Artist Residency Reviews

Casa Lü offered a 6 weeks residency (with 5 artists) in a beautiful house with a cute garden and outdoors space in a quiet neighborhood of Mexico City. The program was thoughtfully curated to match (as much as possible of course) the artists interests, art and needs. From cultural outings to studio visits, coffee tours to evening outings, the support, availability and communication with the staff was absolutely amazing. Weekly meetings were organized with renowned curator and external artists throughout the entire residency, along with punctual meetings and activities (never mandatory though). The help and support they offer is of great quality and truly helpful, without ever feeling like it was too much, the balance between privacy/alone time and activities/meetings is very well balanced! The studios (and the kitchen and the rooms) are gorgeous, bright, spacious, and come with more than the basic tools and materials + a lot of local stores in the area sell quality art materials. Mexico City has sooo much to offer. I could go on and on about my time at Casa Lü, the whole experience was beyond my expectations on all levels!

Flight, accommodation, studio, breakfast, and visa issuance fees are provided by the residency. Artist is only responsible for the production costs of their work. The hotel is centrally located in Shanghai, offering a perfect location.

Be prepared for daily use; traffic and daily costs are on artists' own.

NARS was a great opportunity for me to be in NYC and experience being part of an art community in the city. The core of the program are the studio visits that were very diverse and helpful.

This was my first artist in residence experience, and it was exactly what I was looking for. My studio/living space was a great size, the facilities suited my needs, I felt supported by staff, I thoroughly enjoyed Open Studios, and had an amazing time in Berlin.

I speak from the point of view of a dancer. I loved my experience there. It might be tricky for a dancer, since the space itself doesn't have a dance space itself, but they have a good relation with a dance studio 15 min walk away. That should be taken into account when applying for grants, to include the fees of the dance space as well. Everything went very smoothly for me though, and what I created there, I still hold dear in my artistic practice. The rooms where you sleep have a beautiful desk, and space to think with a calm environment. I would advise to go there and I would go back there myself again, as soon as I get the chance.

Great Residency , more gains than costs.

Artist & scientist residency. A life-changing experience. I really recommend this residency. My practice grew immensely from this experience. The ship crew and guides are very professional, kind, and passionate people. They really tailored to our needs. It’s a really unique way to experience the Arctic. The costs of the residency are expensive given its remote location. I’d recommend securing funding ahead of time to avoid any financial stress… I got mine from a grant but others also did a crowdfunding.

If you want time to connect with yourself, reflect; it is perfect. I liked that the residency is self-directed; you can totally immerse yourself in your work without the pressure to produce. Participation and engaging with fellow artists—the community makes the experience enriching. The potluck dinners were great as a way of getting to know each other as artists. You have to create your own network, which can be challenging if you are not from Europe. The flight option (each case is considered) makes the challenges of accessibility easy for someone from Africa, as the cost to participate in residencies can be a lot. Just on the practicalities, especially for artists from Africa, if you do not like cold weather, June-October is the ideal time. As soon as you know you are going to the residency, apply for a bank account online; activate it whilst you are home—it will make life easy.

nice community of artists, no expectations to create or represent the donor as a token artist

The Montello Foundation was an incredible experience- 2 weeks in solitude in the pristine high desert of Nevada. The residency house is beautiful and simple, with everything one needs for a comfortable stay, and the adjoining studio has fabulous views of north and south facing mountains, along with the most incredible sunrises and sunsets. You are literally alone with nature, the sounds of the wind, coyotes in the distance. It was an amazingly peaceful and productive time for me! Make sure to rent a 4-wheel-drive car though, as the road in can be a bit treacherous!

CASA Lethbridge was one of the first residencies I ever applied for. I was blown away by the thriving arts scene in such a small town, as well as the kindness of the people (as a white man). The facilities at CASA are beautiful. They have all sorts of great equipment should you need it. Because it was one of my first residencies, I didn’t realize they don’t all offer a place to stay. CASA helped me find a place with some incredible people.

This residency is for the adventurous and the solitary individual only, not the faint of heart. If you are willing to break away from technology, live off-grid, commune with nature, and are comfortable alone 20 miles into the undeveloped Nevada desert landscape, this residency is for you. You are provided with a simple cabin with an attached studio for two weeks. The experience will challenge every sense of yourself and your relationship to the world. It's a detox from civilization and a place to commune solely with your work and nature. No cell service, no internet, no people. This place will stimulate your sensory perception, and you will come out enriched and strong...that is, if being in your own head for two weeks doesn't break you.

I had the immense pleasure of being a 2023 Visual Arts Fellow at Millay Arts. My spacious studio in the main house, friendly and gifted fellow residents, delicious chef-prepared dinners and gorgeous country setting all paved the way for a successful month! Inspired, I was able to realize a new project that I had been thinking about for some time!

The residency is not very selective and you can find fellow artists of different levels. However, the staff is friendly and the city is beautiful. The studio spaces are amazing. It's a good residency if you manage to find funding and if you are proactive in contacting the local galleries.

There are both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, it provides a great experience to meet other artists and live in the city of Leipzig for three months. However, it can be quite costly if funding cannot be obtained. Additionally, there are many other residencies available in Europe with lower fees or funding. Therefore, it may be beneficial to explore other options.

If you need transportation of material, bring your car if possible. Ask about the tools you need ahead of your stay. They may not have it. Most valuable was the connection to other artists from very different cultures!

As a local artist, there are no costs. For internationals, there is a fee.

The land and space are beautiful, especially picturesque. The beds are not the best quality and sink in a lot, so be careful. There are no COVID protocols in place and the directors ignored any of my concerns regarding COVID safety even though the space boasts being the first ADA residency. The private cook isn't very approachable and it's very judgmental to residents, which dampened our stay. I loved my windows in the studio and scenery; access to nature is a priority here. The residency lodging director is not very diligent with paperwork and coordination and at times could be kinder. The cohorts run small with 7-8 people, which can make deep bonds with other AIRs. There aren't any locks on the bedrooms, which is very weird, or they were fob-based and not used yet. Unlike MacDowell, Millay's library is very limited and not even fully accessible since some of it is in the director's office. I wish they had more media and library space to research. Studio furniture needs updating and quality is not the same studio to studio. Overall, my cohort made my residency amazing and we loved campfires, cooking together, sharing outdoor space with walks and hikes. The assessment process after residency at Millay is not online, digital, or anonymous, so that needs to be updated for AIR support. There are two dogs who visit and are just adorable company, which is an additional perk.

Enjoy your life in Naxos, very beautiful and unique. My advice is to do lightweight pieces. :) The cost of living there is very pleasant, much cheaper than in Mykonos. And the materials can be collected by yourself or purchased in nearby towns.