{"id":6395,"date":"2026-09-25T12:05:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T10:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/?p=6395"},"modified":"2026-09-25T13:54:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T11:54:08","slug":"at-the-institut-francais-an-around-the-world-tour-of-80-residencies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/at-the-institut-francais-an-around-the-world-tour-of-80-residencies\/","title":{"rendered":"Residencies at the Institut fran\u00e7ais: digital creation as a tool for cultural diplomacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To support artistic creation beyond France\u2019s borders, the Institut fran\u00e7ais draws on an extensive residency program deployed through its diplomatic network and partner organizations. What makes these residencies distinctive? What place do they give to digital creation? HACNUMedia takes a closer look with Hannah Lou\u00e9, head of the Institut fran\u00e7ais\u2019 Residency Department.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The Institut fran\u00e7ais –<\/a> overseen by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture – has access to an exceptional diplomatic network<\/a> : 98 French institutes, more than 200 branches, nearly 900 French Alliances, as well as the cultural services of French embassies. This network makes it possible to develop residency programs with highly varied formats and ambitions. \u201cIn 2024, we established a residency charter based on the guidelines of the Ministry of Culture,\u201d<\/em>explains Hannah Lou\u00e9. It<\/a> sets out a number of principles, including artist compensation and expenses, as well as reception and working conditions. That said, not all programs follow a single set of specifications. Quite the opposite. The Institut fran\u00e7ais currently lists nearly 70 residency programs around the world. An online map<\/a> provides an overview of their characteristics, terms and application calls. This diversity also reflects a strategy aligned with the Ministry\u2019s performance and objectives agreements, with particular attention paid to local contexts. \u201cEach residency has its own specificities depending on the artistic, cultural and industrial issues at stake,\u201d<\/em> explains Hannah Lou\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n

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Lien Cartographie interactive<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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Overall, the Institut fran\u00e7ais\u2019 residency programs can be divided into two categories. So-called \u201coutgoing\u201d residencies allow French artists to develop a project abroad. \u201cIncoming\u201d residencies, by contrast, welcome international artists to France for periods of research or creation. In both cases, the residency is part of the same broader strategy of exchange and artist mobility. \u201cWe work to promote French values; it\u2019s a tool of cultural diplomacy,\u201d Hannah Lou\u00e9 summarizes.What place for digital creation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Among these \u201coutgoing\u201d residencies, some are prestigious programs that are already well known, such as the Albertine<\/a> Villas (United States), Kujoyama<\/a> (Japan) and Swagatam<\/a> (India). But there are many other residencies elsewhere around the world. \u201cOur challenge is to make these residencies better known so we can offer the right support to the right artist at the right time,\u201d says Hannah Lou\u00e9. Despite this diverse landscape, digital practices are playing an increasingly important role. It remains difficult, however, to measure their exact share. Some residencies are explicitly dedicated to digital arts (Microm\u00e9gas<\/a>) or to intersections between art, science and technology; others are multidisciplinary and welcome projects that use digital technologies without making them their primary focus (Magnetic<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n

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Villa Swagatam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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Villa Albertine in the United States, Nouveau Grand Tour<\/a> in the Netherlands and Yi Tong in China,<\/a> for example, incorporate digital practices into their calls. They offer artists the opportunity to explore the creative potential of technologies without any specific expectations, as in the case of Rapha\u00eblle Von Knebel<\/a> , who is developing Offshore Signals, Feeding the Sun in 2026,<\/em>an installation connecting Rotterdam with her home island through a poetic and Creole reading of atmospheric phenomena. These artists are connected with local organizations and experts, as are artists Olivain Porry<\/a> and Lou Fauroux<\/a>, who are residents in 2026 and have been connected with Fidji Simo, CEO, Applications at OpenAI. Villa Formose<\/a> in Taiwan and Farnese x Villa M\u00e9dicis<\/a> in Italy, meanwhile, welcome artists working in immersive creation, such as Gohar Martirosyan,<\/a> who created a dome-based work exploring the buried memories of the Araxes River. In New Zealand, Villa Antipode<\/a> focuses more specifically on the intersections between art and science. Some programs, such as Ouest-Ouest<\/a> in Vancouver, stand out for their niche areas of expertise – such as AI and music – benefiting Arthur Kuhn<\/a> in 2025 and Carl Faia in 2026.<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

