Res Artis Newsletter December 2024

Dear Res Artis Community,

In this edition, we're thrilled to share key updates and highlights. Our Sustainability Policy is now live on our website. Explore how Res Artis is embracing change and making the shift toward a more sustainable future. Relive the unforgettable moments from Res Artis London 2023 & Res Artis Taipei 2024 conferences, with a highlight video showcasing inspiring speakers, beautiful venues, and reflections from our board members. We are happy to feature Res Artis member: Eutopia Art Residency in Greece, which is fostering creativity in a unique setting. Our Spotlight series returns with an Interview with the founders of COSMICA-LAB. Regional Spotlight: Learn about the German Regional Meeting on Arts Residency, bringing together local practitioners to share insights. Video Interviews fromBundanon Artists-in-Residence, one of Australias premier residency. We also feature a resideny supporting mother artists and a publication from On the Move on mental health and international cultural mobility.
As ever, we thank our nearly 700 Members from 80 countries for your ongoing support of Res Artis.
Best Wishes from the Res Artis team.

Res Artis acknowledges that climate change is one of the greatest emergencies of our time. As the peak body for the international arts residencies field, we recognise that we are a field embedded in local and international travel our carbon footprint is significant, and that our actions are long overdue. In order to ensure good practice, create change and lead by example, Res Artis joined a cohort of other international arts and cultural networks who are working towards achieving eco-certification. This initiative is called SHIFT, and we aim to share our learnings with our members and stakeholders in orderto amplify impact. Res Artis can imagine the potential for a greener arts residency landscape, and we encourage all members to join us on our journey towards a more sustainable future. SHIFT eco-certification

READ FULL POLICY HERE :Res Artis Sustainability Policy

1. What is the most challenging aspect of your work at the moment?

It is navigating the Amazonian context while fostering meaningful connections with indigenous communities. These communities are undergoing deep transformations due to the influence of the contemporary way of living, and our work requires deep sensitivity to ensure cultural respect. Avoiding cultural appropriation while embracing cultural diversity is critical. Additionally, the logistics of organizing an interoceanic, interdisciplinary residency in such remote areas involve addressing infrastructure challenges and balancing the expectations of residents with the realities of the Amazon.

2. What are you working on now that has got you excited?

We are developing a network of like-minded collaborators to amplify the impact of COSMICA-res. Currently, we are focused on finalizing the collective journal of the residency, which compiles the transformative processes from participants. What excites us most is seeing how the creative outputs—whether artistic, scientific, or interdisciplinary—serve as vital contributions to broader conversations about planetary regeneration and collaborative practices. We’re also planning a new iteration of COSMICA-res in the Amazon, with the potential to expand into other regions and explore different post-colonial themes.

3. What do you wish you knew when you first started in this position?

We wish we had a more comprehensive understanding of how residents would have reacted to the Amazonian context, the shamanic culture and medicinal plants. Anticipating the cultural and psychological challenges of integrating these transformative experiences into collaborative processes would have been invaluable. The impact of individualistic approaches in Western creative practices posed another challenge; fostering a collective, collaborative ethos requires extended participation which goes beyond the individual self and community trust-building.

4. Looking at the field of art residencies in your region, what do you think is the most pressing issue?

It is addressing, in our perspective, the environmental and social challenges tied to extractivist practices (both cultural and natural), extensive deforestation, wide-spread pollution and increasing biodiversity loss. These challenges are compounded by the cultural annihilation of ancestral traditions. Residencies must go beyond surface-level engagement to critically confront these issues through meaningful, action-oriented collaborations. How can residencies contribute to the regeneration of both ecosystems and cultural heritage while avoiding exploitative practices? This requires a reevaluation of residency models to prioritize ecological and social justice while amplifying indigenous voices as equal collaborators in the creative process.

5. What are you reading (or watching/listening to) at the moment?

We are immersed in works that resonate with the Amazonian spirit and its cultural richness. These include Icaros by the Shipibo-Conibo people, some songs of Asael Cuesta’s, one of our residents who combines opera with indigenous language, and some Amazonian cumbia. We are inspired by books like The Psychology of the Future by Stanislav Grof and The Rebirth of Nature by Rupert Sheldrake, which explore transformative and interconnected worldviews. Additionally, Alonso del Rio’s Los 4 Altares, and the Peruvian work of Reiner Yahuarcani are offering insights into shamanic practices and the integration of ancestral wisdom into contemporary art.