The Cité internationale des arts welcomes artists from all over the world through a wide range of residency programs.
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Contours
With our partner TRAM
With our partner DRAC Île-de-France
Presentation
The Regional Department for Cultural affairs of the Île-de-France region, the TRAM network, and the Cité internationale des arts have developed Contours, a research-based residency programme aimed at curators and/or art critics working and residing outside of France and its overseas departments, within the European Union. Initiated in 2024, the aim of this programme is to support research and to facilitate mobility and encounters with the French artistic and curatorial art scene, while also supporting projects that can benefit from the community environment provided by the Cité internationale des arts.
The partners are committed to supporting the curators by offering them dedicated support related to their research and providing them with professional networking opportunities in the Île-de-France region.
Following this call for applications and the reunion of a jury, two curators and/or art critics will be selected.
The residency
As part of the programme, the laureates will benefit from:
• Professional support, networking opportunities, and encounters organized by the programme’s partners
• A live-in studio at the Cité internationale des arts in the Marais district, which consists of a single furnished space for both living and working
• A monthly living stipend of €1000 net of taxes
• Coverage of research fees and international round-trip travel to and from Paris airports, as well as travel insurance and visa fees (subject to a cap and upon presentation of proofs of payment).
A final report will be required at the end of the residency.
Closed
Calendar
Forwarding of applications:
From 12 August to 07 September 2025
Announcement of results:
Septembre 2025
Residences:
From 03 November 2025 to 28 January 2026
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
The programme has no age limit and is open to curators and/or art critics of all nationalities who live outside of France, within the European Union, and can justify at least five years of experience in curatorial practices (minimum of two exhibitions curated and two publications in referenced art media), looking to immerse themselves within the artistic community of the Cité internationale des arts and the Parisian art scene.
Collective applications are eligible and will result in the allocation of one live-in studio, the payment of one monthly stipend, one research and travel allowance.
The applications will be examined by a jury composed of representatives of the partners of the programme. In addition to assessing the professional background, the members of the jury will pay particular attention to the relevance of the application and the research project presented, the argumentation of the added value of the prospect of a research-based residency in the Île-de-France region and at the Cité internationale des arts, the proposed research and work programme and the contacts or partnerships already established with a view to developing the residency research project.
Various questions
How to Apply?
The application form is available HERE.
To submit your application, a Google account is required. If you do not have one, please create one HERE.
If you are unable to access the application form, you can contact the residency department of the Cité internationale des arts at this address : admissions@citedesartsparis.fr
Once your application is finalized, you will not be able to modify it. Please fill out the form as thoroughly as possible.
When filling out the form, you will be required to upload the following documents:
• A detailed resume (4 pages maximum), in French or English
• A portfolio presenting recent curatorial projects (15 pages maximum), in French or English
• A note of intent (maximum 3 pages), in French or English, in which you explain the reasons behind your approach and your interest in joining the residency programme. Please explain why your current research justifies the need for this residency in the Île-de-France region and at the Cité internationale des arts, from the perspectives of your research, your trajectory and your professional network (maximum 3 pages).
Recommendation letters can be shared and are optional.
Collective applications give rise to a single application in the name of all curators, for a common project.
Residency Conditions
The curators and/or art critics will be welcomed in live-in studios located on the Marais site of the Cité internationale des arts, a residency center that provides an opportunity to meet and engage in dialogue with over 300 artists and creators from the art world of all generations, nationalities and disciplines. The Cité internationale is also a member of the TRAM network, an association of spaces involved in the production and dissemination of contemporary art in the Île-de-France region, and its programme of open studios, exhibitions, installations, festivals and meetings is mostly activated on the Marais site.
With a surface area ranging from 25 to 40m², the live-in studios are organized for research and daily life. They are composed of a working space, a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom space. A live-in studio can accommodate up to two adults and a child up to 10 years old. Additional charges apply for accompanying persons and visitors.
Unfortunately, the proposed residency conditions do not meet the current standards of accessibility for people with disabilities, and we are working on this for the future.
For any request concerning the accessibility of the spaces of the Cité internationale des arts, we are at your disposal.
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