Maria Tuerlings

Director and founder of Trans Artists: The information center for artists on artist-in-residence opportunities
Former President, Res Artis: the International Association of Residential Arts Centres

Artist in residence programs play a remarkable role in connecting the local with the global and vice versa. Amidst an art world that seems to be continuously 'on the move', artist in residence programs offer individual artists the privilege to be rooted elsewhere temporarily.

Residential art centres nowadays form part of the increasing internationalisation of the art world. The rich diversity in nearly every aspect, protects residency programs from being labelled in stereotypes. Actually there is 'only' one common characteristic of residency programs: they offer artists hospitality for the sake of art, at a certain place for a certain period. Artists can 'grow roots' in a different context and at the same time be free from the need to identify with it.

The astounding increase of residential art centres as well as new ways of art production are changing the position of residential art centres. More and more residency programs offer the visiting artist a chance to collaborate with other artists, to confront him- or herself with other visions and views on art, to work together and for another public. The artwork no longer has to be the product of autonomous individual creation. It also can be the particular outcome of a creative, collaborative process. A process in which experiencing cultures, surroundings and practices that differ from one's own, might prevail.

Characteristic for these new developments in residential art centres is Youkobo Art Space in Tokyo. The directors, Mr. and Mrs Murata, invite and challenge artists and curators to take initiatives to devise innovative ways of deepening international contacts though the arts.
A program like Youkobo Art Space is offering, often results in long-lasting and intense contacts between the visiting artist and the local public. Society benefits in some way or another from each residency centre, because a residency always is about lived life, day to day existence, real presence.
(2006)