Residency Application

Residency Application

All Programs & Locations

Applications are processed and selected in the order in which they are received.

We welcome applications from emerging and mid-career artists, designers, photographers, curators, art historians, writers, and researchers age 20 and over. Before submitting your application, please e-mail us at info@arquetopia.org.

Applications are juried by a rotating, international (Mexico/USA) committee of seven professional artists, curators, collectors, and authors, some of whom serve on our Board and others who serve anonymously.

What to Expect during the Application Process

A. Application. For the first phase, you will submit a secure application on this page of our website, where you will be able to provide information regarding your background and experience, while also providing all the necessary information in terms of your practice, expertise, and project. You will also send additional supporting materials (CV or short summary of your life experience, and five work samples) via e-mail, and cover the USD $35 tax-deductible donation to our youth music scholarship fund via the “Donate Now” button on the right side of this page, to activate your application (we do not charge an application fee). All information received is treated with confidentiality according to the “Ley Federal De Protección De Datos Personales En Posesión De Los Particulares” of Mexico.

B. Secondary Questionnaire. Once your completed application and supporting materials are received, they will be reviewed by our directors and staff, and for the second phase, you will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire. This secondary questionnaire should not be confused with the original application. Although it might seem similar, it will be reviewed anonymously by the international selection jury, without your identity or any of your personal information provided to the panel, to ensure an unbiased review process.

C. Video call. For the third phase, we will schedule a video call where any remaining questions will be answered, and you will be provided with additional information about Arquetopia’s programs and spaces as well as the specific program that you are applying for. We will provide you with a unique and secure link for this video call. Residency dates will be mutually decided during this call.

D. Jury Review. After completing all three phases, your application materials will be finalized and submitted to the international selection jury for final review. Within the next 2 to 3 days, we will contact you directly to communicate the jury’s final decision via e-mail.

E. Duration of the Process. The whole application process usually takes an average of 10 days to 2 weeks from application submission to jury decision notification.

Application Steps

To apply, please complete all 3 steps indicated below (in English or en Español):

Step 1. Send a short, introductory e-mail to info@arquetopia.org containing all of the following:
A. Your current CV, or short summary of your life experience.
B. Artists, photographers, and designers: attach five (5) sample images of your works (JPEG, PNG, or PDF format, 72 dpi, maximum 2 MB each file) and a brief statement attesting that all works are of your own original creation. Curators, art historians, writers, and researchers: attach five (5) sample texts of your works (3 pages each excerpt) and a brief statement attesting that all works are of your own original creation.

Step 2. Submit your tax-deductible donation of USD $35.00 via the purple “DONATE NOW” module on the right side of this page. Your donation will go toward our current fundraiser, “Support Arquetopia Youth Music Scholarship Programs,” and is required to activate and validate your application. (We do not charge an application fee.)

Step 3. Submit your completed Arquetopia Artist-in-Residence Online Application (below).

Arquetopia Artist-in-Residence Application

1. Your first and last name:*

2. Nickname by which you prefer to be called, if applicable:

3. Your gender / preferred pronoun*

4. Your date of birth (month, day, and year)*

5. Your place of birth (city and country):*

6. Your nationality or the country that issued your current passport:*

7. Language(s) that you speak:*

8A. Your e-mail address – IMPORTANT: The e-mail address that you supply here is where we will send all future correspondence. It is important that you provide an e-mail address that you check frequently. While you may use a school e-mail address, a personal e-mail is preferred. Please also ensure that your mailbox is not full, and to check your junk e-mails for correspondence from us: *

8B. A SECOND/DIFFERENT e-mail address where you can also be reached – IMPORTANT: The e-mail address that you supply here is where we will send all future correspondence if there are problems with your primary e-mail. It is important that you provide an e-mail address that you check frequently. Instead of a school or institutional e-mail address, a personal e-mail is preferred. Please also ensure that your mailbox is not full, and to check your junk e-mails for correspondence from us: *

