Free Design Residencies

Delfina Foundation

London, United Kingdom

The Delfina Foundation Residency Program, based in London, offers opportunities for artists, curators, and writers to develop their practice, explore connections, and build collaborations. Residencies, lasting up to three months, are largely thematic and support both emerging and established cultural practitioners. The Foundation hosts 6 to 8 residents simultaneously in its central London location, providing flexible living and working space. Residents engage with international peers and the public, fostering artistic exchange and professional development. The program has a strong focus on critical issues in contemporary art and has established relationships with the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.

TaDA - Textile and Design Alliance

Arbon, Switzerland

The TaDA – Textile and Design Alliance Residency offers a three-month residency for six creative professionals annually, welcoming both national and international artists to Arbon, Switzerland. This program facilitates collaboration with local textile companies, providing artists with accommodation, travel expenses, and a contribution to living costs. Residents work in the Kreativzentrum ZIK, a former textile and engine factory, gaining access to technology, infrastructure, and expert guidance. The residency aims to foster innovative projects and strengthen regional identity through artistic engagement with Eastern Switzerland’s rich textile and design culture. Residents present their projects at the public event “TaDA Spinnerei,” which includes discussions with international experts. The program encourages the development of new projects in various fields, including art, design, architecture, literature, and performing arts. TaDA is supported by the Cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, St.Gallen, and Thurgau, along with various foundations and sponsors.

1 Shanthiroad

Bangalore, India

1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery in Bengaluru, India, founded in 2002 by Suresh Jayaram, is an artist residency and gallery space that nurtures creativity and cutting-edge art practices through programs hosting artists from diverse countries and backgrounds.[1][2] It offers residencies like the annual NEXT-STEP program for five emerging artists, providing a platform for experimentation, collaboration, and community engagement over four weeks.[2][4] Administered by the Visual Art Collective (VAC) Trust, it includes studio access, mentorship, workshops, and exhibitions.[1][7]

421

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The 421 Residency Program supports creative practitioners from various disciplines seeking space and time for experimentation. This multidisciplinary program spans five months and takes place at the artist studios at 421 Arts Campus in MiZa. The residency is open to practices in visual arts, curation, design and technology, literary arts, music, theater, culinary arts, and more. It prioritizes process-driven exploration over the need for a final project outcome. The program is designed for artists from the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia), offering living space and studio facilities for non-Abu Dhabi-based participants, as well as travel expenses, a stipend, and a production budget. Each residency cohort includes three artists, with two cohorts held annually. The program promotes collaborative engagement among its residents while encouraging individual experimentation.

A|S Boutique Residence

La Habana, Cuba

A|S Boutique Residence is a luxury artist residency program located in a privately owned 5-star boutique hotel in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage site Old Havana, Cuba. Created by Amsterdam-based owner and artist Andre Visser and his partner Sandy Solano, the program offers emerging and established artists an unparalleled artistic experience in one of the world's most creative neighborhoods. The residency provides luxury accommodations in a meticulously restored 19th-century palatial mansion featuring 9 luxury suites, Art Gallery HAV, organic restaurant, and tropical garden patios. The program includes curated workshops with local artists, studio visits with contemporary Cuban artists and curators, museum visits, and collaborative opportunities, culminating in exhibitions at the on-site art gallery.

AIR in Tainan

Tainan, Taiwan

The AIR in Tainan program offers various residency opportunities across multiple locations in Tainan City, Taiwan, including Soulangh Cultural Park and Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center. These residencies provide international artists with a vibrant community and an environment rich in history and culture. The program supports artists from various disciplines, including visual art, installation, craft, design, and performance, by providing free accommodation, studio space, and a monthly living subsidy. Artists are encouraged to engage with the local community and draw inspiration from Tainan’s unique cultural and historical context. The program promotes artistic exchange and offers administrative support, making it a valuable experience for emerging and established artists alike.

Akademie Schloss Solitude

Stuttgart, Germany

Akademie Schloss Solitude is an international and transdisciplinary artist-in-residence program in Stuttgart, Germany, awarding 50-60 residencies every two years to artists, researchers, and cultural professionals across all disciplines. It provides space for concentrated work, interdisciplinary exchange, and networking, with fellows receiving furnished live/work studios, a monthly stipend of €1,300, and travel support for 6- or 9-month stays.[1][2][3]

American Academy in Rome

Rome, Italy

The American Academy in Rome, established in 1894, is a leading international center fostering interdisciplinary exchange among artists, writers, and scholars. Each year, the Academy awards the Rome Prize and Italian Fellowship through a competitive application and jury process to support innovative work in the arts and humanities. Winners are invited to Rome for a period conducive to intellectual and artistic freedom, engagement, and growth. The residency offers a unique opportunity to interact with an evolving international community, enriched by the historical and cultural backdrop of Rome. This tradition enhances the creative output of residents by providing a vibrant atmosphere that encourages the exchange of ideas and experiences within a global context.

