TheUltimateGuidetoFullyFundedArtistResidenciesfor2026
A comprehensive guide to fully funded artist residencies worldwide, with verified stipends, deadlines, and application details for visual artists, writers, and composers.
The Ultimate Guide to Fully Funded Artist Residencies for 2026
Finding a fully funded artist residency can transform your creative practice, offering dedicated time, professional studio space, and financial support to develop your work without economic pressure. Whether you're a visual artist, writer, composer, or interdisciplinary creator, dozens of prestigious programs worldwide cover housing, provide stipends, and eliminate application fees for artists in need.
This guide covers residencies across six continents, from legendary institutions to emerging programs with exceptional opportunities.
North American Residencies
MacDowell (New Hampshire, USA)
MacDowell remains one of the most prestigious artist residencies in North America, offering two to eight weeks of private studio space and chef-prepared meals delivered to your door.
What's included:
- Private studio and accommodations
- Three chef-prepared meals daily
- Need-based financial assistance covering travel, childcare, and lost income
- Travel reimbursement grants based on demonstrated need
Application details:
- Fee: $30 (fee waivers available for financial hardship)
- Deadlines: February 10 (Fall/Winter season) and September 10 (Spring/Summer season)
- Disciplines: Architecture, film/video, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts
Note: Applicants cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program during the residency season.
Yaddo (New York, USA)
Yaddo in Saratoga Springs offers residencies of two weeks to two months on a 400-acre estate, with private bedrooms and communal dinners fostering cross-disciplinary exchange.
What's included:
- Private bedroom accommodations
- Workspace
- Meals
Application details:
- Fee: $35 (contact Program Department for fee barrier assistance at least three weeks before deadline)
- Deadlines: January 6 and August 1
- Disciplines: Choreography, film, literature, musical composition, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video
Note: Artists may apply once every other calendar year. Graduate/undergraduate students are not eligible.
Headlands Center for the Arts (California, USA)
Headlands Center for the Arts near San Francisco provides fully sponsored four to ten-week residencies with exceptional financial support.
What's included:
- Paid round-trip airfare from home city
- Up to $1,000 monthly (stipend or reimbursed expenses)
- Studio space
- Chef-prepared meals
- Comfortable housing
Special awards with additional stipends:
- Tournesol Award: $10,000 stipend for emerging Bay Area painters
- Chamberlain Award: $10,000 prize for social practice artists
- Chiaro Award: $15,000 prize for two mid-career US painters
- Henderson Award: $10,000 prize for mid-career woman-identifying painters
Application details:
- Fee: $35 (until May 5), $45 thereafter
- 2026 applications: Opened April 1, 2025, closed June 2, 2025
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts (Nebraska, USA)
Bemis Center in Omaha offers generous stipends for both US-based and international artists.
What's included:
- US-based artists: $1,250 monthly stipend + $750 travel stipend
- International artists: $1,250 monthly stipend + $1,500 travel stipend
- Live/work studio space
Sound Art + Experimental Music Residency:
- $1,250 monthly stipend
- $750 travel stipend
- $2,500 materials budget
Note: International artists are encouraged to apply for a J-1 short-term scholar visa to receive monthly stipend payments.
Fine Arts Work Center (Massachusetts, USA)
The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown offers the longest tenure among US residencies at seven months (October through April).
What's included:
- $1,250 monthly stipend
- $1,000 exit stipend
- Apartment
- Studio space (for visual artists)
Application deadlines for 2026-2027:
- Writers: December 15, 2025
- Visual Artists: February 6, 2026
Special fellowships:
- Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellowship: For emerging women writers, includes $2,500 travel/living prize
Ucross Foundation (Wyoming, USA)
Ucross Foundation offers residencies on a 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming with dedicated support for Native American artists.
