- info@aha-projects.org
The Residency
The Residency, from CURA Art, in partnership with Monpure London, is a platform aimed at supporting and sponsoring underrepresented artists, centred around time away from their usual routines at various appropriate spaces. The Residency uses a unique approach, creating a supportive ecosystem through mentorship and community, while connecting artists with influential patrons as a catalyst for change.
Created in response to the growth of collecting with purpose – collectors identifying and valuing their role in supporting the arts – The Residency is part of a movement seeking to nourish the arts sector at a time when public funding for culture is being reduced. The aim is to create an accessible and international platform that nurtures artists and encourages a relationship with those that champion their work. The project reinforces CURA Art’s mission to promote collecting with purpose.
Annually, chosen patrons sponsor their chosen artists to attend for one month, currently taking place at Villa Lena in the hills of Tuscany. Each artist has their own studio space to provide time and space for self-led projects, while the collaborative nature of the program involves talks, workshops, and other events to promote the exchange of ideas. Shaped by an evolving network of individuals committed to upholding creative freedom, The Residency keeps community, accessibility and compassion at its core.
The Residency unites artists from a variety of backgrounds, stages of careers, ages, mediums, and commitments. In its initial years, the program focuses on championing women-identifying artists, in response to data showing that only 13.7% of living artists represented in galleries in Europe and North America are women.