Anderson Ranch Arts Center

Snowmass Village, Colorado, United States

Anderson Ranch Arts Center's Artists-in-Residence Program fosters creative, intellectual and professional growth for emerging and established visual artists in the scenic Colorado mountains. Residents have access to world-class facilities including 55,000 square feet of artistic studios and state-of-the-art equipment, free from everyday pressures. The program allows artists to pursue interdisciplinary projects among a community of working artists and gain feedback from prominent Visiting Artists and Critics. The Ranch setting is specifically crafted to aid artists in the production of their work, designed to allow artists to take risks and pursue new projects and ideas. Residents receive housing, studio space, and meals while working in disciplines including ceramics, new media, photography, furniture design, woodworking, painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. The program maintains an equal mix of emerging and established artists working together in a supportive mountain environment.

Artists Unlimited

Bielefeld, Germany

Artists Unlimited is an artist-run association and art house located in Bielefeld, Germany, that has been supporting international artists since 1985. The organization provides a three-month residency where artists and designers from around the world can live and work in a dedicated guest studio integrated within the Artists Unlimited house, a former paper factory. The residency includes a private studio and apartment, with essential amenities such as a kitchen, washing machine, and Wi-Fi. Artists Unlimited covers the cost of rent and provides a monthly grant, while travel expenses are the responsibility of the artist. Residents are encouraged to present their work in the on-site gallery by the end of their stay. The program is financed by the members of Artists Unlimited and relies on voluntary contributions.

Atelier Mondial

Basel, Switzerland

Atelier Mondial is an international and interdisciplinary artist residency program in Basel, Switzerland, hosting guest artists from partner institutions worldwide in its seven studios for stays typically lasting three to six months. It provides live-in studios, stipends for living expenses, and opportunities for open studios and exhibitions at Salon Mondial. The program also offers grants to regional artists from Basel, South Baden, and Alsace for residencies abroad in fields like visual arts, literature, fashion & textiles, dance & performing arts, and curation.

Bauhaus Earth

Berlin, Germany

The Experimental Fellowship at Bauhaus Earth is an international program designed for emerging practitioners in architecture, design, engineering, and interdisciplinary fields aiming to explore sustainable, regenerative approaches to the built environment. Hosted by Experimental, a Berlin-based non-profit founded by architect Prof. Regine Leibinger, the program supports fellows through financial assistance, mentorship, and access to a collaborative network. The fellowship emphasizes open-ended, practice-led research that results in tangible prototypes or architectural fragments integrating ecological and social concerns. Bauhaus Earth offers a supportive environment that connects fellows with workshops, expert advisors, and public engagement opportunities in Berlin and Brandenburg. Projects are developed in mutual collaboration with the program team and relevant stakeholders. Fellows gain visibility through exhibitions, publications, and public programming. The initiative bridges research and real-world application to rethink how architecture can contribute to sustainable futures. With a focus on material innovation, local ecosystems, and circular practices, Bauhaus Earth fosters experimental design practices that push boundaries in the architectural field.

Bibliothek Andreas Züst

Oberegg, Switzerland

The Bibliothek Andreas Züst offers four studio residency stipends in autumn 2024, providing a four-week stay for national and international cultural workers across various disciplines, including visual arts, literature, new media, music, theatre, design, architecture, film, and photography. Located at the Alpenhof panorama lodge in Oberegg, Switzerland, the residency includes free accommodations, meals, studio access, and travel costs. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects related to the library or its sub-areas, fostering research and creative work that explores cultural diversity.

Blackhorse Workshop

London, United Kingdom

Blackhorse Workshop, a social enterprise based in London, is committed to opening up access to making for all. The workshop offers a supportive environment for creative practitioners, particularly those early in their careers, who have a strong interest in wood and metal work. The residency provides free desk space in a shared studio, access to professional wood and metal workshops, and regular development support. With a focus on inclusivity, Blackhorse Workshop actively encourages applications from individuals with a strong connection to Waltham Forest, especially from underrepresented backgrounds in the arts. The residency culminates in a public presentation of the resident’s work, offering a valuable platform for emerging makers.

