Centre d’arts Fernand Léger

Every year, 3 to 5 visual artists are invited to participate in the residency programme in order to develop projects linked to the local area (history, geography, sociology, etc.), in collaboration with partner organisations (Voyons Voir, Manifesta 13, etc.). Artists across all creative disciplines (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, etc.) are welcome. Studios and accommodation are located in the heart of the art centre so that artists are fully immersed in the experience. Each residency involves local meetings, workshops aimed at both adults and children and a final exhibition. Residencies are either the result of calls for applications ("New collectors" for example which is a call for applications launched annually) or one-off invitations. They are divided into "classic residencies" or "micro-residencies", depending on their duration.

© Julien Lamarre

WHAT’S INCLUDED

The total budget for "classic" residencies is €3,000 per artist, intended to cover living and production costs, copyright royalties and payment for outreach work, including activities involving the public during open studio days or during the exhibition period.
The total budget for “micro" residencies is €1,500 per artist, intended to cover living and production costs, copyright royalties and payment for outreach work, including activities involving the public during open studio days or the exhibition period.
Reimbursement of travel costs (within a certain limit depending on the distances involved)
Artists are provided with a living space (bedroom, studio, kitchen, shower and toilet), including a bed, desk, wardrobe and internet connection.
Bedding and toiletries are not provided. 
Artists benefit from the art school's 130 m² collective studio space and an exhibition space of around 200 m² which is entirely dedicated to the host artist's final work.
Artists are invited to bring their own materials, although basic equipment such as paper, pencils, paint, brushes and so on are available on site. The provision of specific materials is to be included in the production costs.
The arts centre’s staff are on hand to provide technical and scientific support to the artist, to establish contacts with the local population and to encourage exchanges. They are also on hand to help set up the exhibition/final project, together with local, technical services where appropriate) and to provide support during exhibition visits.
The arts centre is also responsible for costs relating to communication, publications, promotion (press and networking events, etc.), insurance during the exhibition period, any workshops/courses run by the artist for young people or adults (€60/hour) and any scheduled meetings (€300).

DURATION

Depending on the type, residencies at the art centre can last from 1 to 5 months. Artists can participate in the programme over a period of consecutive days or they can spread their time over a certain period. 

SELECTION PROCESS

Depending on the year’s projects, artists are selected via:
 - open calls for applications (around 2 per year)
 - solicited proposals or nominations - invitation only (about 2 per year)

In both cases, artists must provide :
a CV
a portfolio
a cover letter
The artist must also be covered by civil liability insurance for the duration of the residency (certificate to be included in their application). Where possible, a studio visit is also scheduled.

Open call residencies: 
For specific projects during the year, such as the “Heritage Days” (as part of the "New Collectors" scheme, for example, involving a dozen volunteers who are new to the art world and are helped in their decision to choose an artist) and the Spring contemporary art Festival, the art centre issues targeted calls for applications based on the themes addressed, in order to discover the work of new artists.

Solicited proposals or nominations (invitation only): 
The aim is to invite artists who are already well known and whose work is considered to be relevant to a certain project or chosen theme. From 2014 to 2020, for example, artists in the TALENT'ARTS programme were all invited to participate in a residency programme. Their work was discovered during exhibitions or directly at the region's art schools.
 

CONSIDERATION FOR RESIDENTS' FAMILY LIFE

The art centre can accommodate families of up to three people: we have two small rooms with a total of three single beds (please note that the two rooms are not on the same floor). We have no special furniture or equipment for infants and young children. As the accommodation is within the arts centre itself, there is no dedicated lounge area for residents.

Depending on those of other residents, the schedule is flexible and can be adapted to artists’ family life. Our residency programmes are open to pregnant people. To make things easier, we can put them in touch with local resources (gynaecologist, midwife, etc.).

RESIDENTS' COMMITMENTS

Resident artists agree to produce a body of work that will be the subject of an exhibition at the end of the residency. They agree to participate in the entirety of the programme and to assist staff made available by the host organisation to set up and dismantle the exhibition.

They agree to remain available, according to a timetable that is to be agreed upon beforehand, for any meetings and events with the general public (presentation of work in progress during studio visits, meetings with relevant individuals, including journalists).
We ask that residents take good care of the amenities provided and respect the rules of community life (given for example, the art school’s immediate proximity).
They consent to relinquish their copyrights on the works created during the residency, which can be both used or published (for an unlimited amount of time), with the intention of showcasing all work produced.

ACTIVITIES AIMED AT THE PUBLIC 

A range of outreach activities amongst its various target audiences are put in place to raise awareness of the art centre's residency programmes. They are seen as an opportunity to meet those involved in contemporary creation.

Activities in relation with the residency programme:
 - research phase :
Organised events for adults and children which provide key information regarding the creative work. These may take the form of group workshops or individual meetings.
 
 - creation phase :
Organised studio visits provide artists with an opportunity to explain their approach and work in progress to adult groups, art professionals, journalists, groups of young people in rehabilitation programmes, partner cultural structures and, of course, school groups, in particular through the EAC scheme “Mona Lisa is in the studio”.

Complementary activities (subject to additional financial support) :
 - courses, workshops or masterclasses for young people and adults, the objective of which is to pass on specific practical know-how related to the residency.
 - meetings are also regularly organised with the artists to provide more theoretical and formal insight into the essence of the work undertaken.

During the exhibition:
Group visits, accompanied by the art centre's staff, during which the artist is not required to be present.