Standard residency:
- Four-week residency
- Private studio space
- Living accommodations
- Meals prepared by a professional chef
- Stipend
Native American Fellowship:
- $1,500 stipend
- $2,000 award
- Opportunity for public presentation (exhibition, reading, or performance)
- No application fee
Application deadlines:
- Spring 2026: Applications opened May 1, 2025, deadline July 15, 2025
- Fall 2026: Applications open November 1, 2025, deadline January 15, 2026
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (Virginia, USA)
VCCA offers residencies at Mt. San Angelo in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with multiple fully-funded fellowship tracks.
What's included:
- Private bedroom with private bath
- Separate individual studio
- Three meals daily
Fellowships available:
- Christina Chiu AAPI Writers Fellowship
- SSG & AC Edwards Fellowship (preference for Native Americans or women)
- Greater Opportunity Fellowships
- Sheila Gulley Pleasants Fellowship (need-based)
Application details:
- Fee: $50
- Fall 2026 deadline: January 15, 2026
- Applications via vcca.slideroom.com
Hedgebrook (Washington, USA)
Hedgebrook on Whidbey Island provides fully funded residencies for women-identified writers in handcrafted cottages on 48 acres facing Puget Sound.
What's included:
- Private cottage
- All meals
- Entire residency experience at no cost
Application details:
- Duration: 2-3 weeks
- Eligibility: Women-identified writers 18+, including transgender women and female-identified individuals
- Genres: Poetry, prose (fiction/non-fiction), playwriting, screenwriting/TV
- 2026 applications: Closed April 14, 2025 (notifications in early November)
Note: Hedgebrook receives approximately 1,500 applications annually and awards more than 60 residencies.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Alberta, Canada)
Banff Centre offers multiple residency programs with significant scholarship support.
Scholarship types:
- Standard scholarship: 100% of tuition fees + 50% of meals and accommodation
- Canadian Indigenous scholarship: 100% of tuition, meals, and accommodation
Application fee: $65 ($35 for Indigenous applicants)
Programs include:
- Banff Artist in Residence (BAiR) - Winter/Summer 2026
- Early Career Banff Artist in Residence 2026
- Story Sharing Residency (for Indigenous storytellers)
- Indigenous Music Creation Residency (fully-funded for all applicants)
- Digital Constellations Residency (for Indigenous digital media artists)
Browse programs at banffcentre.ca
European Residencies
Akademie Schloss Solitude (Stuttgart, Germany)
Akademie Schloss Solitude awards 50-60 residencies every two years to international artists, researchers, and cultural professionals.
What's included:
- Monthly stipend: EUR 1,300
- Furnished live/work studio with utilities
- Travel reimbursement for arrival and departure
- Health insurance for non-EU residents
- Access to wood, metal, and video editing/VR workshops
- Project funding (budget dependent)
Application details:
- Fee: EUR 15 (waived for applicants from non-industrial countries)
- Duration: 6 or 9 months, starting October 2026
- Eligibility: 2-10 years of independent practice after training; proficiency in German or English required
- 2026-2028 applications: Stage 1 closed November 14, 2025; Stage 2 deadline December 19, 2025
Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
The Rijksakademie offers one to two-year residencies for professional artists from all countries and disciplines.
What's included:
- Studio space
- Work budget
- Stipend
- Access to technical workshops and extensive library
- Visits from leading art professionals
Application details:
- 2027 applications: January 1 - February 1, 2026
- Participation fee: EUR 1,875 annually
- Fellowship requirement: Artists must raise EUR 15,000 annually (effort obligation)
- Approximately 23 artists selected yearly; most stay for two years
Camargo Foundation (Cassis, France)
The Camargo Foundation on the Mediterranean coast offers 10-week residencies for artists, scholars, and thinkers.
