Artist Residency Reviews

My time at Joya: AiR has been a unique opportunity to engage in my creative practice in a new environment without the usual distractions and demands of daily life as well as connecting with talented and beautiful humans. Joya’s location in the stunning Andalusian countryside provided me with a breathtaking backdrop for my practice. With its ethos centred on sustainability, it was just the perfect place for me to continue addressing the impact that the art industry has on the environment within my own practice. As an artist that embraces moving away from exploitative and extractive relationships with nature, and prioritises connection, slower living and mindful action, I felt more connected than ever even though we’re completely off-grid. I was also able to see my work with fresh eyes and gained new insights into my creative process which has helped push myself to new levels of creativity and self-discovery. Surrendering to the astonishingly beautiful landscape and letting the sublime simplicity of life being the protagonists, generated a fertile environment for observation and focused work. I spent time soaking up the peace and beauty of this incredible place, allowing myself the time for grounding, exploring, creating. Just observing and simply being in deep communion with Mother Earth.

Beautiful area.

I had a great great experience there!

This was a paid opportunity to inspire writing/creativity with a mentor. I found Jan and Karen fabulous as host and mentor and the time there was exceptional in releasing new creative potential.

Benefits: quiet residency, good for focused work. Challenges: very small program, close quarters - it's a good idea to apply with someone you know and know you will enjoy spending time with, especially if your residency is located in the church, which fits two, as opposed to the house, which fits three to four. The church is cute, but very barebones and a bit mildewy/dusty, and you are basically on your own once you get there (key is in a lockbox and we never saw the staff).

A great and very good challenge was that they make you change your physical location during the residency, so changing spaces really opens up your creativity. At the same time, the people you work with also change, which also helps a lot to get out of your comfort zone. Every day there were activities at different galleries, museums, and exhibition places, both institutional and independent, which greatly enrich your creative process and help you better understand the circuit of a city that is not the one you live in. The curator's follow-up was very good and very attentive to your needs as an artist (the same with the entire management and exhibition setup team). I recommend to the next residents to look carefully at where in the city their workshops are located so that they stay in a place that suits them and do not waste so much time on mobilization. - Un gran desafío y muy bueno fue que te hacen cambiarte de lugar físico durante la residencia, entonces al cambiar de espacio se te abre un monton la creatividad. Al mismo tiempo, tambien cambian las personas con las que trabajas lo que tambien ayuda mucho a salir de tu lugar comodo. Todos los días habían actividades a distintas galerias, museos y lugares de exposición tanto institucionales como independientes que te enriquecen mucho para tu proceso creativo y conocer mejor el circuito de una ciudad que no es en la que tu vives. El seguimiento de la curadora fue muy bueno y muy atento a tus necesidades como artista (lo mismo con todo el equipo directivo y montajista de la exposición) Recomiendo a los proximos residentes que vean bien en que lugares de la ciudad quedan sus talleres para que alojen en un lugar que les convenga y no pierdan tanto tiempo En movilización

The location was awesome for me personally: inspiring old buildings, nature and village centre nearby. I also had a great chance to work with my light art in a basement and got access to selection of tools and materials. The staff and other artists were amazing. Maybe too much because at some point we realized we had been doing things together and with community so much we forgot to focus on our personal projects 😁 But this was easy to fix and take time for ourselves too. I was there in april which was perfect time to see the season changing, spring arriving. The spaces are very flexible and diverse. Not the best for cat/dog allergies or wheelchair. Definitely worth the payment and time to visit Haihatus. Warm memories!

Benefits were beautiful spaces and nice living quarters. Wonderful lunches, amazing library and friendly staff. They allow collaborations so you can bring other folks out to work on projects. Downsides are Studio spaces are not private and there’s lots of sound bleed. There could’ve been more critique/networking opportunities.

There were several guest artists who came and offered workshops and talks, this was great. With this, we could build new connections and there were possibilities for networking. It was a group residency, and we worked closely together for the whole duration of the residency. I expected more independent time and creative exploration during the residency, which was not scheduled, which I would have appreciated. It is not a paid residency, and it is quite a full schedule, so one must take that into account. It took place in the city I live in, which meant I could live at home, so in a sense, I didn't have the full "away from home" residency feeling.

The studio space and living arrangements are perfect for a quiet and focused creative stay of a few weeks. I would recommend it to anyone who’s interested in working in rural PA.

As I was the only student participating in the residency, I first felt intimidated. But I was welcomed with open arms, everyone was very approachable and kind. In a Natural way I stepped up to the challenge and with that I made a crucial step in my career regarding confidence and self trust. I am still working with the material I produced during the residency, it was a great moment to reflect and to make a lot! Buenos Aires for me is a wonderful city, with great people, food and lots of artistic spaces you will discover with the residency. It is also a really big and messy city which comes with its challenges. If you like adventures and community you are definitely in the right place!

Was super interesting the opportunity to spent one week with different artists and ateliers. That was very nice for me. Love the city of Buenos Aires.

I felt so happy, supported, and peaceful at El Sur. The wonderful folks who run and staff the residency were insightful, kind, and welcoming in a profound sense. It felt beautiful from start to finish, from the garden to the studio to the final exhibition the entire residency allowed me time for deep thought, artistic freedom, and happiness.

I would strongly recommend this residency for artist who work in larger teams.

Cobertizo is a nice residence for production in terms of space and accompaniment. You also get in touch with some galleries. The cost is a bit high compare to the rewards received.

Benefits: more international links with artists, an extra context to use as a basis for architecture and design, the residency was a months period and this made it fulfilling to engage with other artists/designers, interactions with local artisans were worthwhile Challenges: it was a long process applying for a visa to Indonesia (I had to travel to Kenya twice to process my visa), flights from Uganda to Denpasar were expensive but the residency directors supported me with this. Practical Advice: ensure to have a physical output by the end of the residency, ensure to work by the schedule of the residency . Costs vs. Gains: The investment in the residency involved overcoming logistical challenges such as visa processing and expensive flights. However, the rewards received outweighed these costs. The benefits included more international links with artists, an enriched context for architecture and design, fulfilling interactions with other artists and local artisans, and support from residency directors. These rewards contributed to personal and professional growth, expanded networks, and tangible creative output, making the investment in the residency highly rewarding despite the initial challenges.

The residency at Pact is really special and the conditions are very good. We would have liked to talk a bit more with the team about the process we were going through. We also missed a small social moment for all the residents with the team (like a coffee organised by Pact at a precise time with the 3 groups in residence, to stimulate the exchange between the groups). The possibility of dividing the residency time into 2 different periods would be a real help for the teams and projects. We would have liked to see a bit more dissemination and communication on social media, for example a mini interview with the team and also some photos or videos of when we presented our mock-up of the piece to the team. Financial support is ok to live during the residency, but obviously it would always be better to receive a salary commensurate with the work time involved in a residency.

Tal and Brenda are incredible. They are reliable, supportive, and generous.

For an artist who is looking to explore new processes that include experimentation with materials, it is an excellent option.

Staying at El Sur was the best I could have wished for. The neighborhood is preserved from gentrification, I felt like I was in a small town whilst perfectly connected to Mexico’s many centralities. The space itself is a marvel, the private rooms as much as the studio spaces. Above all I enjoyed meeting the dedicated team of artists and curators who run the space and ensured we had the best possible experience. We were immediately immersed in the city’s art scene, and supported in every step. In just 5 weeks I felt at home in the residency and the city, I made wonderful friends, got to research and work on my art in amazing conditions. I couldn’t recommend it more.