Artist Funding in Peru
Arts councils, grants, and funding bodies for artists
Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (CPPC)
The Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros is a private Latin American art foundation that offers grants and scholarships for visual artists, curators, historians, and researchers, focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. Its support has included funding for art residencies, curatorial internships, research trips, and participation in international conferences, which Peruvian artists and researchers can often access. Grants are generally travel- and project-oriented rather than long-term stipends.
Colegio de Artes y Diseño de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú – Fondos de Creación y Difusión
The arts and design faculty at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) administers internal funds and calls that support student and faculty artistic projects, exhibitions, and research, some of which are open to recent graduates or collaborations with external artists. Visual artists linked to the university can receive support for production, catalogues, and participation in national and international events. While not a national arts council, it is an important institutional funder within Peru’s contemporary art ecosystem.
Dirección del Audiovisual, la Fonografía y los Nuevos Medios (DAFO) – Ministerio de Cultura
DAFO is the film and audiovisual unit of the Ministry of Culture and runs a system of public contests for cinema and new media, including animation and experimental/visual projects that overlap with contemporary art. It offers development, production, post-production, and circulation grants, as well as training and strengthening programs for the audiovisual sector. Visual artists working with moving image, video art, or expanded cinema can sometimes fit their work into these categories if it meets the call’s criteria.
Dirección General de Industrias Culturales y Artes – Línea de Artes Visuales (Ministerio de Cultura)
Within the Ministry of Culture, the Directorate General of Cultural Industries and Arts coordinates policies and programs for creative sectors, including a specific line for visual arts. Through periodic calls, it supports exhibitions, curatorial projects, artistic research, and initiatives that strengthen the visual arts ecosystem such as festivals, fairs, and training activities. Grants typically cover production and dissemination rather than living stipends, and applications are usually open to individual artists, curators, and collectives based in Peru.
Estímulos Económicos para la Cultura – Ministerio de Cultura del Perú
The Estímulos Económicos program is a national competitive grant scheme that bundles many of the Ministry of Culture’s funding lines across arts and cultural industries. Visual artists, collectives, and organizations can apply for project support in areas such as creation, circulation, training, and community-based arts, with specific categories varying by year. Awards are generally structured as one-off project grants covering production, materials, fees, and sometimes travel or outreach activities.
Ministerio de Cultura del Perú
The Ministry of Culture is the main national public body for arts and heritage policy in Peru, overseeing cultural rights, creative industries, and support for artists and cultural organizations. For visual artists, it periodically launches competitive calls for cultural projects, festivals, community arts, and sometimes specific lines for indigenous and Afro-Peruvian creators, which can include production, exhibition, and outreach costs. Support is usually project-based rather than fully unrestricted, with budgets calibrated to local production costs.
Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables – Programas para Mujeres en el Cine y las Artes
The Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations occasionally co-sponsors funding calls that support women in cultural and creative fields, including film and related visual practices, often in partnership with other public bodies or international cooperation. These grants have focused on mitigating the impact of crises such as COVID-19 and promoting gender equality in the audiovisual and cultural sectors. Support is usually project-based and may cover development, production, or professional training for women creators.
Municipalidad de Miraflores – Gerencia de Cultura y Turismo
The Miraflores district municipality in Lima is an active sub‑national supporter of arts, running galleries, cultural centers, and open calls for exhibitions and cultural projects. Visual artists can apply for curated exhibition slots, competitions, and occasional production funds tied to specific municipal programs or anniversaries. Support often includes exhibition space, technical assistance, and communication, sometimes with small production stipends.
Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima – Gerencia de Cultura
Lima’s Metropolitan Municipality, through its Culture Office, runs open calls and small grants to support local cultural projects, festivals, public art, and neighborhood-based initiatives in the capital. Visual artists can access support for exhibitions, murals, workshops, and community art processes, often tied to specific districts or municipal cultural spaces. Funding is typically modest but can include production budgets, access to venues, and promotion within Lima’s large urban audience.
UNESCO and International Cooperation Programs Implemented in Peru
Through the 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and related programs, UNESCO collaborates with Peru’s Ministry of Culture and local partners to fund cultural policy projects and creative sector initiatives, including schemes that may indirectly benefit visual artists. Calls can support capacity-building, creative entrepreneurship, and cultural participation, sometimes including artist-led components or residencies. Eligibility is usually project-based and mediated through local institutions, but independent artists may join as collaborators or beneficiaries.
Artist Residencies in Peru
8 residencies listed
Arquetopia Foundation
Puebla, Mexico
Arquetopia Foundation is an award-winning, multiple award-winning nonprofit arts and academic foundation with a significant social scope and global presence across three continents. Now in its 14th year, Arquetopia is dedicated to promoting critical thinking, a commitment to ethics, and a sense of reciprocity in artistic practices. It offers customized, professional International Artist-in-Residence Programs that are renowned worldwide for their comprehensive, research-based approach, focusing on social creativity. Arquetopia's residency programs, situated in Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, Cusco in Peru, and Naples in Italy, are tailored to provide a vast array of learning opportunities. These programs are distinguished for their commitment to sustainability in the arts, fostering research and critical thinking in creative processes. Arquetopia's model challenges preconceived notions of history and place, encouraging artists to engage with local epistemologies and resistance models as sources of knowledge and inspiration for social change. The foundation emphasizes ethical artistic practices, acknowledging the problematic ties of artist residencies to colonization, imperialism, and the extractive practices of tourism. Established in 2009 as an autonomous and registered Mexican nonprofit, Arquetopia is self-sustaining, unaffiliated with any political, religious, or war industrial entities, relying on its self-generated funding model. The foundation was co-founded by Mexican visual artist and curator Francisco Guevara and North American classical musician Chris Davis. Originally started as an educational art center for inner-city youth, it quickly evolved to offer international artist residencies. Arquetopia stands out for its array of unique residency programs with substantial mentoring, focused on professional artists, writers, academics, and researchers. It provides a generous and culturally diverse space, hosting artists and scholars from all over the world, aiming to enrich the global arts community with a multiplicity of perspectives.
