Artist Residency Reviews

Benefits: Very generous stipend, beautiful accommodations, it's located in Antigua, Guatemala - both the town itself and the surrounding area is stunning and very inspirational (there are two volcanoes - one that is often active!). I was treated very well by the foundation's family - they took me around the area, invited me to dinner, made sure I had everything I needed, helped me scout some locations for video work I wanted to do etc. Also, Guatemalans are some of the nicest (and politely reserved/respectful) people I've met! Challenges: I was at the residency alone - there were no other artists in residence. At most, they can house two artists in the two-bedroom cottage that is on site. I believe it is mostly one artist at a time though. I found this quite isolating compared to other residencies as there was nobody to chat with at dinner most nights or to do a critique with etc. If you love alone time this would be a great residency for you. I also don't speak Spanish, which was further isolating. In retrospect, I would have done a better job of learning Spanish before I went. A big challenge for some folks would be noise. The studio and accommodations are situated within a textile mill, which is right on the edge of the town square. Many nights the townsfolk play soccer in the square (and play music) until quite late, and the local roosters are up and crowing early in the morning. I'm a pretty sound sleeper and have lived right next to a train stop in London, so I can generally handle busy-city noises. However, the soccer merriment and roosters were new to me and I struggled a few times to fall asleep/stay asleep. If you're a light sleeper, this is probably not the right residency for you. Practical Advice: Learn (or know) Spanish, bring earplugs, bring any supplies and equipment you need as Antigua only has one art store that I could find and it was very limited. Costs vs Gains: Undoubtedly, the gains far outweighed the costs. Although I didn't make many professional connections during this residency, I did develop my creative process/practice significantly, in part because my work is site-specific and I was faced with an entirely new kind of environment. The stipend also really helped me to be able to take time away from work without too much lost income. Since my residency, the foundation has built a purpose-built project space and they appear to have regular events in this space, which significantly improves both the available resources and the issues of isolation and professional development opportunities (I imagine). Overall, once I got out of my own way and learned to handle the feeling of isolation, this was a fantastic residency. It's one of those residencies that is what you make of it. The people running the program leave you to do your work - they are available if/when you need help but otherwise respect your space and time.

This is a great residency for someone who wants to develop a specific project with a lot of time alone. You're the only resident and you have a house for yourself, so it's great for focusing on your project. If you are not a textile artist and want to lear about making textiles this is a great place to start. You get to practice and learn with people from the indigenous communities which is also a great experience. If you want to travel, there is enough time to visit very nice places around the residency and there is a budget to do it. The staff takes you to visit the capital for a day, see galleries and other buildings, museums, etc. That was a lovely part of the trip. The staff is great. If you don't like to be on your own, or you're looking for a place to interact with other artists this is not the place for you. Considering all this factors, I totally recommend this residency.

For me, it was a quiet and mentally sharpening place. I was able to feel the life of plants by seeing kochia growing in a land without people or animals. And The people I met here were amazing. Because it's a beautiful place and Simon is organizer. I believe that good people attract good people. I would like to come back someday.

Benefits: Become more aware of caring for the environment. Greater knowledge about native cultures. Unique mystical experiences. Challenges: Exposure to foods that tend to be bad because you are not used to them. Allergies to bites. Practical advice: Organize camps of one or two nights in the jungle so that residents can live the experience of feeling part of Nature. Costs vs Gains: Daily life devoid of luxuries and comforts vs. enjoying and learning from a unique environment and ancestral culture.

The benefits were more personal than for my career and relational sphere. There were no major obstacles other than the distance from the fine arts shops, but even this was not a problem thanks to the machine made available for artists.

Time to concentrate on my practice. Fantastic surroundings, nature, house and studio situation. The staff is very helpful. Stipend to cover living costs and travel. I could bring my dog and my husband stayed there for free for a large part of my residency. It is a bit remote so if you don't like to be alone it is may be not a place for you. I brought my car, but the residency has a car that the residents can use. There are not so much social happening (a few meetings). So you have to reach out to the other artists for this.

Benefits: The residency at MASS MoCA was an exceptional experience. I had the best group of artists in my cohort, and we had a lot of fun both in and out of the art activities. The town is beautiful, and having full access to the museum was phenomenal—I could take my time exploring the galleries, which was a constant source of inspiration. I also had the chance to meet curators and members of the local art community, which I believe will be incredibly useful for future networking. The support from the staff at Assets 4 Artists was excellent; they were always there to help and even organized trips to get supplies. Challenges: One major challenge was transportation. North Adams is small, and there is no Uber service or reliable bus system. Renting a car is an option, but only for the full month, which may not be necessary as you won’t use it all the time. Additionally, while the apartments were fully equipped, it’s a good idea to coordinate with roommates about cleaning, organization, and shopping early on, so you don’t end up spending time managing household chores. Practical Advice: Make sure to engage with the local community and fellow artists—it helps to build connections and fully immerse yourself in the residency. Take advantage of the museum access, and plan trips for art supplies in advance since the town is limited in options. Coordinating with roommates about basic household duties will also save you time and energy. Costs vs. Gains: Although transportation and the small size of the town can be difficult to navigate, the investment in the residency was worth it. The opportunity to connect with other artists, museum curators, and the local community, along with the artistic growth I experienced, far outweighed any challenges. I’m eager to return in the future.

Gocta Lab provides living and working space in a spectacular location in the middle of the Peruvian high jungle. The nature and landscape around you is breath-taking and among other wonderful places is the iconic Gocta waterfall. The hosts have strived to build a great facility that combines art with crafts, agriculture, and mindfulness, and they continue to develop and add new branches to their exploration of the area. The hosts are well connected to the community around them and can connect you to amazing traditional crafters and all sorts of local wisdom. This is a residency in which you can disconnect from the urban pace, immerse yourself in nature and connect with a rural community.

