OPEN CALL:La Macina di San Cresci Tuscany

732Live and work in the shadow of the oldest church in all of Chianti, built in the 10th century, painstakingly restored by two lifelong art lovers skilled in design and architecture. La Macina di San Cresci overlooks the classic Tuscan town of Greve in Chianti and is located just a short drive from Florence and Siena.
La Macina di San Cresci is a unique place where artists can live and work together in historic buildings surrounded by gorgeous hillsides dotted with vineyards and olive groves. La Macina offers guest artists the chance to recharge and reset by enjoying walks in the countryside, moonlit dinners in the garden with plenty of delicious food, wine, and friends, and a spacious studio to create new work. La Macina operates year round and accepts residency applications on a rolling basis (there are no deadlines!).
At La Macina, artists can find whatever sort of process they need; we have a thriving and close-knit community made up of visiting artists and local friends, but there is plenty of peace and quiet for those who seek relaxation and escape. Residents can take classes in fresco, watercolor, Florentine artisanal upholstery, paper decoration, and more. Artists will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas on outings to local sites with cultural and historical significance. We are happy to arrange other activities, like Italian language lessons and cooking classes.
We actively promote the work of all our artists through exhibition, open studios, and features on our website and social media. We also publish a yearbook called “The Artistic Time” in order to share the work of all our resident artists with our network.
La Macina di San Cresci cooperates with some Art Galleries/Art spaces in Florence, where it is possible to organize exhibitions for our artists.

Duration of residency

The duration of this residency program is minimum one week.

Accommodation

The house is located in a very silent and peaceful area, far about 2,5 km from the town of Greve in Chianti ( 15 minutes walking).Facilities are very basic and not suitable for people with special needs.Residents live in private rooms. Kitchen, living room and bathroom are shared. Linen and towel are provided. The House is equipped with washing machine, dishwasher, oven, frigidaire and other electric appliances  Wireless internet access is available.Cooking is done individually or shared by the group as desired.
Partners and families are welcome! Ask for a quote.

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance

Are invited to apply for the residency artists working in the following creative disciplines: drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, dance, music ( there is a restored organ available in the church), interdisciplinary, design and architecture.
La Macina staff work closely with each resident to facilitate the space, knowledge and collaborative opportunities with artists, curators, local residents and other organizations necessary for their work.

Studio / Workspace

Type and size of studios:- Ample 45 m2 studios, suitable for painting, sculpture and installations. Access directly from the square- Historic cellars (220 m2) divided into different areas and shared by the artists.All studios are open 24 hours a day. The entire centre is wireless equipped.The adjacent consacred Church can be used for special works, like installation or music recorder.In the Church that is an old Organ restored available for musicians and a digital piano.We suggest to bring your laptop. One communal computer  have been set up for resident artists to share in the studio.Facilities include meeting table, a black and white photography darkroom, video projector , amplification system, projection screen, digital piano, basic handtools, easels, air compressor and electric stapler, basic tools for wood.In the office there are three printers A4 black and white / color, scanner and copier.

Fees and support

1 week € 450, each next week € 300. Is requested a deposit of € 200  when the applicant receives acceptation of the candidature.Balance is due no later one month before the sojourning begins.
The residency fee is intended to cover the general cost of running the program and the maintenance of historic building that is  under the protection of Ministry of Cultural Heritage.Artists in residence are therefore expected to cover their own living expenses and the costs of their accommodation and studio space.We are happy to assist artists seeking grants or other forms of funding in their home country/institution, by providing letters of recommendation when the candidature is accepted.Another possibility of financial aid  is fundraising through a crowdfunding site (gofundme, kickstarter, indiegogo, etc.). In this way some of our artists have successfully supported their residence.

Expectations towards the artist

At the end of the residency, we can host an Open Studios day, open to the general public. This is a great chance for the artists to share the work done during the residency with a broader audience who is made up of professionals, art lovers, neighbors, friends.Exhibition and public talks takes place at discretion of the La Macina staff and in agreement with the resident artist.La Macina di San Cresci cooperates with some Art Galleries in Florence, where it is possible to organize exhibitions for our artists.

Application deadline 31/7/2021

Application information

Applicants are invited based upon resume, compatibility and stated artistic intentions.Decisions are made by a committee composed of representatives from the Municipality of Greve in Chianti and a staff of artists and professionals.
APPLICATION MATERIALS ( All of the following materials must be included with the application in order for it to be processed).
 

  1. Application form filled:  www.chianticom.com/index.php/en/worshop (NO FEE TO APPLY) !
  2. One-page, Project description, explaining what the artist wants to realize during the residence.
  3. One page, Bio/Resume/Professional Summary, this should include educational background, teaching, publications, exhibitions, awards, honors and other pertinent experience.
  4. Artist Statement (maximum 2000 characters- app. 400 words)
  5. Work samples as specified below

WORK EXAMPLES should be recent and representative of the work according to the applicant’s medium and discipline .
You may send up to 20 representative photos in paper format or a CD with digital images of your work. Please include a list that corresponds to your images ; DVD or music CD with 10 minutes maximum duration; or written documents up to 10 pages in length.
Digital images must be submitted as JPEG, if sent by email, max 4MB total.
Residency applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and can be submitted at any time.
For further information please visit our website where you can find a gallery of pictures and videos of the residency, a list of exhibitions and past guest artists, and you can browse our yearbooks and read testimonials in the Guest Book.Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions: info@chianticom.com