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Lisbon, Portugal

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian), a renowned international foundation, facilitates impactful residencies under its program, "Bauhaus of the Seas Sails." These residencies, including "Radical Waters – Concrete Matters," "Eating Between Tides," and "A Call to the Sea," are designed to foster innovative approaches across various disciplines—integrating art, science, and community engagement. Each residency is fully funded and supports interdisciplinary collaboration to explore and address environmental and societal issues through artistic and scientific lenses.

Casa Wabi Fundación (Foundation)

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Fundación Casa Wabi, a non-profit civil association, promotes contemporary art and local community engagement through its residency program. Located in three locations: Puerto Escondido, Mexico City, and Tokyo, Casa Wabi operates under the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, finding beauty in simplicity and imperfection. Founded by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, the headquarters in Puerto Escondido is designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The residency program invites national and international artists to engage in multidisciplinary exchanges that foster social development. Residents benefit from comprehensive facilities, including studios, exhibition galleries, and communal spaces, to inspire creativity and community interaction.

CCA Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

The Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Tashkent offers fully funded 8-week artist residencies welcoming emerging and established artists, writers, and researchers from around the world to engage with Uzbekistan's cultural heritage and local communities. The program runs three times annually with four to five participants per cohort and includes opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration, public engagement, and exhibition of final work.

Centre International d’Art et du Paysage (CIAPV)

Beaumont-du-Lac, France

The Centre International d’Art et du Paysage (CIAPV) on Vassivière Island, France, supports research, experimentation, production, and dissemination of contemporary art. The CIAPV is unique within the French artistic landscape, known for its remarkable contemporary architecture and open-air permanent collection. The residency program offers an immersive experience in the landscape, history, and culture of Vassivière Island, fostering artistic experimentation and public engagement. The upcoming thematic residency, “Landscape and the Commons,” invites an artist-scientist duo to explore the relationship between landscape and the commons.

Cove Park

Helensburgh, United Kingdom

Cove Park is an international artist residency centre on a 50-acre rural site overlooking Loch Long in Argyll, Scotland, near Helensburgh, hosting national and international artists, writers, researchers, and creative practitioners across all art forms and career stages.[1][3] The program supports research, experimentation, development, and production of new work in a supportive environment with communal facilities and events.[1][2] Residencies vary from funded opportunities with stipends and housing to self-funded stays, typically lasting 2-4 weeks.[1][2]

Creative Spark

Dundalk, Ireland

Creative Spark’s Artist-in-Residence Programme supports both emerging and established artists working across disciplines. Residents develop their practice in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment with access to specialist facilities including a Fine Art Print Studio, Darkroom, FabLab, Textile Lab, and a Kiln Room. The programme emphasizes skills development, experimentation and community connection, offering opportunities to share work through talks, demonstrations and public participation. Artists can exhibit locally and engage with Creative Spark’s wider community and studios ecosystem. Technical support is available throughout, and studio spaces include shared areas with water supply. The programme welcomes Irish and international artists, with a strong regional connection to County Louth.

CSHL - Celia and Wally Gilbert Artist-in-Residence

Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States

The Celia and Wally Gilbert Artist-in-Residence at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory invites artists, composers, writers, designers and other creative practitioners to explore the interplay of art and science on CSHL’s campus. Residents engage with scientists, attend meetings, and access the Library & Archives’ extensive collections to inspire new work. The residency emphasizes dialogue, research and public engagement, culminating in at least one work to be presented at CSHL within a year. Room and board on campus are covered during the stay, and an honorarium is provided.

EE Exclusives

Heeze, Netherlands

EE Exclusives is a family-owned textile mill celebrating its 125th anniversary with the launch of the Textile Pioneer Program, a unique artist residency designed for emerging textile professionals eager to deepen their expertise and create at the intersection of craftsmanship and innovation. Located at Industrieweg 64, Heeze, Netherlands, this fully funded 9-week creative residency provides access to weaving facilities, a 125-year-old textile archive, and the opportunity to create professional woven prototypes on high-tech jacquard machines. The program includes 6 working days at the factory and 5 weeks of guided remote design development by expert team members including creative director, creative project manager, and jacquard designer. For 2025, applications are due June 15th with the program starting July-September. EE Exclusives has worked with renowned fashion houses including Viktor & Rolf and artists like Hella Jongerius, with collaborations featured in Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. The program emphasizes textile innovation beyond generations, combining traditional Dutch weaving heritage with cutting-edge techniques.

