Artist Residency Reviews

I made some long lasting friends! We each had so much space, it was in this old industrial warehouse and it was light and gorgeous and the location (Het Hembrugterrein) was soo beautiful and inspiring :) Only downside I can think of was it was quite cold in the space when I started in March and I needed a hot water bottle. Its a free residency, I was already living in Amsterdam so it didn’t cost me anything. Chafik and Aleksandra were very generous and helpful. I have very special memories from Dooresidency and would highly recommend it to anyone.

This residency is expensive offering little to no scholarship unless you are in grad school and your affiliated institution is paying for you. The administration and mentorship of the program offers little to no support for projects as well as dealing with conflict in discussions. Can and should do better with conflicts that occur when all participants are international both internal and external.

This residency offers an invaluable opportunity to have many relationships with early-career artists in unpredictable ways, leading to develop life-long friendships and connections. I was able to work in studio, receive mentorship from established artists, and be supported to do self-directed experiments. I was given practical advice on the challenges of being an artist including many examples of different lifestyles. This residency was able to meet the needs of disabled and neurodivergent participants. A con or pro is that this residency is very social but you can have solitary moments.

The residency is still in the beginning stages, so a lot of aspects can still be improved greatly. Such as paying the artist a fee or providing them a budget for materials.

Amazing location to create, not for career advancement.

Benefits: interdisciplinary relationships with writers-in-residence. I did not foresee how formative this would be, and it was really wonderful to engage with humans caught in the written word. Challenges: getting there from Western Canada was a bit difficult. It was also a bit confusing to apply as a duo, and we ended up both having to be accepted independently, and then halving our time onsite. C'est la vie. Practical Advice: prepare for all seasons of weather. Don't forget to go for walks! The studios on the North side of the river are MUCH nicer... with the exception of Church. Costs vs. Gains: it's important to understand that all your meals will be covered by the Residency fees. We spent almost no money on anything (besides materials) while we were at VSC.

The follow-up meeting was very useful. Specifically, the one that the Delfina curator chose.

Not financially funded, the location was beautiful but very far away from the city and cold. Overall nice but very independent.

The residency is a renovated sanatorium, deep in the forest, some 10 kilometres from the nearest town. The volunteers and the core group are wonderful people. Whether you are having a creative block, or want to explore new artistic directions, Hub Feenix is a great place to get away from everything and return to why you want to make art in the first place.

I felt the residency was very strong for graphic work or silkscreen. I enjoyed everyone I met and my time at AGA Lab. Getting the resources and funding for my projects would be the obstacles that if given the chance to return I would like to do better.

Facilities are basic but big studios and great light and a wonderful location and great curatorial interest in my work. Loved it.

I produced a lot of work. The facilities are quite run down. Very good for screen print. Poor technical assistance in etching. I found the money part of the residency pushy; they doubled their rate while I was there and tried to add extras to the bill when I came to pay at the end. I had to hire a drawer to store my paper; I had to hire a box to put my materials in. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth at the end of the residency, which is short-sighted on their part. Reputation is everything. However, I made a lot of work and really enjoyed that. 24 hr access is brilliant and the residency room is in the same building so it’s all on site.

We had the chance to benefit from writers and curators to write about our work and give us feedback. We also had great freedom both conceptually and financially while knowing the staff could answer our questions at any time. The location was great, and we had two opportunities to show our work with great communication and nice encounters.

Benefits: Wonderful central location in Split; welcoming, erudite and helpful staff and community who comfortable and clean accommodation within the Culture Hub building, spacious light building next to shops Challenges: there was not a separate studio for painting as their programme is more conceptual/socially engaged but I managed fine with a little improvisation. Practical tips: Be clear and explicit about what you need to make your work. Costs v gains: Very reasonably priced and accessible. I got from the residency the seeds of a new body of work, fascinating historic materials to study, an expanded network. The curator gave me a recommendation to the British Croatian Society and i will be having a solo exhibition at the Croatian Embassy in London this November

Benefits: possibility to experiment with many printing techniques: silk screen, riso, digital printing, toyobo. Also an inspiring environment to work with people using these techniques. Challenges: high material costs, not that much time slots to reserve printing machines because many people use them. Practical advice: get funding for your materials, have a clear plan.

Studios open 8am-8pm, enabling artists to work as much as they want. Technicians are friendly and helpful, really knowledgeable. Two external guests are invited (artist, curator...) to talk about your process which is a great opportunity.

The ability to fully immerse yourself in printmaking was the highlight. Living at the studio with 24-hour access to their incredible print facilities.

The residence is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the Alpine environment and the communities that inhabit it. The experience can produce collaborations, even later, with the curatorial team as well as activities related to the territory.

Studio Meridional is a very nice place to work. It is in the middle of Marseille.

The AGA LAB residency is really worth attending. I did silk-screening during my residency. But you can also work with other graphic techniques. In a short time you develop new work. It’s inspiring.