Best Researcher / Scholar Residencies

Bogliasco Foundation

Bogliasco, Italy

The Bogliasco Foundation offers fellowships to exceptional individuals who are developing significant new work in the arts and humanities. Located in Bogliasco, Italy, these fellowships are open to scholars and artists of any nationality, age, race, religion, or gender, provided they are not students in a degree-granting program. The Foundation values applicants who demonstrate they would thrive in an intimate, international, multilingual community of scholars and artists. Fellowships are awarded twice annually and provide recipients with a one-month residency at the Foundation's Study Center in Italy. During their stay, fellows are provided with accommodation, meals, and a personal workspace, fostering an environment conducive to creative and scholarly work.

Callie’s

Berlin, Germany

Callie’s is a non-profit experimental institution in Berlin dedicated to fostering creativity and cultural exchange through its residency program, exhibitions, and public programs. Housed in a former machine factory in the Wedding district, Callie’s offers private studio spaces, a movement studio with a sprung floor, a cooperative sound studio, and a dedicated writing room. The residency is self-guided, allowing artists at any stage of their careers to explore new ideas without production requirements. Artists-in-residence can also request on-site accommodation in micro-apartments, designed with handmade and custom elements. Callie’s fosters an open and interdisciplinary environment, with periodic informal gatherings, networking opportunities, and access to Berlin’s rich cultural landscape. While the residency covers workspace and resources, it does not provide direct funding for travel or materials. The program is open to visual artists, musicians, choreographers, writers, poets, and researchers, supporting a wide range of creative practices. Residencies typically last six months, with some flexibility for shorter stays.

Correlación Contemporánea (Correlacion Contemporanea)

Iquitos (for Amazonica), Peru

Correlación Contemporánea is a non-profit, artist-run organization based in Peru, focused on analyzing and contributing to the contemporary art scene through a range of residency programs. Since 2016, they have fostered exchanges between national and international artists, creating horizontal spaces for dialogue that stimulate artistic creation within the Peruvian socio-cultural context. Their residency programs include Amazonica, COM_UNIDAD, IWATI PARANA, and ANACONDAAA, each offering unique experiences that connect artists with the rich cultural, social, and environmental landscape of Peru. These residencies are designed for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artists, curators, and researchers who wish to engage deeply with local communities, traditional practices, and contemporary issues in the Peruvian Amazon and Andean regions.

Hambidge

Rabun Gap, Georgia, United States

The Hambidge Center, nestled on 600 acres in the North Georgia mountains, stands as the oldest residency program in the Southeast, committed to supporting the creative process across a wide array of disciplines. It welcomes visual artists, writers, dancers, musicians, ceramicists, chefs, scientists, and arts administrators, offering two-week to eight-week self-directed residencies. Each resident is provided with a private studio and living space, complemented by communal vegetarian meals four nights a week. This environment fosters solitude and interaction among a small group of residents, encouraging both deep work and meaningful exchange. Financial aid and Distinguished Fellowships are available to support artists during their stay. The Center’s setting offers a connection with nature, featuring trails, waterfalls, and a rich biodiversity that can inspire and rejuvenate any creative endeavor. Facilities include specialized equipment for various practices, such as the Antinori Pottery Studio and a Steinway grand piano, ensuring that artists have the resources they need. Accessibility is considered, with ADA-compliant studios available, though the natural, unpaved terrain may limit mobility for some.

Hub Feenix

Meltola, Finland

Hub Feenix, nestled in the tranquil southeastern Finland forest, offers a unique artist residency program that fosters creativity, healing, and connection. Located in a beautifully renovated former sanatorium, the Hub provides an inspiring environment for artists, writers, and other creatives to focus on their work while enjoying the serene beauty of nature. The residency program supports creative exploration and personal growth, offering both quiet, private spaces and opportunities for communal engagement. With a strong commitment to sustainability and inclusivity, Hub Feenix is an ideal retreat for those seeking inspiration and rejuvenation in a supportive, nature-immersed setting.