What's included:
- Weekly stipend: EUR 350 (EUR 3,500 total)
- Travel funding (basic coach class airfare)
- Furnished apartment with kitchen
- Access to library, music room, artist studio with darkroom, and composer studio with piano
Program dates:
- Fall 2025: September 10 - November 19, 2025
- Spring 2026: February 24 - May 5, 2026
Eligibility:
- Scholars: PhD holders or candidates in final dissertation stages
- Artists: Minimum 5 years of practice with demonstrated track record
- Thinkers: Accomplished professionals in cultural/creative fields
Note: 14 fellowships per year (7 artists, 7 scholars/thinkers). Family members 6+ years welcome.
Learn more at camargofoundation.org
Cite internationale des Arts (Paris, France)
Cite internationale des Arts offers various residency programs in the heart of Paris.
Art Explora Programme:
- Monthly living grant: EUR 1,000
- Production grant: Up to EUR 3,000
- Round-trip travel
- Furnished studio-apartment
- Duration: 3-6 months
Academie des beaux-arts Programme:
- Monthly allowance: EUR 1,500 gross
- Production grant: Up to EUR 3,000
- 5-month residencies
Institut francais Programme:
- For artists living abroad 5+ years
- 3, 6, or 9-month residencies (April 2026 - April 2027)
General eligibility: 5+ years artistic career, over 18, not students
Learn more at citeinternationaledesarts.fr
Nordic Artists' Centre Dale (Norway)
NKD offers residencies in a stunning fjord setting on Norway's west coast.
What's included:
- Monthly stipend: NOK 11,000 (approximately EUR 950)
- Travel support: Up to NOK 5,000
- Free private cabin
- 50m2 studio with 6-meter ceiling and panorama window
- Access to carpenter's workshop, darkroom, sewing machines, loom, and printing press
Application details:
- Duration: 2-3 months
- Eligibility: Professional visual artists, designers, and architects (not for music, writing, dance, or theatre)
Note: Groups must share the stipend under "one house, one stipend" policy.
Jan Michalski Foundation (Montricher, Switzerland)
The Jan Michalski Foundation at the foot of the Swiss Jura Mountains supports writers and literary translators.
What's included:
- Weekly stipend: CHF 400 (approximately EUR 420)
- Private cabin with kitchenette, desk, and bathroom
- Breakfast and communal lunches provided
- All travel costs covered
- Access to research library
- Electric bikes available
Application details:
- Duration: 2 weeks to 3 months
- No application fee
- Eligibility: No age or nationality restrictions; beginners accepted
- Special focus: Nature writing residencies available
Note: Approximately 40 authors hosted annually. No families, children, or pets.
Apply at fondation-janmichalski.com
Asia and Oceania Residencies
ARCUS Project (Ibaraki, Japan)
ARCUS Project is Japan's longest-running international artist residency, operating since 1994.
What's included:
- Stipend: JPY 540,000 (approximately $3,600)
- Round-trip airfare
- Private 67.5m2 studio
- Furnished apartment
- Coordination, studio visits, and translation support
Program details:
- Duration: 90 days (late August - late November)
- Focus: Research and fieldwork over exhibition outcomes
Self-funded option (ARCUS Research):
- One month: JPY 270,000
- Two weeks: JPY 150,000
Tokyo Arts and Space - TOKAS (Tokyo, Japan)
TOKAS offers multiple residency tracks for international creators.
International Creator Residency 2026:
- Round-trip airfare
- Daily living expenses: JPY 4,200 (approximately JPY 378,000 for 3 months)
- Project fee: JPY 300,000
- Living space and shared studio/workspace
- Duration: 3 months
- Periods: May-July 2026, September-November 2026, or January-March 2027
Research Residency 2026:
- Living space provided
- 6-12 weeks duration
- 5 creators selected
Application deadline: June 25, 2025 (documents), July 2, 2025 (portfolio)
Disciplines: Visual art, film, design, architecture, music, sound art, performing art, and curation
MMCA Residency (Seoul, South Korea)
The MMCA Residency at Korea's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art offers 10-week programs.