Fogo Island Arts

Fogo Island, Canada

Fogo Island Arts is an international residency program founded in 2008 that invites professional contemporary artists, curators, writers, filmmakers, musicians, designers, and thinkers to live and work on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada, fostering creation, research, and connections around themes of sustainability, ecology, economy, and belonging.[1][2][3] Residents stay in saltbox houses within local communities, with access to individual studios in scenic locations, and are expected to engage publicly through presentations or workshops.[1][2] The program, part of the Shorefast Foundation, supports a range of disciplines and has specific opportunities like the fully funded 6-8 week Newfoundland and Labrador Artist Residency.[5]

Grizedale Arts

Coniston, United Kingdom

Grizedale Arts is a contemporary arts organisation based at Lawson Park farm near Coniston in the Lake District, UK, operating as a residency and commissioning agency focused on integrating art into everyday life through hands-on, communal projects.[1][5] Over the past decade, it has shifted from traditional artist residencies to a flexible model involving commissioned works, research stays, volunteering opportunities, and roles as associate artists within local, national, and international programmes.[4] Residencies emphasise practical skills like construction, crafts, and sustainable initiatives, often at Lawson Park or The Farmer's Arms, with examples including volunteer builds and paid potter positions.[2][7]

IASPIS

Stockholm, Sweden

The IASPIS residency programme in Stockholm, run by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, provides nine studios for visual and applied arts artists, focusing on international exchange and exploratory artistic work that can be practical or theoretical. Swedish-based artists apply directly, while international artists are invited based on proposals from professionals in the field. Residencies last three to six months, offering studio access, networking opportunities, public events, and for international artists, accommodation and a subsistence grant.

Les Récollets

Paris, France

Les Récollets is an 80-unit furnished international residence in Paris's 10th arrondissement dedicated to hosting established researchers, scientists, and artists from around the world. The center provides accommodation with hotel-like services and fosters interdisciplinary creative exchange among residents from diverse fields. It serves as a space for artists and researchers to develop specific projects while engaging with Paris's cultural institutions and community.

Misk Art Institute

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Misk Art Residency, under the Misk Art Institute, focuses on supporting artistic development through its Masaha Residency program in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The program is designed to cultivate the art sector through studio-based opportunities that facilitate discourse, research, and experimentation around themes relevant to the local community. Artists are provided with dedicated studios, production support, and opportunities to engage in public program events and showcase new work. The residency aims to foster meaningful exchanges between artists and the local community, promoting critical engagement with contemporary issues.

NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore

Singapore, Singapore

NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore is a research-oriented, studio-based residency programme that has supported over 210 artists, curators, and researchers since 2014. The programme provides fully-funded residencies with curatorial support, enabling multiform creative processes and facilitating interdisciplinary knowledge production. Residents become active contributors to the Centre's cultural life and develop public programmes including talks, workshops, open studios, screenings, and performances.

Pro Helvetia

Zürich, Switzerland

Pro Helvetia's residency programme enables artists from Switzerland and regions covered by its liaison offices to spend up to three months immersed in a different daily context, offering possibilities for artistic exchange, reflection, and the emergence of new work, collaborations, and ideas.

RaumKulturDenkmal

Breitenberg, Germany

The RaumKulturDenkmal e.V. aims to promote nature conservation, art, culture, and the protection of cultural landscapes in the tri-border area of Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria. The association is involved in cross-border projects with international participation, focusing on the preservation of endangered cultural and wild plants, the revival and restoration of historical building structures, and artistic research. The Bauhaus Bavaria Artist-in-Residence program celebrates sustainable practices and inclusive spirit, merging the ethos of the Bauhaus Movement and the Black Mountain College. The residency offers a unique opportunity for sustainable creative experimentation in a historically rich and ecologically significant location.

Sacatar Foundation

Itaparica, Brazil

Instituto Sacatar is the longest continuously-operating artist residency in Brazil, founded in 2001 on the island of Itaparica across the bay from Salvador, Bahia. The residency provides fully-funded fellowships to artists of all disciplines from around the world, hosting up to eight artists at a time across five annual sessions. Since its inception, Sacatar has awarded residencies to over 550 artists from more than 75 countries.

