Trame

With our partner Ministère de la Culture ★

Presentation

Trame is a residency programme for French-speaking artists from around the world and all disciplines (exhibition curating, visual arts, performance, literature, cinema, music, architecture and design) who wish to develop a research and creative project in Paris for a period of three months in spring 2026.

Ten laureats are selected each year.

The programme offers support in the form of regular meetings between artists and cultural professionals. It is rooted in the life, activities and networks of the Cité internationale des arts and its 310 artists in residence from all disciplines, generations and nationalities.

Trame is supported by the Ministry of Culture and is part of a series of initiatives to support French-speaking artists led by the Cité internationale des arts, designated a centre of excellence for French-language creation by the Ministry of Culture in 2019 alongside La Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon – Centre national des écritures du spectacle and Les Francophonies – Des écritures à la scène in Limoges.

We invite all interested candidates to carefully read the practical information below before submitting their application.

The residency

The residency runs from 2 April to 26 June 2026.

As part of the programme, artists benefit from:

• Support provided by the Cité internationale des arts and its network of partners, in line with current developments in contemporary creation. Open workshops and meetings with curators and art critics provide opportunities for collaboration and visibility for works in progress.
• A studio-apartment on the Marais site of the Cité internationale des arts, consisting of a single furnished living and working space.
• A monthly living allowance of €1,000 net of taxes.
• A research and production grant of €1,000 including VAT, paid upon presentation of proof of payment;
• Coverage of visa fees, if applicable, travel insurance and return transport to Paris (subject to a maximum amount and upon presentation of proof of payment).

Return transport of works or production equipment will not be covered.

A report on the experience will be requested at the end of the residency.

Ten applications will be selected.

Closed

Calendar

Forwarding of applications:

From 11 September to 26 October 2025

Announcement of results:

January 2026

Residences:

From 02 April to 26 June 2026

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Trame is open to artists of all nationalities, including French artists. It is open to all artistic disciplines, with no age limit.

Artists must:
• Be professionally active and have been practising their art for at least five years;
• Be able to express themselves and write in French;
• Be available for the entire duration of the residency, without interruption, from 2 April to 26 June 2026;
• Participate in the various professional meetings and other events organised by the Cité internationale des arts.

Group applications are eligible and will result in a single grant covering all aspects of the residency: a studio-accommodation, a living allowance, and coverage of transport costs and research support.

In addition to evaluating the candidates’ professional backgrounds, the jury members will pay particular attention to the originality of the research project to be carried out during the residency, the arguments presented regarding the added value of this residency in Paris and at the Cité internationale des arts, the proposed work protocol, and the contacts or partnerships already established with a view to developing the research project presented.

A committee composed of qualified individuals reviews all applications and selects the winners of the Trame programme.

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.

Application documents

Before completing the online form, please ensure you have the following documents (in PDF format):

— A curriculum vitae (maximum 4 pages);

— An artistic portfolio presenting your past projects (between 5 and 15 pages maximum);

— A presentation note for the project you wish to carry out during your residency (maximum 3 pages) specifying:
• The research-creation project you wish to develop during the residency: this should present the work processes or research you wish to carry out on your chosen artistic themes;
• The reasons why this project justifies the need for a residency in Paris, whether in terms of content, contacts or institutions;
• Your motivations for being hosted at the Cité internationale des arts, in contact with a community of 300 artists of all practices, nationalities and generations

— Video links and audio files representative of your work (mp3, avi);

— You may upload letters of recommendation, but these are not mandatory.

Artists will be accommodated in live-in studios located on the Marais site of the Cité internationale des arts. Ranging in size from 25 to 40m², the live-in studios are designed to combine research and everyday life. They consist of a work area, a kitchen, a bathroom and a sleeping area. A studio apartment can accommodate two adults and one child up to the age of 10. Additional fees are charged for accompanying persons and visitors.

Group applications must be submitted as a single application on behalf of all artists for a joint project. Applications accepted for group projects involving more than two artists are exceptional, given the limited number of suitable studio apartments.

Apply here