EU Policy Handbook on Artists' Residencies

The European Commission has published the 'Policy Handbook on Artists' Residencies'. This study presents the conclusions of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) Working Group of EU Member States experts on artists' residencies.

Under the European Agenda for Culture Work Plan for Culture 2011-2014, the OMC group was convened with a mandate to "identify the success factors in preparing, carrying out and following up artists’ residencies with a specific focus on building capacity and on the goal of reducing imbalances in incoming/outgoing residencies. The good practice identified should help build capacity both inside the EU and when developing residencies in third countries, as well as facilitating networking at EU level".

The Policy Handbook is the final output of the common reflection of the OMC group’s work in 2013 and 2014. It contains useful practical and policy advice for setting up artists's residencies, trends, funding models and other valuable insights. Among the conclusions, the OMC Working Group identified the following critical success factors for artists’ residencies:

the importance of setting clear objectives and understanding what each partner wishes to achieve through the residency;

communicating those objectives and being clear about needs, conditions and expectations for the residency;

allocating sufficient time for planning, research and negotiation;

allocating sufficient time for practical issues, such as obtaining visas (in the case of international artists) and other regulatory issues;

allocating sufficient time for fundraising if necessary;

researching and understanding the culture of the artist, the organisation, and the city/region/ country concerned, both in terms of its overarching culture and its institutional culture;