An international opportunity for artisans and creative makers, combining research, production, and dialogue with the historical heritage of Villa Medici
The OPEN CALL – Art Crafts Residency at Villa Medici, promoted by the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici, is now officially open. The initiative will select six professional artisans working in the field of artistic craftsmanship, and it will take place throughout 2026, with each residency lasting one month.
The residency is part of the project “Restoring Enchantment to Villa Medici,” carried out with the support of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, and strengthens the role of the Villa as a living laboratory of research, creation, and contemporary experimentation.
Dialogue between tradition and innovation in the heart of Rome
The OPEN CALL – Art Crafts Residency at Villa Medici highlights the exchange between Italian and French artisanal excellence, fostering cross-pollination, knowledge sharing, and new perspectives on making. There is no age or nationality limit for participation: the call is open to all artistic craft disciplines, from ceramics to glass, from textiles to metal, as well as more hybrid and experimental practices.
With its Renaissance architecture and 7-hectare park overlooking Rome, Villa Medici offers a unique setting where past and present meet daily through artistic production.
Spaces, tools, and a professional network available to residents
The six artisans selected for the OPEN CALL – Art Crafts Residency at Villa Medici will have access to:
- dedicated workspaces within the Villa
- tools and technical resources
- organizational and curatorial support
- contacts with local production partners, artists, and companies
Each project may develop a direct dialogue with the historical and symbolic spaces of Villa Medici. The works created may later become part of a remote section of the Villa’s heritage.
Scholarship and production support
The OPEN CALL – Art Crafts Residency at Villa Medici also offers concrete financial support:
- €2,500 scholarship
- up to €1,000 for travel expenses
- up to €5,000, upon request, for production costs
If the work is destined for Villa Medici, the program provides additional resources and the possibility of a second residency stay.
Deadline and application procedure
The call is open until Monday, December 15, 2025, at 12:00 PM (Central European Time – France).
Applications must include:
- a detailed creative project
- CV
- portfolio
- technical documentation
All texts must be written in French and submitted via the online platform.
For more information click here.
Villa Medici, a home for contemporary creation
Founded in 1666 by Louis XIV, the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici has been located since 1803 in the 16th-century villa on the Pincio Hill. Today it operates as a national public institution under the French Ministry of Culture and carries out three main missions:
- hosting artists, creators, and researchers in residence
- offering a multidisciplinary cultural program
- preserving, studying, and promoting its architectural and landscape heritage
The institution is directed by Sam Stourdzé, who guides it toward an increasingly international dialogue between arts, crafts, and territories.
With the OPEN CALL – Art Crafts Residency at Villa Medici, artistic craftsmanship once again takes center stage in the contemporary scene as a living practice, cultural and deeply connected to the future of design.