9. Your complete telephone number:*

10. Your complete mailing address:*

11. Your academic background, if applicable (state "N/A" if not applicable):*

12. Your professional experience, if applicable (state "N/A" if not applicable):*

13. (Optional) Your awards and honors, if applicable (state "N/A" if not applicable):

14. (Optional) Your teaching experience, if applicable (state "N/A" if not applicable):

15A. Your general health information: Please specify any allergies (including to foods or drugs) and any other health/medical conditions that you have of which we should be aware (e.g., mobility concerns, epilepsy, diabetes, etc.). This is important information in the (however unlikely) event of any health/medical issues during your residency. State "N/A" if not applicable.*

15B. Please list any medications you are taking, if applicable. This is important information in the unlikely event of any health/medical issues during your residency. State "N/A" if not applicable.*

15C. Please specify any dietary issues or restrictions. State N/A if not applicable.*

16A. Friend or relation of yours whom we may contact in case of an emergency during your residency:*

16B. Complete telephone number of your emergency contact:*

16C. E-mail address of your emergency contact:*

17A. Reference #1: Please enter the name of one educational or professional reference whom we may contact on your behalf. This person may be one of your past instructors or someone who has personally supervised you at work (not necessarily an art-related reference).*

17B. Referee's official title or position:*

17C. Referee's affiliation or organization:*

17D. Referee's e-mail address:*

17E. Referee's complete telephone number:*

17F. Referee's complete physical address (business preferred):*

18A. Reference #2: Please enter the name of a second educational or professional reference whom we may contact on your behalf. This person may also be one of your past instructors or someone who has personally supervised you at work (not necessarily an art-related reference).*

18B. Second referee's official title or position:*

18C. Second referee's affiliation or organization:*

18D. Second referee's e-mail address:*

18E. Second referee's complete telephone number:*

18F. Second referee's complete physical address (business preferred):*

19. How, or from where, did you hear about Arquetopia Foundation?*

20A. Are you applying in response to a specific Arquetopia open call or deadline announcement that you found on a third-party website?*

Yes

No

Unsure

20B. If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, please indicate which third-party website and announcement (and link to the URL if possible). State "N/A" if not applicable.*

21. Have you read all information presented on the various pages of this website including our Mission Statement, Residency Guidelines, and individual residency descriptions pertaining to the program(s) for which you are applying?*

Yes

No

Residency Program Session Lengths

• The non-instructional, general Art, Design or Photography Residency is now offered at flexible sessions of 3 to 5 weeks in Puebla, Cusco, and Naples. In Puebla, Printmaking is offered at sessions of 4 weeks, and Mexican Ceramics at 5 weeks due to necessary clay drying time.

• With the exception of Mexican Tapestry (4 weeks) and Pre-Columbian Ceramics (5 weeks), Instructional Residencies in all Arquetopia spaces (each instructional session set at 4 weeks) may be extended by the artist with continued production at the same location for 1 more week, up to 5 weeks as a (non-instructional) Art, Design or Photography Residency.

• The non-instructional Art History, Cultural Research, and Writers Residencies are each offered at flexible sessions of 3 to 5 weeks.

22A. Please select one (1) principal residency program category for which you would like to apply, that corresponds to your project proposal and intended residency time frame.*

22B. Have you first sent a short e-mail to us at info@arquetopia.org to introduce yourself and to receive the complete information dossier(s) on the specific residency program(s) for which you are applying?*

Yes

No

22C. What is the range of residency start dates that you are requesting?*

22D. In what year is the range of residency start dates that you are requesting?*

2024

2025

Either 2024 or 2025 / No preference

Other

22E. How many weeks in residency you are requesting?*

22F. If applying for an Instructional Residency, are you also applying to extend the session with 1 or more additional weeks of continued (non-instructional) art production?*

Yes

No

Unsure

Not applicable

22G. If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, with how many weeks of continued (non-instructional) art production would you like to extend (state N/A if not applicable)?*

