Artist Residency Reviews

There is a strong community of artists at the residency which is very supported by the organization by putting emphasis on creating a lot of get-togethers, lectures, gallery visits, etc. The staff is very helpful, and I always felt I could rely on them to help me solve any problems that occur. It is a good idea to find people or institutions that you want to connect with and then ask staff at the residency if they can arrange a meeting because often times they can. During the residency, I tried to make as many contacts possible and step out of my comfort zone. The benefit of this residency is the community of artists that are very open and supportive, as well as the residency's connections with many curators and gallerists. The downside is that many meetings with curators and other contacts are not really tailored to each artist. Overall, this residency is a great opportunity for someone who wants an art career in New York.

Advice: the structure of the residency is self-based. If you want networking and artistic opportunities, schedule them as part of your residency—as in talks or critiques.

Ok networking residency, in cool location.

The staff is stellar at Wassaic Project; they’ll go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need and are comfortable. The residency costs money, but it’s a very small amount compared to what you get in terms of accommodations, studio access, outdoor space, and precious studio visits by esteemed guests.

Joya is a wonderful retreat to spend time making art in beautiful remote surroundings. I made great friends there too. The accommodation, food and studios provided are really great quality too.

I can actually only say positive things about the residence. I/we felt very comfortable, and we received very good support. I was able to develop very well artistically and successfully achieved my goals. The added value for me was certainly very good. I also really appreciated the relaxed and very beautiful location and the short distances to the old town/harbour. As a future artist, I would think about the time of year when I want to visit the residency. (Spring, Summer,...)

If you like busy city life, this is not for you.

This was an amazing opportunity to develop my project, supported by a great network of professionals. RU put me in touch with a huge number of curators, dealers and artists, and it was really important to my artistic growth and a step further in my career.

I had a great experience at Fabrikken.

Opened up many opportunities at home.

I think this residency is perfect for a US based artist needing good production facilities. I came from Ireland and it would have been costly to ship large or heavy work home. There are amazing facilities both at Bemis and in Omaha. The Low End gig venue at Bemis is brilliant, I went to so many great concerts while I was at Bemis. The art community in Omaha is wonderful. Some of the warmest and nicest people I've met in the USA. Challenges were more based around the city, getting to the grocery store for example you need to drive the Bemis Van which I found terrifying but in the long run meant I ate less snacks from Trader Joe's which was a good thing. The sound bleed between the studio apartments can be tricky if your neighbor is making louder sounds. Overall Bemis is great.

Just a very great residency opportunity.

Would be good if they had different timings to suit everyone internationally because on my time zone the class was at 2 am. Loved the variety of workshops and the dynamic of the program; it covers what an artist would need in terms of art history, techniques, critique, mentorship, specific assignments tailored to each individual, and professional practice to help our career when it comes to opportunities, open calls, gallery representations, grants, and much more.

Bemis is an incredible place. The studios are fantastic and Okada was an amazing place for me to work. I was able to weld 24/7 there and build some really big sculptures. I loved my loft studio which was flooded with gorgeous natural light every day. And the sound studio was amazing—so much tech and equipment to experiment with! I was able to record an entirely new body of work in that space. The studio techs and residency staff were so helpful and wonderful.

First of all, the city Istanbul is very unique and inspiring. The centre is located in Kadikoy, on the Asian side, with lots of artists living and working around. ArthereIstanbul might not have all the facilities but the team will always think of a way to make things work. They also have a team of cats (resident cats) ready to give all visitors some love.

As the residency is a no outcome residency, I was able to spend time on my own practice and was well-supported. Being the invited artist, I did have to host a number of workshops and events, but these were well organised and supported by the organisation. The structure of the feedback sessions was innovative and very useful, and the other residents were all amazing people that I have established lasting relationships with. The residency was also extremely well funded, and I felt duly compensated financially for my time. I can't think of anything bad about the residency - it was certainly the best I've ever done. I suppose the environment is quite isolated, which could be challenging for some, but I appreciated being away from city life for the two months. The most difficult part was getting there, as I chose the eco travel option and so did not fly. The journey took me 3 days! Overall I would recommend it to any artist.

This residency is good if you have a project in mind and would need the infrastructure and support to execute it. They have large live-work studios, and the duration of 2-3 months can be used effectively.

This is an amazing experience, with great shared living houses in the east fjords village, and a spacious shared studio building (with many options for workshops and studio). The cost is very low, especially for Iceland.

This residency is well worth the cost. The experience of living and working so close to the heart of Havana is priceless.

Incredible location on an island in New York with a very generous stipend including a chef that cooks you dinners nightly. Serene landscape and ocean view studios, though small and limited shop facilities.