Pocoapoco

Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico

Pocoapoco is a cultural organization located in Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico, focusing on contemporary arts, social practices, and transcultural dialogues. The organization hosts five-week residencies from September to April each year, fostering an environment for international and local residents to think, work, discuss, and collaborate. The program emphasizes shared practice and dialogue, aiming to support and connect individuals, ideas, and practices to catalyze social discourse, understanding, and change. Residents at Pocoapoco include a diverse range of participants, from social and cultural workers to fine artists, musicians, and researchers, all engaging in active observation, dialogue, and reflection. The residency facilitates interdisciplinary exchange through meals, conversations, and presentations. Additionally, the program integrates activities that require residents to share their work with the public, enhancing both personal and communal development. The residency program is bilingual (English and Spanish) and includes housing, meals, workspace access, and photo documentation of work. It uniquely operates on a sliding scale fee system to accommodate a wide range of financial capabilities, reflecting Pocoapoco’s commitment to accessibility and community engagement.

Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program

Brooklyn, New York, United States

The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program awards rent-free, non-living studio space to 17 visual artists for year-long residencies in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Selected annually based on merit from a competitive pool of applicants by a professional jury, the program is open to professional visual artists 21 years or older who live in the US, as well as US citizens or permanent residents living abroad. The studios feature high ceilings, elevator access, and communal spaces including a kitchen, slop sinks, restrooms, and a sitting area with wi-fi. Artists have 24/7 access to their studios and are expected to spend at least 20 hours per week in the studio, participate in the spring open studios event, and maintain all communal spaces. The residency does not provide housing or financial stipends, and applicants must not be enrolled in any degree program or maintain a separate studio during their residency.

Oak Spring Garden Foundation

Upperville, Virginia, United States

The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) offers a unique residency experience located in Upperville, Virginia, nestled between the towns of Middleburg and Marshall. The foundation is dedicated to perpetuating the gifts of Rachel "Bunny" Lambert Mellon, including her extensive gardens, estate, and the Oak Spring Garden Library. The OSGF focuses on interdisciplinary residencies that bring together artists, conservation practitioners, researchers, and scholars who are connected through their creative and investigative practices concerning plants, gardens, landscapes, and related environmental themes. Established in 2021, the residency program supports individuals engaged in a variety of disciplines including the arts, conservation, humanities, and plant and ecological sciences. Residents are provided with fully furnished accommodations and have access to studios, a significant library collection, communal meals, and various natural and cultivated landscapes on the 700-acre property. The program aims to foster a collaborative environment among residents while also providing opportunities for solitude and focused work. Key components of the residency include initial orientations to the resources available at OSGF, involvement in community meals prepared by an on-site chef, and optional involvement in activities that enhance their experiential learning and connection to the site.

Arquetopia Foundation

Puebla, Mexico

Arquetopia Foundation is an award-winning, multiple award-winning nonprofit arts and academic foundation with a significant social scope and global presence across three continents. Now in its 14th year, Arquetopia is dedicated to promoting critical thinking, a commitment to ethics, and a sense of reciprocity in artistic practices. It offers customized, professional International Artist-in-Residence Programs that are renowned worldwide for their comprehensive, research-based approach, focusing on social creativity. Arquetopia's residency programs, situated in Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, Cusco in Peru, and Naples in Italy, are tailored to provide a vast array of learning opportunities. These programs are distinguished for their commitment to sustainability in the arts, fostering research and critical thinking in creative processes. Arquetopia's model challenges preconceived notions of history and place, encouraging artists to engage with local epistemologies and resistance models as sources of knowledge and inspiration for social change. The foundation emphasizes ethical artistic practices, acknowledging the problematic ties of artist residencies to colonization, imperialism, and the extractive practices of tourism. Established in 2009 as an autonomous and registered Mexican nonprofit, Arquetopia is self-sustaining, unaffiliated with any political, religious, or war industrial entities, relying on its self-generated funding model. The foundation was co-founded by Mexican visual artist and curator Francisco Guevara and North American classical musician Chris Davis. Originally started as an educational art center for inner-city youth, it quickly evolved to offer international artist residencies. Arquetopia stands out for its array of unique residency programs with substantial mentoring, focused on professional artists, writers, academics, and researchers. It provides a generous and culturally diverse space, hosting artists and scholars from all over the world, aiming to enrich the global arts community with a multiplicity of perspectives.

