Artist Residency Reviews

Beautiful landscape, facilities, and human beings. A great balance between solitude and connection with others. It can be a little challenging & costly to get there if you’re not already based in Europe, but it was worth it. A focus on sustainability and fantastic meals were highlights!

Uncool Artist residency was a great immersive opportunity for me to work on a very compelling and highly creative-driven stimulating environment. The space is great, well located and easy to access. High level art advisors and curators, who helped me broaden my self critique and evaluate my work in progress. Great discussions and interaction with other artists participating in the program. Well balanced routine and agenda between time spent at the studio and field trips to enrich my research and artistic network. The residency offered me the opportunity to participate in 3 exhibitions in NY & Brooklyn area during that one month residency, with pieces of work developed during that period. My visual art research expanded and matured during that time. There are works that I’ve started there that are still evolving and showing in other spaces and group shows. If you dedicate yourself, this is a great program to develop new ideas, sharpen them into projects, and to deeply honor your craft.

I loved being at the Fish Factory. The studio space was a huge room which six of us shared. I had a large table and a vertical board to hang work on. The entire building had many different workshops available such as woodworking (not available when I was there), a sound studio, pottery, metalworking, small printshop. Opportunities abounded though there was no one there for guidance so it was necessary to already have the knowledge of how to use it. I did watercolors. The environment was stunning. I love Iceland. The town is isolated so without a car, one would be stuck in town. There are hikes to go on, and the residency provides transportation (at a minimal cost) to go to a grocery store each week. I had a car and was glad to be able to explore on my own. A question asked about networking and professional development. I met the other artists, of course, and the folks who run the residency (they’re super nice!), but there was no professional development. They provided a place to work and a place to stay (a house up the hill, shared with other residents) and weekly rides to the grocery store. They were available for questions. The town is tiny - about 150 residents - so there weren’t opportunities there either to make connections. There are two galleries in town and I met the folks there. It’s a beautiful tiny town in a beautiful setting. The house I stayed in was nice. The work space was good. I loved having a month to do my work!

With my music project, I needed to live in an Icelandic environment for a short period. This to get closer to the Icelandic vibe, environment and society. I had no need for a curator or producer, as what I work with is distinctly lonely Wulf work. On the other hand, it requires a lot of focusing and silence. I got that to the full at CCFF by having the entire music studio to myself for one month. It was nevertheless interesting to meet the other artists during the stay and have many good conversations about what we do and life as such.

I thrived in the more isolated location of the residency. As well as the more “independent study” nature of the program. Some other artists might find this difficult or frustrating. Met a lot of amazing people, and the owners of the residency are lovely people, helpful and welcoming. Iceland in general has a high standard of living and is expensive; however, it was 100% worth the cost and the owners make everything as affordable as they can.

I enjoyed this residency immensely. It was very hands off letting the artist explore and create in whichever way moved them. I feel very thankful for this experience and would do it again in a heartbeat.

The Fish Factory Art Residency program has been an amazing adventure, nestled in the Icelandic fjords; it creates the perfect environment for creativity and exploration. I enjoyed my time in Stöðvarfjörður and had ample time in nature, exploring the natural beauty of the Eastern Shore. I felt deeply inspired by the surrounding mountains and ocean, conversations with the rest of my cohort, and time in the shared studio. I created a whole new body of work inspired by the Icelandic nature. Something to think about before coming to the residency is your art supplies; make sure you bring what you need, not all the supplies are available in the studio and if you need to order anything it will have to come from Reykjavík (shipping can get expensive). Once a week the owners of the residency will take the cohort to the neighbouring city to get groceries, there’s a small store next to the residency with essentials but it’s a tad more expensive - plan your meals, snacks, and cravings accordingly! If you want to travel to other places on the shore, there’s not a lot of local transportation available but you can rent a car from Egilsstaðir airport. To make the residency rewarding I recommend thinking about what kind of projects you’d like to do, set a few goals for yourself, and don’t forget a rain jacket and a good pair of boots! For this adventure, I did save up the funds for a long time because I knew that Iceland is a bit on the expensive side, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t feel limited while there. And that helped a lot! I got to do a lot more things than I expected!

I had never done an artist residency so my point of view has no comparison to others. I decided on Fish Factory because of it being in a remote part of Iceland and because the program did not ask any specific things from me, nor did it offer any specific things from the staff. It's important to say this because I wasn't looking to make connections in the art world and I wasn't looking for classes or guidance - if these things happened then it would be great but I was just looking for a space far away and different from home where I could spend time doing what I like the most, which is painting. I found there that I could use the ceramics studio and that Una, one of the owners, was willing to give us a fast course on how to start our ceramics journey. She did not have to do that, and still she did, so it was awesome for me. I went for one month but I would recommend going for two - the place is so magical it takes you at least two weeks to settle down and start really focusing on working, so by the time you do it's almost over. Come with a well-mapped plan of how to use your time there and not expecting peer reviews or any type of learning structure. If you are a person who doesn't enjoy sharing a house with people who also work in the same space, don't do Fish Factory or ask if they can find you a space where to rent in the same town. There is almost no way in or out of the small, small town if not by walking, so also think of that. No museums, no restaurants, no cinema, no supermarket. Yes, beautiful fields, waterfalls and if you are lucky, aurora borealis. I think the cost was perfectly fair because they give you a private room to live, trips to the next town to the supermarket, and 24-hour access to the workshops, which had the heating on all the time. All in all, I loved Fish Factory and would do it again for an even longer time if I could, but I do think people have to know what they are signing on for so they have the best experience they can.

Fish Factory is just perfect for artists who love to go at their own pace. The founder really went the extra mile to create this amazing space where creativity thrives, surrounded by the serene beauty of the village. And with artists from all sorts of backgrounds in each edition, it's a fantastic chance to connect and collaborate. Definitely a must-try for anyone craving a peaceful spot to let their creativity flow.

The residency is located in a quiet village in a beautiful fjord. Although there is little to do, there is still a lot to experience. Beautiful nature, and all the peace and space to be able to work focused on your art practice. The wide range of workshops that you can use had a motivating effect on me. I have experimented with all kinds of new mediums that I had not worked with before. I was also very lucky with the other artists with whom we formed a very special and close group. We learned a lot from each other and it was a very valuable and special experience for me. In terms of materials, the Fish Factory has quite a lot in stock, but if you need something specifically, it is wise to have it shipped there in advance or take it with you. It is a very free and self-directed residency, so it is important that you can enjoy yourself and focus on your own work. Very nice environment with very sweet owners.

Iceland is always cold, even at the peak of summer. Other than that, it was a magnificent experience filled with memories and wonder.

You will encounter the kindest and most compassionate team at Art Hub.

This residency gave me the time, solitude, and creative freedom I needed to dive deeper into my practice without the interruptions from outside noise. We were isolated from the rest of the world. One of the benefits was we had our dinner meal cooked every evening; nourishment at the end of a long day was a big deal. It's important to remember you are in the middle of a national park, so you need to prepare in advance what type of work you will be creating or developing upon your stay, including all materials required. It was a small inversion for my career. I also believe it was necessary for me because I left recharged and with new work studies of developing ideas for future projects.

The peaceful, natural environment, and the way you are taken care of, make you let go of everything and just be an artist.

Can't think of anything negative: great place, surroundings and facilities and a fantastic staff!

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 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).