23. Arquetopia location of the residency program for which you are applying:*

Puebla, Mexico (central historic district)

Oaxaca, Mexico (mountain/countryside village of San Pablo Etla, just outside Oaxaca city)

Cusco, Peru (small town of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Andes, close to Cusco city and Machu Picchu)

Naples, Italy (Bacoli, Campania, by the sea)

Don't know / No preference

24. Please indicate the specific art medium(s), research technique(s), or other methods that you intend to use during your residency:*

25. Founded in 2009, Arquetopia Foundation is an award-winning, self-sustaining, officially registered nonprofit organization of artist-run spaces in two developing countries. Because Arquetopia receives zero external funding from public, governmental, corporate, or other entities, Arquetopia is not a granting institution; as with 90% of organizations worldwide that offer artist residencies, the operating costs of our comprehensive programs are sustained via the tuition covered by the international artists and writers who benefit from these professional programs. We are not able to offer free or sponsored residencies, stipends, or other forms of financial aid. Selected applicants cover their residency program tuition and travel expenses themselves or source third-party funding. Artists keep all of the work that they produce.*

I fully understand this and am currently prepared to proceed with application.

26. What is the Program Tuition fee of the residency for which you are applying? (This is *NOT* the USD $35 music scholarship program donation indicated above, to validate the application.) If you do not know the specific Program Tuition fee of the residency for which you are applying, please PAUSE HERE and e-mail us at info@arquetopia.org to request this information *before* submitting this form and your other application materials.*

27A. If you are selected, how will you cover your Residency Program Tuition and personal travel expenses? Select all that apply.*

Self

Third-party grant(s)/funding

Other (specify)

27B. If you intend to obtain third-party grants or funding toward your residency tuition and/or travel, please list your expected funding source(s) and any additional details. State "N/A" if not applicable.*

27C. Status of third-party grants or funding that you intend to use toward your residency tuition and/or travel expenses:*

Definite / Pre-arranged

Unsure / To be determined

Not applicable

27D. If you indicated third-party granting entities above, is your participation in the residency dependent on receiving the grant(s) that you listed?*

I am dependent upon receiving the third-party funding for which I am applying

I will be covering my residency deposit and tuition, and participating if selected, regardless of whether or not I receive the third-party funding for which I am applying

Not applicable

27E. If you indicated third-party granting entities above, will you need any official letters of support from Arquetopia toward application for them?*

Yes

No

Unsure

Not applicable

28A. If you are selected, are you comfortable with sharing the common spaces of the residency with the other Arquetopia resident artists and writers (all bedrooms are private)?*

Yes

No

28B. Please elaborate on your response to #28A.*

29. Arquetopia Foundation's residencies do not function as public studio space rentals or vacation resorts but are a full array of more than 20 customized, professional programs with unique, personalized academic content and project support from our directorial/curatorial staff. Though Arquetopia's residencies are process-based and NOT product-based (residents are NOT expected to complete their projects or production during the residency), residents are expected to be working on their proposed projects for the duration of their residency. Artists keep everything that they produce. Please describe your intended project and goals for the residency, including any theme(s) and research topics (where applicable).*

30. Please include the URL of your website if you would like any additional work to be considered (not required). State "N/A" if not applicable.*

31. By clicking the box below, you agree to adhere to all terms and policies of Arquetopia Foundation and its Artist-in-Residence Programs.*

Agree

STOP: Before you submit this application form, and to prevent it from being deleted, please review the instructions at the top of this page, and make sure that you have also completed all of the other steps indicated. Your application materials will be validated by our staff and considered by the jury panel only after you have completed all of the steps listed. Application forms that are received without the other steps also completed are automatically deleted by the system within 24 hours.

After completing all of the above, click the “Submit Application” button. It may take a few minutes for the form to send, so do not click on your Back button or stop the transfer.

Our Artist & Writers Residencies

RESIDENCIES WITH MASTER INSTRUCTION

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL RESIDENCIES (MENTORED)