Typologies of Arts Residencies

Nika Mušič

International artist-in-residence (AiR) programmes share many common features (we outlined the basic characteristics in the second article in this series), yet they can differ greatly from one another. Because they foreground different spheres of an artist's practice through a variety of approaches, they can be classified in several ways. For example, typologies may be based on the activities artists carry out during their residency, on the characteristics of the programmes or on the expectations of AiR organisers. Let us take a look at the types of AiR programmes that exist and the categories into which they can be placed, illustrated by a few examples from the Slovenian AiR landscape.

Classification Based on Binary Opposites

Jean-Baptiste Joly is one of the founders of the international network Res Artis, which has been connecting AiR organisers worldwide since 1993. In 2019, using the Res Artis database as a source, he proposed a typology of AiR programmes based on binary opposites. In developing this approach, he selected 12 pairs of criteria in an attempt to capture the diverse programme profiles and create a system that would encompass almost all existing variations. Using examples of Slovenian AiR programmes, we can illustrate Joly's binary opposites.

• Rural or urban. This distinction dates back to the late 19th century when artists' colonies emerged in the countryside, while cosmopolitan avant-garde art communities formed in cities. Today in Slovenia, one of the most remote residency experiences is offered by the Krušče Creative Center, while the most urban programmes are those supported by the infrastructure of Center Rog in Ljubljana.
• Small or large scale. A distinction based on the size or scale of the residency is also highlighted in the European Commission's Policy Handbook on Artists' Residencies. Contemporary residencies can be very small, for example, nano-residencies, and thus often go unnoticed; from artists who temporarily stay with other artists, to artists who regularly invite other artists to communal living and creating. On the other hand, an example of a large-scale residency is the Finnish Arteles Creative Centre, which welcomes over 90 selected artists each year. Although still smaller than the Finnish example, Švicarija is one of the largest residency centres in Slovenia.
• Artist-led or non-artist-led programmes. Examples of artist-led residencies include those organised by the Art Stays Cultural Association, where academic painter Jernej Forbici is involved. Examples of non-artist-led residencies are those run by public bodies, such as the Residence Centre Cankarjeva, which is managed by the Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia.
• With costs for artists or with financing. Joly calls financing a "mirage" because only 9% of organisers in the Res Artis database provide some financing (i.e., not necessarily full financing). Most Slovenian AiR organisers cover part of the costs, usually at least accommodation, while a few provide no financing at all. On the other hand, there are programmes in which artists selected through open calls incur no costs, such as the DSAF Residency, AiR Celeia and GuestRoomMaribor.