Art Residencies in Former Artists’ Houses and Studios Around the World

Artist in residences programs based in the former homes or studios of famous artists provide a unique opportunity to work within spaces that have shaped art history. These art residencies allow new generations of artists to immerse themselves in the very environments where influential painters, writers, and sculptors once lived and worked.

Discover some of the most iconic art residencies in former artists’ homes and studios around the world:

Van Doesburg House | Theo van Doesburg | Meudon-Val-Fleury, France

The Van Doesburg House, located in Meudon-Val-Fleury just outside of Paris, is an icon of De Stijl architecture. It was designed by Theo van Doesburg for himself and his wife. Today, as an artist residency program, it offers new generations of artists the opportunity to live and work in a space that reflects Van Doesburg's radical vision of geometric abstraction.

Atelier Calder | Alexander Calder | Saché, France

Located at Saché in the Indre-et-Loire Valley, Atelier Calder, the former atelier of the American sculptor Alexander Calder has been offering an artist-in-residence program to national and international artists for more than 30 years. Past famous residents include, Marina Abramović, Trisha Donnelly, and Tomás Saraceno.

The three-month artist-in-residence program provides a living stipend and production funding, to help artists develop and realize projects on site.

Læsø Artist in Residence | Per Kirkeby | Læsø, Denmark

Læsø, an island in the Kattegat, has inspired artists since the mid-19th century with its unique natural environment. The property that now houses the art residency program was once the studio of renowned Danish artist Per Kirkeby.

The Læsø artist-in-residence program offers 12-week residencies to foreign artists, and 4 and 6-week residencies to Danish artists, with support for living and production costs. Partnerships with other art institutions and the exchange with fellow artists allows participants in the program to develop valuable connections with the Danish art world.

The Chinati Foundation | Donald Judd | Marfa, Texas, USA

The Chinati Foundation, founded by artist Donald Judd in Marfa, Texas, has become a renowned destination for contemporary art enthusiasts. Since 1989, the Foundation's artist-in-residence program has supported more than 170 artists from a wide range of disciplines and cultural backgrounds.

Each year, four to six artists are selected for the two-month residence program, which provides a stipend and housing in Marfa. Selected artists are not required to produce new artwork but are encouraged to explore and develop their artistic ideas, which may be shared through presentations, lectures, performances, and other formats.

Mahler and LeWitt Studios | Gustav Mahler & Sol LeWitt | Spoleto, Italy

Austrian sculptor Anna Mahler and American artist Sol LeWitt both spent time in an ancient Umbrian town in Italy. Anna Mahler's former studio, together with the adjacent studio of Sol LeWitt, has been converted into an artist-in-residence program for artists, curators, and writers. The Torre Bonomo, a medieval tower once used by gallerist Marilena Bonomo as both a residency and an exhibition space, also serves as part of the program venues. Its walls feature numerous site-specific drawings by Sol LeWitt.

Maison Dora Maar | Dora Maar | Ménerbes, France

The Maison Dora Maar is a house located in Ménerbes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France where the French photographer and painter Dora Maar lived after 1944. She spent her final years here, focusing on abstract paintings.

Following her death, the property was acquired in 1997 by Nancy Brown Negley, an American philanthropist that restored it with the purpose of establishing an artist-in-residence program. Each year, selected artists, writers, and academics receive free accommodation and stipend for one to two months.

Atelier 11 | Amedeo Modigliani, Constantin Brancusi & Others | Paris, France

L'Atelier 11, located in Montparnasse, Paris, is the last remaining studio of the historic Cité Falguière, which served as an artists' studio for over 150 years. It has hosted famous artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Tsuguharu Foujita, Constantin Brancusi, Chaïm Soutine and Paul Gauguin.

In 2021, L'AiR Arts launched the artist-in-residency program at l'Atelier 11. This art residence offers a truly unique opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in Parisian art history.

Maison Édouard Glissant | Édouard Glissant | Le Diamant, Martinique, France

The art residency is located in a house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, which was once the home of Édouard Glissant, a Martinican writer and poet. The artist-in-residence program, established in 2024, welcomes visual artists, curators, critics, writers, poets, and musicians. There is no requirement for residents to create or produce new works; instead, the residency can be used as an opportunity to explore and develop their artistic practice.

Chillida Leku and Tabakalera | Eduardo Chillida | Hermani and San Sebastian, Spain

San Sebastián sculptor Eduardo Chillida and his wife, Pilar Belzunce, purchased a 16th-century Basque-style house in the 1980s, which they spent 15 years transforming it into an exhibition space that would later become part of Chillida Leku.

Through the residency program, Chillida Leku, the museum founded by the sculptor, and Tabakalera, a major cultural institution in the region, invite artists to engage with the cultural and artistic legacy of Eduardo Chillida's birthplace. The program provides participants with accommodation, financial support, and access to Chillida Leku's facilities and Tabakalera's resources throughout the two-month residency

Rauschenberg Residency | Robert Rauschenberg | Captiva, Florida, USA

The Rauschenberg Residency in Captiva Island, Florida is located at the site of Robert Rauschenberg’s former home and studio. He was a resident of the property from 1968 until his death. It was established by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation as an opportunity for artists and scholars from around the globe to reside on the island for periods ranging from four to five weeks.

Fundació Miró Mallorca | Joan Miró | Palma, Spain

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The Fundació Miró Mallorca offers two programs which are not traditional artist residencies but allow artists to engage in the printmaking process at Joan Miró's studio, located in Son Boter, an 18th-century Mallorcan house: the Pilar Juncosa Biennial Printmaking Award and the Training Grants for Participation in Courses at Joan Miró’s Printmaking Studios. The Pilar Juncosa Biennial Printmaking Award offers winners a production fund and the chance to print their work in the studio. The Training Grants allows artists to participate in studio courses with free enrollment and covered travel expenses.

Learn How to Apply for Artist Residencies

Check out our guides to help you build your art residency applications:

• Prepare a strong portfolio of 20 pages that reflect your artistic practice.
• Write an impactful artist statement that articulates your vision, influences, and goals.
• Formulate a specific project proposal that aligns with the residency.
• Provide a professional CV highlighting your education, and artistic achievements.

Note: Always carefully research the deadlines, the eligibility criteria, and the requirements before starting preparing your application.