 |
Residency programmes, broadly speaking, can provide artists with the opportunity to live and work outside of their normal environments. Artist residencies typically offer dedicated time and space in which to create and experiment, with an emphasis on research and reflection, solitude and inspiration. VAN July – August 2026 issue aims to demystify the process of selecting an artist residency. This themed issue contains a range of Residency Reports from artists at different career stages, who have undertaken all kinds of residencies in different parts of the world. In the Irish context, artists report on recent residencies at Burren College of Art, Cow House Studios, Heinrich Böll Cottage, IMMA, the Tyrone Guthrie Residency, and the UCD College Of Science Artist Residency with Mayo Dark Sky Park. In the UK, there are reports from Hospitalfield, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, and Prospect Cottage – the former home of artist, writer, and activist, Derek Jarman, in Dungeness on the Kent coastline. For the European section, artists reflect on their residencies in the British School at Rome, Magnetic Residency in Dunkirk, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris, the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam, and the WaterLANDS Artist Residency Programme, an EU-funded initiative that embeds artists at six wetland sites across Europe. Residencies profiled beyond Europe include the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York, Casa Wabi in Mexico, and Hyde Park Arts Center in Chicago. In addition, this special issue contains several Residency Roundups, providing a non-exhaustive overview of reputable residencies (funded, wherever possible) across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and worldwide. There are also roundups of virtual residencies, profiling noteworthy remote residency programmes that visual artists can undertake from home; prominent residencies for parenting artists around the world that allow resident artists to be accompanied by dependent children and partners; and residencies worldwide with a thematic focus on landscape, ecology, and sustainability. On The Cover: Elaine Grainger, How To Tread Lightly: Leaving Our Mark, 2026, community project at Foundation Casa Wabi, Mexico, April 2026; photograph by Elaine Grainger, courtesy of Foundation Casa Wabi. COLUMNS 6 Editorial. Joanne Laws introduces the residency themed issue. Culture Moves Europe. Lucy Tevlin provides an overview of Culture Moves Europe grants for artists undertaking European residencies. IRELAND RESIDENCIES 8 Residency Roundup: Ireland. Francesca Saracuta outlines funded artist residencies across Ireland. 10 Shared Conditions. Eoghan Ryan reports on his participation in the Dwell Here residency at IMMA. 11 Elemental Sanctuary. Shane Hynan reflects on his recent residency at the Burren College of Art. 12 A Week in Annaghmakerrig. Paul Bokslag reflects on being awarded an Age & Opportunity Tyrone Guthrie Residency. 13 The Bridge to Achill. Thomas Brezing reports on his experience of the Heinrich Böll Residency. 14 A Cosmic Spectacle. Louise Beer reflects on her experience as UCD College Of Science Artist-in-Residence with Mayo Dark Sky Park. 15 Dedicated Time. Clare Henderson reflects on the unique importance of residencies within her printmaking practice. UNITED KINGDOM RESIDENCIES 16 Residency Roundup: UK. Laura Harvey Graham provides an overview of funded visual artist residencies across the UK. 18 Sacred Time. Aideen Barryreports from her interdisciplinary residency in Hospitalfield in Arbroath. 19 Uisce / Flora. Anna Macleod discusses her previous residencies at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. 20 Prospect Cottage. Lynda Laird reports from the former home of Derek Jarman in Kent. EUROPEAN RESIDENCIES 22 Residency Roundup: Europe. Tom Lordan provides an overview of funded artist residencies in Europe. 24 Cultural Hub. Shiro Masuyama reflects on his residency at Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris. 25 Ideas of Truth. Richard Malone reports on their residency experience in the British School at Rome. 26 To Only Not Know. Dorothy Hunter reports on the Magnetic Residency Exchange in Dunkirk. 27 Keys to the Castle. Avril Corroon reports on her ongoing residency at the Rijksakademie. WORLDWIDE RESIDENCIES 28 Residency Roundup: Worldwide. Thomas Pool profiles funded artist residencies around the world. 30 Tropes of Melodrama. Eva Richardson McCrea reflects on her residency at ISCP in New York. 31 How to Tread Lightly. Elaine Grainger reflects on her residency at Casa Wabi in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. 32 Hyde Park Art Center. LéannHerlihy discusses their participation in a transatlantic residency exchange with Hyde Park Arts Center in Chicago. 33 Residency Roundup: Virtual. Joanne Laws profiles some remote residency programmes that visual artists can undertake from home. PARENTING ARTIST RESIDENCIES 34 Residency Roundup: Parenting Artists. Ella de Búrca outlines some reputable residencies for parenting artists worldwide, both funded and non-funded. 35 Care in Practice. Emma Smith reports on Cow House Studio’s Parenting Artist Residency. ECOLOGY & SUSTAINABILITY RESIDENCIES 36 Residency Roundup: Ecology. Joanne Laws outlines a selection of funded residencies with a focus on landscape, ecology, and sustainability. 37 WaterLANDS. Christine Mackey reports on her durational residency as part of an EU-funded project. LAST PAGES 38 Opportunities. Current and forthcoming residencies. |
a VAI Publication