Dora Maar

Ménerbes, France

La Maison Dora Maar et L'Hôtel Tingry offers a unique residency experience for mid-career artists and scholars in Ménerbes, France. The program provides fellows with a private bedroom and bath, as well as a study or studio space, facilitating a focused and creative environment. Fellows enjoy the support of round-trip travel expenses, a grant based on the duration of their stay, and access to shared facilities like a kitchen, library, and beautiful gardens. The residency is enriched with regular cultural interactions, including monthly salons from March to November, where residents present their work to the local community. Applicants are expected to contribute to the residency community and local culture, and acknowledge their stay in any subsequent publications. The application process is competitive and requires a completed application, project description, references, and work samples.

GoctaLab

Cocachimba, Peru

GoctaLab is an interdisciplinary art residency and nature lodge located in the Amazon region of Peru, offering artists a unique opportunity to develop their projects in a vibrant natural environment. The residency supports artists across various disciplines, including art, architecture, ceramics, music, biology, regenerative agriculture, and more. Artists are encouraged to engage with the local community, promoting cultural exchange and contributing to the well-being of the region through their work. GoctaLab provides modern accommodation with breathtaking views of the Gocta waterfall, a fully equipped workshop, and access to multimedia resources and kilns. The residency promotes sustainability, with a focus on permaculture and sustainable living, integrating art, food, and community into a holistic creative experience. Residencies last between two weeks and one month, depending on project complexity, and artists have full board during their stay.

Farm Studio

Andore Village, Rajasthan, India

Farm Studio International Artist Residency in Rajasthan, India, offers artists from all disciplines an opportunity to develop their work in a rural community setting. Founded to foster creative exchange, dialogue, and collaboration between Indian rural artists and international contemporary artists, Farm Studio supports community-based activities and celebrates local cultural identity. The residency provides accommodation, meals, studio spaces, and an exhibition opportunity, encouraging experimentation and intercultural exchange. Artists are responsible for their travel, visa, and personal expenses. The program hosts residencies from October to the end of February each year, accommodating 3-6 artists at a time.

La Métive (Metive)

Moutier-d’Ahun, France

La Métive is an international residency program located in the rural village of Moutier-d’Ahun, France, in the heart of the Creuse region. Founded in 2002, the residency offers artists, authors, and researchers a unique space to engage in process-oriented research without the pressure of producing specific outcomes. The residency takes place in a beautifully renovated historical mill that provides 400 m² of workspaces, including a dance hall, rehearsal room, and exhibition space. Accommodation is provided in a large house with eight bedrooms, along with access to a garden, communal spaces, and various work areas. The residency emphasizes deep connections with the environment, the local community, and fellow residents, offering financial support that includes a per diem and travel allowance.

Fiskars AiR

Fiskars, Finland

Fiskars AiR, located in the picturesque village of Fiskars in Southern Finland, is a creative hub established in 2006 under the Cooperative of Artisans, Designers, and Artists. It invites professionals from various creative fields, including arts, crafts, design, and more, from all around the world, providing a multicultural and enriching experience. The residency offers a conducive environment for creative exploration influenced by the village’s rich history, unique population structure, and natural beauty featuring lush forests and tranquil lakes. Residents are accommodated in fully-equipped studio apartments suitable for individuals, couples, or small families, and have access to a large, versatile basement space for larger creative projects. Fiskars AiR aims to foster professional exchange and networking among local and international artists, enriching the local community through diverse artistic insights and collaborations.