Centre d’arts Fernand Léger

Every year, 3 to 5 plastic artists are welcomed for projects mainly linked to showcasing the territory (its history, geography, sociology) as well as developing partnerships and participative actions (Voyons Voir, Manifesta 13). All artistic mediums are showcased (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography). At the heart of the structure are arranged workshop and accommodation spaces to enable the artists to immerse themselves in the structure. During each residency, artists are able to meet the local population, to participate in mediation actions with adults and children, before the final exhibition showing the work produced during the residency. Theses residencies are either the result of calls for applications (for example the annual “Nouveaux collectionneurs” call for applications), or the result of one-time invitations, and are divided according to their length of time in “classic residencies” or “micro-residencies”.

Crédit Julien Lamarre

available means

The “classic” residencies are given a total budget of 3000€ per artist, meant to cover the honorary fees, per diem, artistic production, exhibition rights, visits of the workshop during
the residency, and visits of the exhibition via specific mediation actions (visits and meetings).
The “micro-residencies” are given a total budget of 1500€ per artist, meant to cover the honorary fees, per diem, artistic production, exhibition rights, visits of the workshop during
the residency, and visits of the exhibition via specific mediation actions (visits and meetings).
The defrayal of transport fees can also be considered, with a maximum percentage according to the distance.
Artist have at their disposal a living space (bedroom, workshop, kitchen, shower room) where is arranged basic furniture (bed, desk, wardrobe, internet connexion…) but the structure is not a classic hotel establishment therefore the artists are required to provide with their personal belongings such as bedding and hygiene products.
Artists can share the collective art school’s workshop area of 130m2. An exhibition area of about 200 m2 is entirely dedicated to the final exhibition.
Artists are encouraged to bring their own tools, although basic tools are available on site (paper, pencils, paint, paintbrushes…). The global artistic allowance given by the Arts Centre
is also meant to provide specific tools.
The Arts Centre staff is there to provide technical and scientific support, to establish contacts with the local population and to encourage exchanges. The staff of the Arts Centre and, if needed, the technical services of the town, are available to put together the exhibition and to carry out the mediation actions during the visits of the exhibition.
The Arts Centre also takes care of the communication, potential publications, promotion (public relations, social media etc.), insurance during the exhibition, the potential workshops and lessons carried out by the artist addressed to the public (payed 60€ per hour), the possible conferences scheduled (payed 300€).

• Duration

The residencies of the Fernand Léger Arts Centre can last for 1 to 5 months (divided between “classic residencies” and “micro-residencies”), in a row or divided up.

• selection process

There are two different procedures according to the projects of the year:

- calls for application (about 2 a year)

- invitations (about 2 a year)

In any case the artists have to provide:

A resume (curriculum vitae)

A portfolio

A statement of intent

A certificate of civil liability for the duration of the residency

When it is possible, a visit of the structure is also planned.

Residencies based on calls for application:

The aim is to release calls for application for the specific projects planned throughout the year, such as for Heritage Days (as part of the participative committee “les Nouveaux collectionneurs” for example, which consists in supporting around ten volunteers new to the art world to choose an artist) or the Spring of Contemporary Art, targeted according to the themes that are tackled, in order to discover the work of new artists.

Residencies based on invitations:

The aim is to welcome well-known artists we found relevant for specific projects or selected themes. For example, from 2014 to 2020, the TALENT’ARTS artists have all been invited after being identified during exhibition or directly in local art schools. 

• Obligations of the residents

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  The artists in residency commit to producing several works which will be present during the final exhibition. They commit to being there to assist the staff made available by the structure for the assembly and the disassembly of the exhibition.
  They commit to staying available, according to a schedule they establish themselves, for any meeting or intervention to the public (presenting the work in progress during visits, meetings with resource persons, press meetings etc).
  They commit to taking care of the tools and the premises made available and to respect the rules of communal living (the art school being on site).
  They commit to make available copyright-free imageries created during the residency to produce publications and communication mediums meant to showcase the value of the work produced, without a duration limit. 

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• Actions towards audiences
  

Various mediation actions are set up to make several targeted publics aware of the Fernand Léger Arts Centre’s residencies programs. These actions constitute special moments with the players in the contemporary creation. 

Actions included in the residency:

- Research phase:
Meetings organized with several resource persons (adults and children) in order to enable the artists to feed their creation with important information. 

- Creation phase:
Visits of the workshop are planned so that artists can explain their approach and the work in progress, with groups of adults, professionals, press, young people in reintegration programs, partner cultural structures, and also school groups, particularly via the EAC plan “La Joconde est dans l’atelier”. 

Complementary actions (by means of payment of a supplementary fee):
- lessons, workshops or masterclasses for young and adult audiences in order to pass on a specific practical savoir-faire linked to the residency.
- conferences are also regularly organized with the artists to give more theoretical and formal key elements on the essence of their work. 

During the exhibition: 
- group visits guided by the Art Centre staff, artists are not necessarily required to be there.