Visual arts residencies 2025

As part of its mission to provide information to professionals, the Cnap is publishing a new, revised and expanded edition of the guide Visual Arts Residencies, dedicated to residency programmes available to artists, curators, art critics, theorists, and art historians, within the collection “Guides to Contemporary Art.”

Download the guide

This ambitious publication provided the opportunity to carry out an unprecedented sociological study with sociologist Isabelle Mayaud on the role of visual arts residencies in France, in order to assess their impact on artistic careers. Over the past few decades, artist residencies have established themselves as one of the main levers of public support for artists across many fields, and now play a central role in artistic and cultural life. This study offers an approach based on the perspective of visual artists themselves, as experienced throughout (or not) their professional lives. It highlights, in particular, the unequal access to residencies, the scarcity of opportunities compared to demand, and the various conditions of selection and hosting. While 75% of artists report no more than five residency experiences in France over the course of their careers, the study also reveals that associations and artist collectives provide the majority of hosting opportunities. The survey naturally underlines the importance of remuneration, a theme that is also further developed in the guide.

Aimed at all visual arts professionals, this comprehensive tool is designed to address their questions, offer guidance, and promote sound professional practices. It gathers essential insights into the challenges and success factors of residency programmes, developed in consultation with professionals.

The guide has multiple objectives. It provides structured, instructive, and practical information both for residency organizations at every stage of programme development, and for future residents seeking to select hosting programmes suited to their practices and expectations. It also raises awareness of good professional practices and contributes to the dissemination of resources and recommendations that enhance knowledge of residency schemes while improving working and hosting conditions.

The guide includes:

• A sociological study of visual arts residency schemes in France, assessing their impact on artistic careers
• A synthesis text on the organization and operation of residencies
• New chapters on remuneration and international mobility
• An updated model residency hosting contract
• A new model for copyright assignment agreements
• Two selective directories of residency structures, in France and abroad for French State programmes overseas, established according to ethical framework criteria and developed in consultation with the professional sector

Access to the directories is facilitated by several indexes, designed to reflect the growing presence of certain disciplines within programmes. Finally, the guide is enriched with numerous resources for each theme addressed, complemented by a bibliography.