International Artist Residency 2026:
- Live-in studio (single room, 46-60m2)
- Monthly grant: KRW 1,000,000 (approximately $730)
- Total: KRW 3,000,000 for entire residency
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Periods: April-June, July-September, September-December 2026
International Researcher Residency 2026:
- Monthly grant: KRW 1,200,000 (approximately $870)
- Total: KRW 3,000,000
- For curators, critics, and researchers with 5+ years experience
Facilities: Gallery spaces, shared kitchen, community room, outdoor working zone, wireless internet
Swatch Art Peace Hotel (Shanghai, China)
The Swatch Art Peace Hotel offers rolling applications for 3-6 month residencies in a historic Victorian Neo-Baroque building on the Bund.
What's included:
- Round-trip flight or train from residence to Shanghai
- Individual accommodation and working space (furnished studios on 2nd/3rd floors)
- Airport pickup on arrival and departure
- Daily breakfast
Note: No stipend provided. Artists must cover personal and professional needs, meals (beyond breakfast), and materials.
Application details:
- Fee: 30 CHF donation to Medecins Sans Frontieres
- Review time: 4-8 weeks
- Eligibility: Dancers, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, writers, painters, conceptual artists, and more
Apply at swatch-art-peace-hotel.com
Bundanon (New South Wales, Australia)
Bundanon on the Shoalhaven River is Australia's largest artist residency program, established through Arthur and Yvonne Boyd's 1993 gift to the nation.
What's included:
- Accommodation in historic cottages or purpose-built apartments
- Studio and rehearsal spaces
- Access to 1,000-hectare wildlife refuge
- No residency fee
Note: Artists cover travel, food, toiletries, and materials.
Special fellowships with additional support:
- British Council Fellowship
- Dobell Foundation Award
- Bundanon First Nations Fellowship
- Bundanon Fellowship for Artists with Disability
Duration: 1-3 weeks (minimum 6 nights)
2026 applications: Closed May 23, 2025
The Farm Margaret River (Western Australia)
The Farm Margaret River offers fully funded residencies focused on site-responsive visual art on Wardandi Noongar land.
What's included:
- Grant: AUD $7,500 covering all fees, costs, and expenses
- Self-contained studio accommodation
- Mentorship and connections with major arts organisations
- Project support
- Initial travel expenses to property
- Materials and equipment during residency
Duration: 5-8 weeks (February - October 2026)
2026 applications: Closed June 2, 2025
Note: Over 700 applications received; now in eighth year.
Learn more at thefarmmargaretriver.com.au
Africa and South America Residencies
Black Rock Senegal (Dakar, Senegal)
Black Rock Senegal, founded by artist Kehinde Wiley in 2019, welcomes 16 artists annually from over 1,400 applicants.
What's included:
- Room and board
- Individual studio
- Stipend for supplies and cultural activities
- Three-story townhouse with kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathrooms
- Access to library, gym, sauna, swimming pool, and gardens
- Language tutoring (English, French, Wolof)
- Local staff support
Duration: 1-3 months
Application: 2025-2026 cycle open at site.picter.com/black-rock-senegal-2025
Learn more at blackrocksenegal.org
NIROX Foundation (Gauteng, South Africa)
NIROX Foundation is located in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, 45 minutes from Johannesburg.
What's included:
- Full board and lodging
- Studio space and tools
- Curatorial guidance
- Programme facilitation (talks, workshops, exhibitions, media)
Note: Artists cover transport, materials, and production costs. NIROX assists with funding applications.
Duration: Typically 6-8 weeks
Special programmes:
- Inlaks Residency (for Indian artists): Travel, production costs, and living covered
- SOIL & WATER Project: Large-scale artistic research initiative
Application: Primarily through invitation or partnership programmes
Bag Factory Artists' Studios (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Bag Factory, founded in 1991, was one of South Africa's first independent art spaces.
