Key Details:
Residencies will take place 1 July - 26 July, 2024 onsite in Tuscany.
My Queer Blackness, My Black Queerness is an ongoing digital project in exploration of the multiple existing facets of black queer identity. It is a protest, a celebration that frames blackness as a polyphony, a genre or melody with a vast variety of notes & textures — denouncing white queer racism, black queer antagonism and queerphobia by way of art, film and literature through methods including fundraising, journal entries, films screenings.
Villa Lena is a unique agriturismo located in the heart of rural Tuscany, combining holiday accommodation, a farm-to-table restaurant and a not-for-profit art foundation. The estate is located in the province of Pisa, secluded amongst 500 hectares of woodland, vineyards, olive groves and vegetable gardens. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting international contemporary artists working in art, music, film, literature, fashion and other creative disciplines and fostering opportunities for multi-disciplinary dialogue. The element of collaboration and exchange is one of the founding principles of the Foundation, with the hope that by bringing together different areas of practice, we will generate new creative outlooks, unparalleled research and exciting new impulses. It’s important to note that whilst we are a separate entity to the hotel and restaurant, at times there are crossovers.
MQBMBQ and the Villa Lena Foundation have once again collaborated to create two supported residency opportunities for Black Queer artists from around the world.
This year's MQBMBQ residents will be supported by the French designer brand Jean Paul Gautier.
VLF & MQBMBQ OFFER SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS:
Accommodation: All artists are assigned a private bedroom in the 19th century Villa which is at the heart of the estate. The majority of rooms have en-suite bathroom facilities though some residents will share a bathroom. Communal spaces in the Villa include a dining room, garden and kitchen area which is equipped with basic appliances and utensils. The nature of the old building means it's quite rustic and artists should come with a sense of adventure.
Studio space: Artists are given studio space either in rooms within the Villa or in buildings that are a 5 minute walk away. The size and location of the studios varies depending on each artists’ needs and practice. All artists have access to our ceramics studio and wood workshop.
Meals: The Villa Lena restaurant operates a farm-to-table concept, with fresh ingredients grown in the vegetable gardens or sourced from local producers. Artists are provided with breakfast and dinner five times a week, either at the San Michele restaurant where artists have an allocated table or at the Villa.
Co-Living, Residency, Hotel, Restaurant and Events: Villa Lena is a multifaceted place that brings together many projects and people working side by side and in collaboration. As an artist in residence onsite you will be part of the Villa Lena project and will interact with the different elements and people who make everything possible. Weekly and monthly social and networking events for the artists in residence can include, open studio, artist aperitivo and a Foundation open day where art professionals and curators are invited to Villa Lena to meet artists and learn about their work. Artists can join yoga classes and creative workshops for free.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS AGREE TO:
Engagement and Collaboration: Creativity and collaboration underscores life for both the residents and the guests at Villa Lena. Social interactions are the soul of the residency at Villa Lena, The Foundation asks for all residents to engage with the wider Villa Lena and local community during the residency in some way be it through running a workshop, an artist talk or working collaboratively with chefs and the
garden team. In our experience this is where some of the most exciting and surprising conversations can happen around an artist's practice. This extends to living in the villa, artists are expected to contribute communally in setting the table for dinner, collecting food from the restaurant, washing up after themselves, taking out recycling and keeping the artists kitchen clean and tidy.
Living and working onsite during the residency period: Successful Applicants are expected to be onsite during the majority of the residency, extended trips away from the site should be agreed in advance with the residency team.
Leaving a trace: All artists are expected to donate an artwork to the Villa Lena Foundation at the end of their residency. After each group of artists leave these traces are cataloged and shared with the Advisory board.
A reference letter is required for this application.
You can save the form and come back to it at anytime. Please contact us at admin@villa-lena.org with any questions and access needs.