Artist Funding in Spain
Arts councils, grants, and funding bodies for artists
Agencia Andaluza de Instituciones Culturales
Andalusia’s main public cultural agency and a recurring source of grants for contemporary creation, exhibitions, and professional development. Its support typically targets artists and organizations working in Andalusia, with annual calls that can include production and dissemination funding.
Ayuntamiento de Madrid - Área de Cultura, Turismo y Deporte
Madrid’s city government is a significant local funder through open calls, subsidies, and cultural programs that can include visual arts production, exhibitions, and artist-led projects. Support is often tied to public programming, municipal spaces, or neighborhood-based cultural activity, with eligibility shaped by residency and project location.
Consell Nacional de la Cultura i de les Arts (CONCA)
Catalonia’s national arts and culture council, which supports artistic excellence, debate, and sector development through grants, research, and advisory work. It is more influential as a strategic cultural body than as a mass grant-maker, but it remains important for artists and institutions working in Catalonia, especially in contemporary practice and cultural policy contexts.
Fundación Botín
A major private foundation in Spain with one of the country’s best-known visual arts fellowships. Its art grants support training, research, and individual artistic projects, with awards of about €23,000 for a nine-month period; most calls are open internationally, though one place is reserved for a young Spanish or Spain-resident artist.
Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (ICEC)
Catalonia’s main public cultural funding body, and an important source of support for artists, collectives, and cultural organizations working in or with Catalonia. ICEC regularly offers grants for artistic creation, production, mobility, and professional development; many programs are annual and regionally anchored.
Institut Valencià de Cultura (Generalitat Valenciana)
The Valencian regional cultural institute, which funds artistic creation, exhibition activity, and cultural mobility across the Valencian Community. Artists working there can find calls for production, dissemination, and sometimes residency-linked support, usually through annual regional competitions or subsidies.
Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales / Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)
AC/E is a public cultural agency that supports the international circulation of Spanish culture, including visual arts exhibitions, curatorial exchanges, and mobility-related initiatives. Its programs are usually aimed at institutions, curators, and artists working on projects with international visibility, often as project support rather than direct individual stipends.
Instituto Nacional de las Artes Escénicas y de la Música (INAEM)
Although better known for performing arts, INAEM operates within the Ministry of Culture ecosystem and can be relevant when visual artists work in cross-disciplinary, performance, or live-art contexts. Support is generally project-based and institutional, with competitive grants and subsidies rather than open fellowships for individual studio practice.
Ministerio de Cultura (Spain)
Spain’s main national public funder for the arts, including visual arts creation, research, training, and dissemination. Support is typically project-based through competitive calls, scholarships, and subsidies rather than unrestricted operating grants, and eligibility varies by program, with some open to artists and collectives and others restricted to Spanish nationals or residents.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Spain’s flagship contemporary art museum, which functions less as a standard grant maker and more as a key public institution offering commissions, research programs, residency-like opportunities, and project collaborations. For visual artists, it is a prestigious institutional partner rather than a broad-access funder, but its calls can be highly influential for careers in Spain.
Artist Residencies in Spain
119 residencies listed
Joya AiR
Vélez Blanco, Spain
Joya: AiR, an artist residency program located in the Parque Natural Sierra María - Los Vélez in Almería, Andalucía, offers a unique interdisciplinary residency for artists, writers, and creatives from various disciplines. Founded by Simon and Donna Beckmann in 2009, it emphasizes sustainable living and creative work that regenerates the land. The residency provides private studio space, accommodation, and meals, fostering a communal atmosphere among residents. It encourages exploration, learning from the surroundings, and engagement with the local community and environment. Joya: AiR is an off-grid, carbon-positive initiative, supporting over 1500 artists since 2006 in one of Europe's sunniest regions. The program includes access to workshops, critiques, and the opportunity for artists to present their work, enhancing their creative journey in a supportive and inspiring setting.