What's included:
- 23m2 studio with natural light
- WiFi access
- Shared kitchen and communal facilities
- Studio access 7 days a week
- Open studios event and public exhibition
Residency tracks:
- Cassirer Welz Award: Funded residency for young career artists (15 years running)
- Self-funded Artist in Residence: International artists welcome
- Partnership residencies: Through collaborations with international organisations
Duration: 3 months
Montresso Art Foundation / Jardin Rouge (Marrakech, Morocco)
Montresso Art Foundation supports international visual artists with comprehensive production funding.
What's included:
- Full project production funding
- Transportation and meals covered
- All required materials provided
- Private studio
- Accommodation on site
- Technical and human support
- Local and international networking
Application details:
- Duration: 1-3 months
- Eligibility: Visual artists (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography) with significant professional background; no nationality or age restrictions
- Facilities: Eight studios hosting nearly 30 artists per season
Note: Selected works may be acquired for the permanent collection.
G.A.S. Fellowship / Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Lagos, Nigeria)
Guest Artists Space Foundation in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation offers fully funded residencies for Africa-based professionals.
What's included:
- Fully-funded 6-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos
- Accommodation and studio
- Support for project development and realisation
2025 residencies:
- Visual Fine Artist: May 5 - June 14, 2025
- Curator: June 16 - July 25, 2025 (culminating exhibition July 21 - August 15)
Eligibility: Mid-career professionals based and actively working on the African continent
2025-26 Re:assemblages Programme:
- Multi-year initiative exploring African and Afro-diasporic archives
- Short Century Intensive research fellowship for 5 fellows
- Supported by Deutsche Bank through Project Nexus
Learn more at yinkashonibarefoundation.com
Instituto Sacatar (Bahia, Brazil)
Instituto Sacatar on Itaparica Island is Brazil's longest continuously operating art residency, founded in 2001 with 500+ alumni from 70+ countries.
What's included:
- Private room with attached bathroom
- Discipline-specific studio
- All meals (except Saturday evenings, Sundays, and Brazilian holidays)
- Cultural orientation to Bahia and Salvador
- No residency fee
Special programme for Africa-based artists (2026):
- Round-trip economy airfare
- Stipend: BRL 3,000 for technical and artistic development
Bahia-based Fellowship:
- Grant: BRL 8,000
Application fee: $25
2025-2026 sessions:
- March 17 - May 5, 2025 (7 weeks)
- May 12 - June 30, 2025 (7 weeks)
- September 1 - November 3, 2025 (9 weeks)
- November 17, 2025 - January 19, 2026 (9 weeks)
Note: Sacatar prioritises process and cultural immersion over finished work production.
Strategic Application Tips
Apply broadly: Artist Sean Fader, who has completed more than 14 residencies, recommends applying to at least 30 programs annually. He applied to Bemis Center five times before acceptance.
Portfolio quality matters: Program Director Kathy Black of Vermont Studio Center notes that acceptance "doesn't matter where you are in your career, whether you are just out of school or are just returning to a studio practice after a hiatus."
Tailor each application: Research the residency's mission, location, and past residents. Explain specifically how the particular environment will benefit your work.
Invest in documentation: Poorly focused or exposed images cause panelists to pass over applications quickly. Professional photography signals professionalism.
Set achievable goals: State specifically what you'll create and why this residency suits your needs within the given timeframe.
Give recommenders time: Provide 2-3 weeks notice with your artist statement, portfolio, project proposal, and residency information.
Track rejections strategically: Many successful artists reverse-engineer opportunity lists by examining the CVs of artists they admire.
Finding More Opportunities
Funded residencies are competitive, but new opportunities open throughout the year. Resources include:
- ResArtis - Global network of artist residencies
- TransArtists - Database of international residencies
- Artist Communities Alliance - US-focused residency directory
- On the Move - European cultural mobility information
Browse our opportunities page to discover more residencies, grants, and open calls tailored to your artistic practice.