Shakti Design Residency

New Delhi, India

The Shakti Design Residency in India is an annual program supporting international design talent through a four-week immersive experience in New Delhi and Jaipur. The residency is open to creatives from any medium and discipline, providing participants with the opportunity to collaborate with local artisans and gain mentorship from world-leading design experts. Residents will create sustainable and innovative pieces inspired by Indian craftsmanship and culture. The program offers free flights, accommodation, and an honorarium of $1,500 for meals and expenses. Participants will stay at Shalini Misra’s farmhouse in New Delhi, which serves as the hub for this unique residency. The residency is organized in partnership with Curio and Basic.Space, aiming to foster creative growth and cultural exchange.

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, New York, United States

The Work + Space Residency is hosted by the Department of Art at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, offering an immersive experience for emerging artists. Designed to foster artistic creation, exhibition, and student engagement, the residency provides a dedicated studio, lodging, meals, and a stipend. Artists in residence present their work in a solo exhibition at the Schick Gallery, typically scheduled at the end of their stay. The program emphasizes diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants with recent MFAs, non-traditional backgrounds, or underrepresented identities. Residents are encouraged to contribute to the academic community through workshops, lectures, or student studio visits. Access to specialized tools and facilities is available upon approval and is project-dependent. The residency prioritizes contemporary practices across all visual and interdisciplinary art fields. Through this short-term but intensive format, Skidmore College aims to integrate professional artists into its liberal arts environment for mutual inspiration and growth.

Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS)

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS) offers the International Creator Residency Program, inviting distinguished and highly motivated international creators in fields such as visual art, film, design, and architecture. The program provides opportunities for creative activities in Tokyo, emphasizing cultural exchange and independent project work. The residency is divided into two main categories: Individual Projects and Theme Projects. Individual Projects offer a 3-month residency during specified periods, while Theme Projects focus on specific themes, encouraging collaborative exploration. The residency provides airfare, living expenses, a fee for creative work, and living space in single rooms, with shared studio facilities. Applications are evaluated based on artistic merit and project proposals, culminating in a result exhibition or open studio presentation. TOKAS fosters an enriching environment for creators to develop their work and engage with Tokyo’s vibrant cultural landscape.

Transmediale

Berlin, Germany

The Transmediale Residency Program offers opportunities for artists, researchers, theorists, and practitioners working at the intersection of digital art, media studies, and technology. Located in Berlin, the residency supports hybrid participation, allowing residents to engage both remotely and on-site. The program emphasizes long-term, research-based engagement over outcome-driven projects, fostering collaboration across disciplines. Transmediale works with multiple international partners, offering various residency opportunities for artists from Switzerland, Korea, Chile, and Berlin. Residents receive a stipend, housing support, and travel funding, and are encouraged to develop new projects or expand on existing ones in the fields of media art, art criticism, digital practices, and moving image theory. Transmediale’s extensive network helps residents build sustainable relationships within both the local and global art community.

Villa Kujoyama

Kyoto, Japan

Villa Kujoyama is a pluridisciplinary research residency located in Kyoto, Japan that has welcomed established and emerging artists, artisans, and creators since 1992. The residency provides time and space for residents to dedicate themselves fully to their practice and research while engaging with artistic, cultural, academic, and economic communities across Japan. It is operated by Institut français du Japon and supported by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.

Villa Medici – French Academy in Rome

Rome, Italy

The Villa Medici – French Academy in Rome offers residency programs for French-speaking artists, authors, researchers, and craftsmen from all disciplines, including visual arts, music, literature, architecture, design, choreography, theater, and art history. Residents and fellows stay for periods ranging from two weeks to one year, focusing on creative, experimental, or research projects in a supportive environment that encourages interdisciplinary exchanges. Fellows receive grants covering room, board, workspace, and artistic support, while shorter residencies are available through thematic calls and partnerships.[1][2][4]

WilderHaven

Chengdu, China

WilderHaven is an artist-founded initiative based in Southwest China that fosters cross-cultural dialogue and interdisciplinary creation in deeply immersive rural settings. Founded in 2024, it offers artist and writer residencies in the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou, engaging directly with the region’s diverse landscapes and minority cultures. The residency supports visual artists, writers, musicians, performers, and designers through flexible programs designed to bridge global practices with local traditions. With small cohorts and a balance of solitude and community, WilderHaven emphasizes experimentation, collaboration, and critical inquiry. Participants have access to studios, cultural excursions, and local engagement opportunities with ethnic Yi and Lisú communities. Group and pop-up exhibitions offer residents ways to showcase work locally and in major Chinese cities. Family-friendly accommodations, bilingual support, and curated events make it accessible to a broad range of creatives. The program is primarily self-funded but offers merit-based stipends to reduce participation costs for selected artists.