Reviewed by Artists

Free Illustration Residencies

6 residencies

Fully funded illustration residencies that cover both housing and a stipend. These programs remove financial barriers entirely, letting you focus on your art.

Dar Meso logo

Dar Meso

Tunis, Tunisia

4.5 (2)

Dar Meso is an artist residency located in the heart of the Medina of Tunis, Tunisia, offering a unique environment that fosters creativity and cultural exchange. The residency is on an ongoing open call and hosts a variety of programs, including Writing Residencies and Babbasawt Sound Lab, which cater to different artistic disciplines such as writing, music, and sound art. The residency provides private workspaces, communal areas, and access to specialized workshops like ceramics and sound labs. Dar Meso emphasizes collaboration, intercultural exchange, and the development of innovative artistic projects. The residency helps artists get fundings but is generally working with artists contributions. Dar Meso supports artists by offering a tranquil space to focus on their work while encouraging cultural interaction within a vibrant, historic setting.

StipendHousingInterdisciplinaryWriting / LiteratureMultidisciplinarySound / MusicPerformance+24
Helene Wurlitzer Foundation (HWF) logo

Helene Wurlitzer Foundation (HWF)

Taos, United States

4.5 (2)

The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation (HWF) is a private, non-profit organization that has been supporting the arts since 1954. Located on a fifteen-acre campus in Taos, New Mexico, HWF offers one of the oldest artist residency programs in the USA. The Foundation provides three months of rent-free and utility-paid housing to visual artists, literary artists, and music composers from around the world. The campus consists of eleven fully furnished casitas, each tailored to the specific needs of different types of artists. The Foundation’s mission is to support the artist and the creative process, offering a peaceful setting for artists to pursue their work without imposed expectations or quotas. Applications are reviewed by a committee of professionals in various artistic disciplines, ensuring a diverse and enriching residency experience.

StipendHousingDrawingWriting / LiteraturePaintingPhotographySculpture+13
Culture Moves Europe Residency logo

Culture Moves Europe Residency

O Savinao, Spain

Culture Moves Europe residency support in Spain for legal entities hosting artists and cultural professionals; projects can include accommodation, workspaces, mentoring, and cross-border collaboration.

StipendHousingArchitectureBook ArtCeramicsChoreographyConceptual Art+33
Galerie Stihl Waiblingen logo

Galerie Stihl Waiblingen

Waiblingen, Germany

Municipal gallery specializing in works on or made of paper, including classical drawings, prints, comics, and design drawings. Hosts three temporary exhibitions annually with focus on drawing and paper art.

StipendHousingDrawingPrintmakingGraphic ArtsDesignIllustration
Les Ateliers du Plessix-Madeuc logo

Les Ateliers du Plessix-Madeuc

Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, France

Les Ateliers du Plessix-Madeuc, based in Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, France, supports young visual artists, particularly painters and illustrators under 35, through three-month residency programs offering individual studios, accommodation, a stipend, and art equipment. Residents engage in research and production, participate in public events like open days, conferences, and workshops, and exhibit their work at the end, leaving one piece for the organization's collection for five years. The program, running since and in its current location since , fosters interactions between artists and diverse local publics in a coastal setting.

StipendHousingPaintingDrawingIllustrationVisual Arts
Pépinières Européennes de Création logo

Pépinières Européennes de Création

Paris, France

Pépinières Européennes de Création is a European network supporting artistic residencies and creation programs for emerging artists across various disciplines, including multidisciplinary and visual arts projects. It partners with organizations to launch open calls for residencies in locations such as France, Poland, Italy, and Belgium, often providing grants like €10,000 plus accommodation. Recent calls include residencies focused on themes like the Art of Remembrance and illustration/graphic literature.

StipendHousingMultidisciplinaryVisual ArtsIllustrationWriting / Literature

Frequently asked questions

Are there really free illustration residencies?

Yes. Fully funded residencies provide both accommodation and a stipend at no cost to the artist. These programs are typically supported by government arts funding, private foundations, or institutional endowments.

How do I find free illustration residencies?

Browse our curated list above, each with real reviews from artists who attended. You can also filter by country or check each program's website for current application details and deadlines.

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