Sachaqa Centro De Arte
San Roque De Cumbaza, Peru
Sachaqa Centro De Arte, located in the San Martín region of Peru, offers a residency program that provides artists with the opportunity to focus on their creative processes in the serene environment of the Amazon. Open to national and international artists, this residency emphasizes eco-conscious art practices, with options for engaging in painting, ceramics, sculpture, and photography. The center promotes collaboration with local Kechwa communities, offering immersive experiences in traditional crafts like ceramics and weaving. Residents can choose between communal or private accommodations, with both options designed to encourage focus and creativity. The residency includes workshops in natural pigment collection, ceramics, and other sustainable art practices, as well as excursions to local waterfalls, nature reserves, and indigenous villages. Artists can exhibit their work during their stay, either locally or within Sachaqa’s studio spaces. Sachaqa Centro De Arte is committed to fostering a connection between artists and the environment, inspiring the use of locally sourced materials and sustainable techniques.
GoctaLab
Cocachimba, Peru
GoctaLab is an interdisciplinary art residency and nature lodge located in the Amazon region of Peru, offering artists a unique opportunity to develop their projects in a vibrant natural environment. The residency supports artists across various disciplines, including art, architecture, ceramics, music, biology, regenerative agriculture, and more. Artists are encouraged to engage with the local community, promoting cultural exchange and contributing to the well-being of the region through their work. GoctaLab provides modern accommodation with breathtaking views of the Gocta waterfall, a fully equipped workshop, and access to multimedia resources and kilns. The residency promotes sustainability, with a focus on permaculture and sustainable living, integrating art, food, and community into a holistic creative experience. Residencies last between two weeks and one month, depending on project complexity, and artists have full board during their stay.
Correlación Contemporánea (Correlacion Contemporanea)
Iquitos (for Amazonica), Peru
Correlación Contemporánea is a non-profit, artist-run organization based in Peru, focused on analyzing and contributing to the contemporary art scene through a range of residency programs. Since 2016, they have fostered exchanges between national and international artists, creating horizontal spaces for dialogue that stimulate artistic creation within the Peruvian socio-cultural context. Their residency programs include Amazonica, COM_UNIDAD, IWATI PARANA, and ANACONDAAA, each offering unique experiences that connect artists with the rich cultural, social, and environmental landscape of Peru. These residencies are designed for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artists, curators, and researchers who wish to engage deeply with local communities, traditional practices, and contemporary issues in the Peruvian Amazon and Andean regions.
Centro Selva
Campo Verde, Peru
Centro Selva Arte y Ciencia is an artist residency located in the Central Amazon region of Peru, specifically in the Ucayali region near Pucallpa. Founded in 2012 by Diana Riesco-Lind, the residency offers multidisciplinary artists from around the world the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Amazonian culture and environment. The residency spans over 400 hectares of agricultural and reforested lands, providing artists with a unique setting to focus on their creative projects. Centro Selva offers group residencies in July and August, as well as individual residencies throughout the year. The program promotes cross-disciplinary dialogue between artists and scientists, and residents present their work in Pucallpa or Lima. Artists from all disciplines are invited to apply and stay for periods of up to 20 days. While the facilities are basic, the residency provides a deep connection with nature and the Amazonian context.
Chokechaka Golden Bridge
Calca (Huaran), Peru
Chokechaka Golden Bridge Artist Residency is a multidisciplinary program located in Huaran, in the heart of Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas. It offers a serene and culturally rich environment for artists, scholars, and creatives seeking both personal focus and community engagement. The residency is designed to support independent work while fostering deep connections with local traditions, landscapes, and communities. Residents are invited to explore their practice through dialogue with local artisans, scholars, and elders, and are encouraged to collaborate across cultural and creative disciplines. The facility accommodates up to eight participants at a time, providing private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, shared workspaces, and access to both indoor and outdoor creative areas. A dedicated private studio is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and all guests have access to a communal kitchen, living spaces, and a ceremonial maloca for gatherings or performances. The residency supports immersive cultural experiences through visits to Inca heritage sites, traditional weaving and ceramics workshops, and excursions into the Andean landscape. Chokechaka emphasizes sustainability, cultural preservation, and intercultural exchange as core values. Founded by artists with roots in both Peru and the United States, it serves as a creative bridge between ancestral knowledge and contemporary practice. The program is open year-round to international applicants and welcomes those who value creativity, reflection, and shared learning in an awe-inspiring mountain setting.