A Brief and Biased Guide to Art Residencies

I’ve been on a lot of artist residencies lately, but I’ve also met a lot of people who have no idea what an artist residency is, which makes it difficult to explain why I’m all over the place, and also why more young artists (and writers!) should be applying to art residencies.

So let’s get down to business. I’ll be brief, but I’ll also do my best to make the whole thing a lot clearer, so bear with me.

What is an art residency?

The simplest answer is an art residency is the space and time for an artist to work.

Okay, but how does that work?

It works in a lot of different ways! For me, the most common denominator between art residencies is just a studio. An art studio to work in. Here are some of the studios I’ve had over the years:

So some residencies will offer a studio to work in and a room/apartment to live in (and the good ones will also cover travel, food and expenses. I know!) Some will offer just a studio, and a stipend. Some will offer a shared studio, some will offer a private studio, some will offer a live-in studio.

Most of the time, art residencies will be quite far from where you live (whether in different countries or in isolated places in your own country) and the deal is you get a place to work, a place to live, and the time to work in an environment that’s focused on your work and nothing else.

What’s an art residency really like?

I’ve been to four different art residencies: Civitella in Italy, the Maison des Auteurs in Angoulême, MacDowell in the United States, the Gournah residency in Luxor, and now the Maison des Auteurs (again). Civitella and MacDowell were for artists, musicians and writers. Sometimes this included filmmakers. These were the fanciest, and they included two to three meals a day, a separate studio space, and a room in really beautiful, scenic places. You can only go to Civitella once (for a month and a half) as a fellow, and MacDowell every other year for a maximum of two months (unless it’s an emergency residency, but don’t worry about that.) I could probably write a separate blog for each of these residencies, but we said brief, so here we are.

My studio at Civitella.

My cabin at MacDowell.

The Maison des Auteurs in Angoulême is a little more specific: it’s for comics artists and animators. It includes a studio space (that is usually shared) and an apartment (that can be single or shared, but with your own bedroom.) You are responsible for your food and you pay utilities, but in my case this was covered by a stipend from the Institut Français d’Egypte. You can have a studio at the Maison des Auteurs for up to four years, but at some point you will need to get your own apartment that isn’t subsidised by the Maison. Rent in Angoulême is pretty cheap though, so this hasn’t been hard for a lot of people.

Here are the pros of an art residency:

if you’re a freelancer, unless you have a pretty sweet set-up, making time for your work in the middle of life can be a little hectic. Especially personal projects like graphic novels and comics that don’t really pay. So in these cases, an art residency is a lifesaver because it gives you the time and space to work on that project (and often the money.)
every residency i’ve been to has been a huge learning curve. you’re surrounded by other artists with radically different styles and opinions and outlooks to you. you learn a lot, and you get a lot of valuable feedback.
it’s an environment that prioritizes your work. for people in third world countries especially, it’s nice to go somewhere and feel like being an artist is a Real Job.
speaking of which, you make invaluable connections at art residencies. for your career, sure, but also for friendship. although art residencies are notoriously transient, with people coming and going, i think i’ve kept in touch with almost everyone i’ve really liked at a residency, and they’re usually very strong friendships.
some art residencies (that are “fellowships”) are also big boosts to have on your resumé, because they help you get work but mainly… they help you get into other residencies.
most of the time, artist residencies tend to be in really beautiful places for “inspiration” and not to be a sucker but it usually does the trick. also new countries! things to explore! it’s nice.
It’s not always that long, so it’s not a huge commitment but its a lasting impact.

Here are the cons of an art residency:

You don’t always know which studio/room you might end up getting, so it’s a game of luck whether you’ll be comfortable or not.
You have to read the guidelines carefully before applying, because some residencies aim for adventure and inspiration, and some aim for isolation and comfort. You need to know what you’re getting into.
It’s also a game of luck whether everyone you meet there will be cool or not. I’ve been very lucky with my residencies, but I always hear from other residents who’ve had worse luck with studiomates. That said, people who manage residencies tend to be very helpful and accomodating when they can.
None of the above have ever bothered me, but I personally have a small crisis at the indulgence of art residencies, because truthfully they are just so nice and every time I go to one I can think of about two hundred people who are more worthy to be in my position, but couldn’t because of circumstance. Which is why I’m trying to spread the word! All artists deserve art residencies. It’s literally the biggest perk of being an artist that I can think of, besides, like, making the art and that.

Who is an art residency for?

Truthfully, residencies aren’t for everyone. You can decide for yourself whether it works for your lifestyle to just take two months off, but it’s also important to consider the type of project you’re doing. Residencies work for (and tend to accept) independent, creator-owned projects: graphic novels, comics, short films, etc. Applying to a residency with a client commission is usually a tougher sell (although you can work on pretty much anything you want in most residencies.) The good news is you don’t need to be an experienced professional; most residencies have a balance of beginners and veterans in their fields. You just need a solid project, and a portfolio to prove you’re capable of completing it (similar past work, etc.)

Or you can find a residency that is looking for the particular kind of work you’re doing, which is more specific but also exists. There are some residencies that also require you to do community outreach, workshops, etc. with the local community. So it depends on what you apply for.

So what do I need to apply?

For the most part, a project to apply with. It needs to be something you really want to work on. You need a portfolio of past work. It’s really hard to predict what a residency jury will go for, so honestly if you’ve read the guidelines and think you qualify, you should go for it because you have nothing to lose.

Some residencies have an application fee. Some don’t. Some require a recommendation letter, preferably by a mentor in your field or someone you’ve worked with or someone who knows you.

You need a good grasp of English and someone to look over your application. This is the biggest barrier to residencies I can think of. Like grants and every other application, it’s often just difficult to write about yourself accurately.

Most residencies will help you with visa procedures. A lot cover travel costs and offer stipends. The majority of residencies aim to be accessible (one way or another), so emailing the admissions team for help would work. Residencies are meant to save money, not spend it, so I would personally avoid any residency that costs money because there are so many other options. Small and local residencies will often have fees because they don’t rely on donations, old money and cultural sponsorships the way the big ones do, so it’s up to you whether you want to invest in that particular experience.

Resources?

Unfortunately it’s mainly in literary circles that residencies seem to announce themselves, so you need to keep up with it. Googling art residencies, grants and opportunities helps.

This list is a good starting point.

Cultural centres - like the Institut Français and the Goethe Institut in most Arab countries have a lot of residency opportunities. It’s good to keep track of them. Same goes for museums and other cultural organisations. Follow them on facebook, twitter and instagram to keep up with their news.

For Egyptians, the Opportunities for Egyptian Artists page is a good place to start.

Dealing with rejection.

One of the realities of applying to things is that inevitably you will get rejected. With residencies it’s particularly difficult because juries are incredibly subjective - they can accept you one year, then reject you the next, they can be looking for people with different backgrounds for a particular season, they can be trying to support more beginners, etc. It’s often for no reason at all, so the important thing is to not let it get to you because it’s more of a scheduling conflict than a statement on your artististic ability.

I like art residencies because as an Egyptian artist, they’re invaluable resources. I get to travel, work and network all at once and without financial strain. I would not have been able to complete my graphic novel without art residencies. I started it in Civitella (2015) and finished it in Angoulême (2018) because in the middle I got three different jobs, worked freelance jobs, and just couldn’t make the time for it. And I got to sound it out around people who were much smarter and more talented than I was. If you work out of your bedroom, you could probably use an art residency.

(They’re also just a lot of fun. Like you can decide to have an exhibition for an egg, and then call it an eggshibition, and make an event for it, and people will show up, because it’s an art residency.)