The opening times are from 10:00 till 16:00 so you have to organize yourself well.

The barracks are isolated from everything in the middle of nowhere, but there are always more artists staying in the other barracks. But the nature is incredible, if your project concerns community its wise to make already contact before arriving to the residence.

Magical place to inspire, create and to product. If you love nature like a part of your art, this your place.

Verãozão na Fazenda São João is an unique experience for creative work without time, alone and with others —a selected group of artist of different countries and disciplines—. A space for exploration and enrich deeper the roots of ours actions, surrounding by waterfalls and butterflies, mangos, fireflies, frogs and rains. On a valley that give as present an indescriptibles skys. And even more, coffee fields and agroecological farm. Everywhere great views and calm. Then the living working spaces, lovely and lovely home and studios, private and collectives. My favorites, among the natural exuberant environment, on the central house: the library and the book collection, the kitchen, the sophisticated living room, the bar de sinuca late at night, the pool. And the roads, the chapel, the stables. And over all, the people, people. The ones that pulse it Antonio, Amanda, Verónica, Inaie, Sandra in memorian, and the ones that share that moments, unforgettable. I always recommend Verãozão, and always was great. For immersive experience, full of joy, an intense exploration with wifi disconnection. Go! juliet.b.a

The village and surrounds was big enough to be inspired by and explore but not too much going on which was good to focus on my work.

RSJ is a place of overwhelming beauty, I’ve been 3 times and it’s raw beauty takes my breath away every time. It is also a place that is deeply refreshing and inspiring. As a sound artist, the pure, natural soundscapes are reason enough to come, but the community that lives and works there are some of the most lovely people I’ve encountered. I’ve participated in their Somsocosmos program that focuses on sound/music and through that residency I’ve made many connections that have created further opportunities in Brazil and beyond. I would highly recommend Somsocosmos to anyone in sound/music, but RSJ is also an ideal place for a self directed residency for an artist in any field. It’s beauty, tranquility, and the work it inspires sustain me long after I leave.

Casa da Figueira is an inspiring place, and the relationship with the neighbors (Terra de Guaxo, village) is very friendly. The organic garden is a standout feature and a very important aspect. I’ve been to Figueira several times with different colleagues, and it was always a great experience! Casa da Figueira é um lugar inspirador, a relação com os vizinho ( Terra de Guaxo, vila) é muito amistoso. A horta orgânica é um diferencial é um balizador muito importante. Estive algumas vezes na Figueira, com colegas diferentes e foi sempre bom!

I recommend this residency for those who are a good match. Program staff are very supportive and the campus is in a beautiful location in Upstate NY. However, many of the facilities are run-down. Granted, the buildings are 120 years old which adds to the rustic charm. Its history is what attracted me to the program. Some of the buildings have been renovated but there are others that need attention. It is my hope that the program will receive more funding to improve the living quarters. There are also some issues with spiders and squirrels in the facilities. Overall, the folks that run Byrdcliffe and the artist residents were wonderful. I believe my residency occurred during an administrative transition and a reason for some of the challenges I encountered. This residency has great potential and is worth attending for those who are a good match.

The summer artist residency Verãozão at RSJ was a unique experience of creative immersion and knowledge exchange. During the program, we had the opportunity to experience an inspiring and welcoming environment that fostered collaboration between artists from different fields. One of the greatest personal achievements was the opportunity to delve deeper into the study of bamboo, a material that has always interested me due to its versatility and artistic potential. I had the chance to test it in different techniques, such as construction and sculpture, exploring its structural and aesthetic properties at various scales. The freedom to investigate the material was essential for developing new approaches and applying what I learned in projects that became true collaborations with other artists in residence. The interactions and exchange of ideas were one of the highlights of the experience. In an environment that promoted dialogue and mutual support, it was natural for us to get involved in each other's projects. I participated in collaborative installations, helped build structures, shared knowledge about bamboo, and learned from each participant’s unique techniques and perspectives. In short, the residency was an intense and enriching experience, marked by the exchange of knowledge and the opportunity to experiment freely. I returned from it with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of belonging to the artistic community. More than producing works, it was a moment of building bonds and collective growth — something that I will take with me to future creations.

This space provided me with silence, comfort, and inspiring landscapes, as well as company that helped me deepen my work in a meaningful way. It also brought the challenge of incorporating all the new and wonderful things that emerged throughout the development of the work. Este espacio me brindo un silencio, comodidades, paisajes inspiradores, aparte de compañía que influyó en que pudiera profundizar en mí trabajo de manera plena. Tambien el desafío de incorporar todo lo nuevo y maravilloso que se iba presentando en el devenir de la obra.

My artistic residency at RSJ was an overall positive experience. The possibility to work surrounded by so much nature helped me focus and gather insights. The fazenda has so much space to collaborate or work solo so I enjoyed painting alone and having the chance to get creative input about my work from other fellows on the spot as well as dive into their own practice. A highlight for me was the mix of body work we did; yoga, meditation and walks kept me grounded all through my stay. The whole team was very welcoming, the food delicious and can only recommend Residência São João to other artists looking to develop or write the first stages of a project surrounded by nature.

I had participated in the residency in January 2024 and it was an unforgettable experience... I was able to carry out a research, in a place of huge historical importance for Brazil, and I was graced with the presence and collaboration of other residents who were very open and courageous in sharing knowledge and body to raise and dissolve questions about the limits of art. Not to mention that the convergence, of the residence, with organic agriculture, and natural food, are a key point to allow, feel and tell a story of Brazil that is truly reconciled with the natural, fertile, and abundant power of the country.