Artist Residency Reviews

An amazing opportunity to immerse myself in a new landscape to inspire a creation of new artworks. The studio and resources were good for what I needed for creating paintings. For me personally I find to make a residency rewarding is to create an action plan of what you would like to achieve. The rewards of doing this residency were developing a new body of work, meeting like minded people and teaching students new skills by working with a local school.

The program overall was great. Program manager is super supportive, and reserve staff are lovely (folks working in all aspects of caring for the gardens). Facilities: the house is stunning, but there is no proper making stuff studio, but staff will connect you to resources on the island. Other support includes stipend and a designated car for the duration. It’s a pretty magical opportunity to have solo access to the reserve after hours and time with trees, sea lions, coyote, and moss garden to name a few of the other residents.

If you are accepted for residency, prepare yourself properly and bring your own ideas to be ready to start as soon as possible. Be open to advice from the staff there: They might widen your horizon quite a bit!

The Corsicana residency is a small, private program located in a small Texas town that is about fifty miles away from Dallas. It is a free residency that provides you with both sleeping space and a big private studio. A benefit of the program is that you will have a huge private studio and lots of quiet time to focus on your art. You will encounter small town Texas culture in a very peaceful setting. A challenge of the program is that because the residency is inside a historic building, ceramic and aerosol-based work is not accommodated. Another challenge is that your sleeping space will either be inside or directly adjacent to your studio. The Corsicana residency is ideal for emerging artists who desire uninterrupted time to work on a large-scale project inside a historic Texas location. It offers a unique experience and I do recommend it!

Forest walks, rotating cooking sessions, early studio mornings, late night printmaking moments, coffee conversations, citronella infused terrace nights. I’m beyond grateful for the experience at Nectar. Situated in the Pre-Pyrenees in Catalunya, Nectar provides an inspiring and caring environment. Olga and Tai together with their children, animals and huge garden welcomed me warmly together with three other international artists. The residency is far up in the mountains away from disruptions of the city and surrounded by endless possibilities of the natural environment. We all used the spaces available depending on our needs, working in the cool cellar of the old house, in the barn, on surrounding forest paths, in the garden... I received critical feedback, curatorial and technical support and the freedom to research, create and push my practice. Nectar’s collaboration with Espronceda Institute of Art & Culture in Barcelona enabled us as a group of artists from different backgrounds to develop an exhibition that lifted our practice to another level. This is thanks to Olga’s and Tai’s expertise in curation, writing and production with the support of the gallery team. Thanks to a full stipend I was able to concentrate solely on my practice for a few weeks. My fellow artists-in-residence and I supported each other in our projects during the residency and in the creation of the exhibition. I maintained a relationship with the other artists as well as the Nectar team and love witnessing how the project develops over the years!

Boise has a full and consistently growing art community find ways to engage and connect with local artist while you are here.

Farm studio provides a peaceful and inspiring environment in a remote area in India. Accommodation and meals are included in the costs that are very reasonable for 4 weeks. The two hosts are very kind and supportive and also great artists!

I highly recommend Proyecto ACE to anyone interested in developing their printmaking skills and growing as a visual artist. I am very thankful to Sebastian and Alicia for teaching me a variety of printmaking techniques, providing constructive criticism on my work, and encouraging me to experiment and embrace a new direction. The guided tours, gallery, and studio visits were inspirational and well-organized. The Proyecto ACE residency is one of the best I've completed!!!

You can read about my experience on my website nicolealinelegault.com/iceland

Beautiful place and beautiful people.

3 months in the mountain, with a beautiful clean lake nearby, and full artistic freedom to develop one´s interest and research, instead of fulfilling an external agenda. Villa Waldberta´s hosts were extremely kind and understanding of each artist´s individual process. The place is magic, and helped me to go through a very difficult film production with grace, reconnecting with myself far away from the city. It was a little paradise. Funding is not a lot, but allows you artistic freedom. Hosts are considerate of special needs as well.

Remote location but car rental and nice grocery were available. Pool and indoor badminton and exercise building was lovely.

Excellent location for doing work. The scenery in the village and in Iceland is incredible and provides sources of inspiration. Enough space for solitude as well as opportunities for exchanges if needed.

Skagastrond is a beautiful location of solitude and I did get a lot of work done. However a few things were troubling, the workspace is shared but the kiln is not ventilated so when a glaze fire is happening (which takes a whole day) one can’t rightly ask others to leave. Also, being northern Iceland, you are very stuck with the other artists in the house and there’s not so much time for meeting with the community. The food there because of its location is very expensive and the lack of funding makes this a difficult hurdle to overcome. But I do really love the staff that I worked with and I believe the director did everything to make us feel safe and supported.

Benefits: to have a studio and a room to sleep 'for free', 45min from Paris. The first two weeks there is a paper in their plotter. Challenges: the 'technical studios' which instead of being available full time as they state in the open call are only once a week, the constant pressure of the residency to be a social worker instead of an artist, and the harassment against anyone who complains. Also to be requested to be present when politicians pass by during the residence's publicity moments as if it's a circus (they sell the concept of a cultural neighborhood to other cities), the treatment of artists as 'parasites' who are supposed to 'owe' to the foundation because of their 'generosity'. Costs vs. Gains: wouldn't do it again nor recommend.

Pretty self functioning residency. Best options are to paint write or draw. Close to plenty of things, and art stores within walking distance.

I had an excellent experience at this residency and would recommend it to any emerging artists who need focused time to develop a project or body of work with curatorial support. The residency really allowed me to hone in on ideas and start developing a more cohesive practice. The curatorial support was essential in having a sounding board with the right questions to challenge me and push my work forward. Overall, it was an excellent experience that I am really grateful for. If you want to really integrate yourself in the community, this will have to be something that you put effort in yourself, but there are definitely opportunities to connect with the community and previous residents if you reach out. I would recommend the program most to those who need focused time at a critical point in their practice. (Photo Credit: Toni Hafkenscheid)

The main benefit from this residency is the time and space it provides to focus on developing your project in a quiet and amazingly beautiful environment. The fact that it is a small group of residents makes it easier to dedicate time to connect with others without sacrificing your individual space. I gained much from the feedback and dialogues with other fellows. At the same time, the environment was perfect to dive into my thoughts and work.

Fountainhead residency is really special because of the deep connections and knowledge Kathryn has to the Miami art world. My tip is to get up early so you can go to the beach.

Expanding Networks: I built connections with fellow resident artists and the local art community, which has opened up future collaboration opportunities. Focused Creative Environment: Being away from my usual environment allowed me to concentrate on my work, leading to the production of more pieces than usual. Challenges During the residency, I faced several challenges: Cultural and Language Barriers: Since the residency was overseas, adapting to language and cultural differences was difficult. Budget Constraints: Limited funding was provided, making it challenging to cover material and living expenses. This highlighted the importance of creating a detailed budget and preparing necessary supplies in advance. Practical Advice Be Prepared: Before starting the residency, thoroughly research the local area and make a list of necessary items to ensure a smooth experience. Set Goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve during the residency and work systematically towards those goals. Costs vs. Gains Although participating in this residency required an investment of time, money, and effort, I feel that the returns were worthwhile. The expanded network and new techniques acquired will significantly benefit my future career.