The International Artists in Residence program is currently accepting applications from international artists, activists and educators for the upcoming sessions: February – May, and August – November, 2024. Accepted applicants may spend one to four months of their session in residence.
Our program is flexible for individuals working and researching within our three transversal lines of work: Art for Social Transformation, Peace and Conflict Resolution, and Sustainable Urban-Rural Relations and Agroecology. We are a diverse community of artists, educators and activists and are excited to offer this opportunity for cultural exchange and reflective creation.
We will accept one to four AiR per month throughout the session to join our community. While we do not prescribe specific requirements for cultural exchange, we do look for AIR who are interested in participating in our community during their session. This will look different depending on each individual, but may include activities like helping in our gardens, sharing meals, or presenting works in progress with the resident community or the public at large. We are part of multiple platforms in the city, and our AiR will have access to a wide network of individuals and organizations within their fields.
La Chispa is located in an historic downtown property in the heart of Medellín, Colombia. The property is a cultural heritage site, due to its architecture, and includes an extensive urban garden, indoor and outdoor patio spaces, a professionally sprung dance floor, and plenty of rooms for work, contemplation and creation.
During the session, AiR have access to a fully stocked shared kitchen to cook for themselves as well as lunch provided by El Arrebato Monday through Friday. Each AiR has their own private room, and access to the shared facilities of the residence and co-working spaces of the foundation.
Our AiR program fees are USD 1,500 per month. This includes all food, lodging and work space costs. Please note that specific art materials and the returning of visual artwork to visual and plastic artists’ country of origin are additional costs to the artist and not included in our program fees.
VISA requirements:
La Chispa does not provide visas for AiR. All AiR are expected to comply with Colombian migration and immigration law to participate in the session. Please note as you are planning your application that, depending on your country of origin, your entry visa may be granted for 60, 90 or 180 days.
Language requirements:
Our program is not language restrictive, however, the operating language of La Chispa is Spanish. Translation services can be acquired for additional costs for work and other personal needs, if required, at the local daily rate. We encourage all of our AiR to take this opportunity to practice their Spanish in our community.
To apply:
E-mail your CV and a statement of purpose for your residency. Please include your proposed dates within our upcoming session, your intentions for your time as a part of our community and if you are interested in presenting your work in informal or curated spaces during your time at La Chispa. We accept and review applications on a rolling basis. All application materials should be sent in one e-mail to: direccion@lachispa.co with “Artist in Residence” in the subject line. Please note that access to La Chispa requires climbing stairs and that the property does not have wheelchair accessibility.