Villa Capri
Vilafranca de Bonany, Spain
Villa Capri is a creative residency based in an 18th-century farmhouse in Mallorca, Spain. The female-led, interdisciplinary artist collective hosts international artists from various fields, including visual arts, music, performance, film, and gastronomy, for a 10-day immersive residency. Villa Capri aims to foster creativity and collaboration in a serene, nature-focused environment, far from the rush of urban life. The residency offers an open, dynamic structure where participants co-create the daily schedule, which may include movement workshops, nature walks, creative installations, and hands-on activities such as fabric dyeing and sculpture-making. The experience culminates in a public exhibition featuring performances, workshops, and art displays, with the goal of building lasting connections between the artists and the local community. Sustainability is at the core of Villa Capri’s ethos, with an emphasis on responsible consumption and regenerative practices.
Arteventura
Seville, Spain
Arteventura is situated on a wooded estate of 25 hectares completely covered with holm and cork oaks. Not only, does the finca – Spanish for “rural estate” – offer its literal spaces, but the interaction with nature and the desire for autonomy of the estate is also meant to be inspiring for all residents. Arteventura is committed to responsible and innovative technology and the efficient use of material and resources. We are not connected to an electricity net. There are solar panels and batteries to supply electricity. We use water from the well and the spring on our finca. Arteventura offers services and experiences that contribute to environmental sustainability and knowledge of the environment. Enjoy nature with awareness and respect. In the entire region barter has been the traditional form of trade. You build my fences? Then I will let your horses graze here. You have got too many apples? I have got more nuts than I can eat. Artists are also welcome at the neighbours to buy eggs, fruit, vegetables,.. (seasonal). Artist are invited to participate in the whole eco-philosophy of the finca, and those want, are welcome to help out. The profits will be shared with you. Crosspollination in all directions. That is the way we see it.
DOM
Various, Spain
DOM Art Residence operates as a nomadic art residency, uniquely unattached to any single location, which reflects the transient nature of today’s socio-political environment. This model not only fosters creativity but also enables the residency to meet new audiences and explore various cultural contexts each session. Typically running once or twice a year for a one-month period, the program invites 12 artists to participate in a project-oriented format which culminates in a final exhibition showcasing the artists' work. Each session is themed to encourage artists to engage with relevant and provocative topics, for the 2024 session in Spain, the theme is "scenarios of the future". DOM supports artists by covering accommodation, travel expenses, and the cost of production materials, thus removing financial barriers and fostering an environment purely focused on creative exploration. The selection process for participants is twofold: partially by invitation and partially through an open call, which encourages a diverse mix of artists. DOM values communication and expects artists to engage with the local public through various cultural and educational programs that run concurrently with their studio work. This interaction enriches the residency experience, providing both artists and the public with valuable insights and exchanges.
Nectar
Near Vilanova de Sau, Spain
Nectar, nestled in the Les Guilleries Natural Park in north Catalonia, offers a residency program within a tranquil, forested environment. This program caters to artists and creatives at various career stages, promoting community-based living and working experiences. It features specialized residencies like the Artist Family Residency, supporting artists with families by providing accommodations, meals, and creative workshops for children. Additionally, Nectar's Artist Residency CICLES focuses on site-specific works and includes a long-term mentoring program. The residencies blend professional development with immersive nature experiences, fostering creativity in a rural setting.
Can Serrat
El Bruc (near Barcelona), Spain
Can Serrat, located in El Bruc, near the Montserrat mountain range, offers a year-round artist residency in a beautifully renovated Catalan farmhouse. Established in 1989, it is one of the oldest international residency programs in Spain. The residency welcomes artists from various disciplines, providing a space for creative processes, research, and dialogue without the pressure of producing a final work. Can Serrat offers partially funded residency options for artists through the cultural department of Generalitat de Catalunya. The residency includes shared studio spaces, basic food provisions, and organized activities within the vibrant natural and cultural surroundings of Montserrat.