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R\u00e9sidence 2026 Rapha\u00eblle Von Knebel<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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The Institut fran\u00e7ais does not, however, issue specific directives to its network to promote particular technologies such as AI. The growing number of calls focused on these practices is instead a natural reflection of changing artistic concerns. And while digital and hybrid projects may require specific equipment, workspaces and technical expertise, they also call for a rethink of the residency framework. \u201cThe material and logistical needs of digital creation are quite specific. They require a real investment and the development of a network of specialized partners.\u201d This is the case, for example, with the EXTRA<\/a> residencies in Belgium, which specialize in experimental video games in partnership with organizations such as Octobre Num\u00e9rique.Welcoming international artists to France<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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The Institut fran\u00e7ais’ work isn’t limited to supporting French artists in their international careers. Another part of its activity involves encouraging foreign artists to come to France. Two schemes in particular structure this policy. The first is based on a partnership with the Cit\u00e9 internationale des arts<\/a> in Paris, one of the world’s leading artistic residencies. \u201cIt’s our flagship program, with nearly 70 artists every year<\/em>.\u201d Within this framework, the Institut fran\u00e7ais manages 22 studios funded by the Ministries of Europe and Foreign Affairs and of Culture. \u201cWe select artists through an annual commission, across all artistic disciplines, whether emerging or established.<\/em>\u201d Artists such as Relja Cupic<\/a>, Sofie Dieu-Grosjean<\/a>, or Larisa Crunteanu<\/a> are hosted for periods of three, six, or nine months.<\/p>\n\n

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Photo Cit\u00e9 Internationale des Arts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

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The second program is the International Artists in Residence Program <\/a>(PAIR). Here, the Institut fran\u00e7ais directly supports organizations based in mainland France and France\u2019s overseas territories that wish to host an international artist they have already identified. The goal is twofold: to enable French organizations to internationalize their residency programs and to facilitate connections between the artists they host and professional networks in France. The program also contributes to a broader effort to rebalance opportunities across the country. \u201cWe want to build a network across the French territory.\u201d Recently relaunched, the program supports around 25 organizations across all creative sectors, including the Rencontres Audiovisuelles<\/a> in Lille, which was selected in 2024. Particular attention is paid to organizations with more limited resources, through a residency grant.Residency as a step in an international career<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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For the Institut fran\u00e7ais, the challenge is also to avoid treating a residency as an isolated interlude in an artist\u2019s career.\u201cWe keep track of the artists who have received this support. We want to avoid the one-shot approach: hosting an artist in residence without providing any support afterward.\u201d<\/em> Some Institut fran\u00e7ais programs therefore seek to connect residency, presentation and professional support. The residency becomes one step in a longer trajectory, potentially leading to new collaborations or opportunities to present the work. This timeline is particularly important for research and technology-driven creative projects, whose development can span several years. Several stages may separate an initial research residency from the presentation of a completed work. The Institut fran\u00e7ais also runs the PIDA,<\/a>which contributes to this broader approach to supporting artists. The challenge is therefore to think of these mechanisms – residencies and presentation opportunities – not as separate entities, but as different components of an international artistic career. France\u2019s cultural influence is also shaped by these conditions, however practical, in which artists are supported.<\/p>\n\n

R\u00e9daction Adrien Cornelissen<\/p>\n\n

This article was published as part of a partnership with the Institut fran\u00e7ais. HACNUMedia is solely responsible for its editorial content and operates independently.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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