Artistes en résidence — a 100-day residency in France with a grant of up to €6,300 for visual artists
This residency is open to artists from any country and of any age working in the field of visual art. The only formal language requirement concerns the application: the letter of intent must be submitted in English, while the level of English proficiency is not assessed; the use of a machine translation is allowed. The program is designed for those who need time, space, and financial support to develop their practice — without the pressure of producing a final result or public presentation.
Residencies take place in Clermont-Ferrand and offer a long-term format focused entirely on research and experimentation. This is not a competition for the best project and not an exhibition program, but an opportunity to pause, reconsider one’s practice, and work at a calm professional pace.
About the Residency
The program is organized by the association Artistes en résidence, based in Clermont-Ferrand. The organization consistently supports contemporary art and international artistic mobility, building long-term connections between artists, institutions, and local communities. The format is a long-term residency, created in 2020 as an alternative to short-term programs. It gives artists sufficient time for in-depth work, doubts, and changes of direction, without the need to report results.
Format and length of stay
The residency lasts 100 days, which can be completed continuously or split over several stages during the year. This flexibility allows participants to adapt their stay to personal, professional, or family circumstances. Residencies take place in Clermont-Ferrand during the period from 1 March 2027 to 29 February 2028. This extended duration makes the program particularly suitable for artists in a research phase.
Who the program is for
The residency is intended exclusively for visual artists. Both emerging and established artists are accepted. The selection committee adheres to an inclusive approach and strives for a balance between different artistic practices, nationalities, and levels of experience. The program is particularly suitable for artists who are in the process of rethinking their practice, need time for reflection and paid work without production pressure, and want to focus on questions rather than results.
Financial support and conditions
Each selected visual artist receives a living grant of €4,500 and a production grant of €1,800. The total financial support thus amounts to €6,300. Travel expenses are partially reimbursed — up to €1,000, if required. Accommodation is provided by the host organization, but does not include daily expenses. Artists are responsible for their own living costs; however, the organization provides official invitation letters for visa applications and additional mobility grants.
Accommodation and working environment
Artists live in a private room within a fully equipped apartment with a kitchen and shared common areas. Accommodation is provided in a comfortable, calm setting and allows artists to focus on their work throughout the residency period. The working environment offers shared workshop spaces for working with wood and metal, ceramic kilns, a fully equipped printmaking studio, audiovisual equipment, computer workstations, and 3D printers for digital and experimental production. This infrastructure allows artists to work with different materials and formats without the need to seek external resources.
Public engagement and support
Public events are not mandatory. However, if desired, artists may hold a meeting, presentation, or open studio. For this purpose, the organization provides an additional budget of €500. The Artistes en résidence team supports participants, helping them build professional connections with curators, researchers, artisans, and representatives of the local community. At the same time, the residency does not impose intensive networking and respects each artist’s individual working rhythm.
Application language and requirements
The application includes an application form, a portfolio of up to 20 pages, a CV, and a letter of intent of up to two pages. Applicants are not required to describe a specific project. Instead, it is important to explain why a long-term format is relevant to their practice and which questions they wish to explore. The letter of intent must be submitted in English, as the jury is international. English proficiency is not assessed; the use of machine translation is permitted.
The final application deadline is 1 February 2026. Selection results will be sent by email in mid-June 2026.
