affiliated with Clamp Light Studios & Gallery; Gary Sweeney, an artist who identifies as a 'postcard professional'; Brian Gonzalez, a queer Chicano filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist known as TAXIPLASM; and Doerte Weber, a creator of conceptual weavings. Established in 2013 with support from Advisory Council member Angelika Jansen Brown, the program offers three-month residencies at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin's Kreuzberg district. Artists are selected based on an open call requiring a minimum of five years of professional experience, receiving studio space, living accommodations, and a $2,000 stipend. Residents engage with up to 31 international artists at KB and meet visiting curators, with their work published in the dual-language BE. The City of San Antonio's Global Engagement Office provides additional travel support to sister city Darmstadt, Germany. Notable past participants include Vincent Valdez, Adriana Corral, and Jennifer Ling Datchuk, among others. The program is overseen by Executive Director Mary Heathcott.