For Artists of all discipline

Isla de Crear

Art Residency

Apply now
Isla de Crear Art Residency 
Apply now

The call for applications for April-October, 2025 is now open for artists, creatives, thinkers and designers, in all disciplines/fields.

Who are we?
Isla de Crear is a creative centre, combining a range of disciplines, to explore creating and crafting in a new method, away from commercial constraints or industry guidelines, based on the principles of the Fantasism manifesto.

The centre is located in Úbeda, in the Jaén region of Andalusia, southern Spain, where the sun is out 300 days of the year, in the middle of the Sea of Olives, with no neighbours for miles, just outside Úbeda, a UNESCO world heritage site and home to a buzzing community of artisan craftspeople and many cultural events.

The residency call out

For our new call-out, we are looking for artists, craftspeople, thinkers and creatives from all different fields to explore the theme:

FAIL PROUDLY

We are purposefully keeping the theme as broad as possible, and encourage you to think as tangentially as possible. We are not looking for the same ol’ works, but instead want to encourage all our visiting creatives to challenge themselves into doing new things and exploring new forms.

We are particularly interested in people who wish to work with found objects and repurpose them, as our junk yard is full of materials, but we are open to all forms of creations: visual, performative, audible, theoretical, scholarly, written, etc.

Duration of residency

Between 2-4 weeks.

In your application, please make sure to specify when you would like to come and for
how long.

Accommodation

We offer all creatives a private en-suite bedroom (with a toilet and shower), and a shared living space, which includes: a kitchen, a large living room, laundry facilities, a library and several indoor and outdoor working spaces.

Creatives are also required to adhere to cleanliness and behave in a courteous and non-discriminative fashion. Rooms should be kept clean and returned in the same state they were when arrived.

Isla de Crear is located 6 KMs from the nearest town of Úbeda, and comprises of a large scrap yard and workshop spaces which you will be allowed to use at the discretion of the team.

Do note that there is no public transport available between the centre and Úbeda, but we do offer regular rides to town for shopping and there is a taxi service available.

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance

We welcome artists and creatives from all ages, disciplines, backgrounds and nationalities. We particularly encourage people who are looking to make new links between different forms and exploring their own creative form.

Apart from your bedroom, you will receive a private or shared working space (depending on your needs), as well as use of the different studios and workshops. We welcome groups/companies wanting to apply together, particularly for the performing arts, but please note that each creative will need to pay a separate participation fee. For groups of 3 or more, do get in touch for discounts.

If you would like to bring in performers for a short period during your residency, please discuss with us.

We recommend creatives bring their own materials/tools. We may be able to help purchase materials for you, so do feel free to reach out to us to discuss your needs.

Do note that it is also your responsibility to arrange any logistics to do with taking your works back home. Anything you leave behind will potentially be repurposed.

Studio / Workspace

We offer 8 different work spaces, a 50 sqm dance studio with a wooden floor, which can be used for rehearsals, a 300 sqm workshop space with machinery, some materials that can be repurposed, access to an office and supplies, a library, outside spaces, adorable animals and our support and advice.

We also have a wood workshop and metal welding area. The machinery can only be used by people with the relevant experience at dedicated hours.

Fees and support

We want to be able to accept creatives regardless of their financial situation, but as a not-for-profit co-operative, we are limited with how much we can offer.

If you would like to come but can’t afford the participation fee, please include in your application a statement (not more than 500 words) about why you are unable to contribute towards your stay. Please note that if you do not clarify in your application that you would like a fee waiver, we will not be able to consider it later down the application process.

Participation fee:
2 weeks: €545 + 10% VAT (TOTAL: €599.50)
3 weeks: €772.70 + 10% VAT (TOTAL: €849.97)
4 weeks: €1,000 + 10% VAT (TOTAL: €1,100.00)

This fee goes towards running costs of the property, utilities (Wi-Fi, water, electricity, cleaning supplies, etc…), upkeep of the facilities, administrative tasks, and consultations. The fee also covers a pick-up and drop-up from Úbeda bus stop, or Úbeda/Linares train stations.

If you are selected as one of our residents, you will be required to pay a deposit of €300 within 10 days of your acceptance, to secure your place. This deposit will be returned at the end of the residency, upon inspection of the rooms you used, assuming there were no damages. In case of cancellation of the residency, this deposit will not be refunded.

Creatives should cover the participation fee, their travel costs, daily expenses, and cost of production of personal works beyond basic supplies provided by the residency.

We do our best to ensure guests’ safety at all times, but we cannot take responsibility for personal illness, injuries, or accidents. Nor can we take responsibility for lost, stolen, or damaged personal belongings. Please make sure you have adequate travel and health insurance prior to travel.

It is advised for creatives to have their own transport, but if not, we will help with local travel needs, or there is a taxi service.

Expectations towards the artist

The aim of the residency is to investigate new forms of working and to create outside of the artists’ comfort zones. We want creatives to explore, experiment, take risks and the focus should be on experimentation and not on results.

For that reason IDC, does not offer an exhibition/performance at the end of the process. Note that the residency is self-directed, and you are in charge of your own work.

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