Call for applications: France , Nice Curatorial Research Residency

Application deadline: September 15, 2026

Residency period: November 2026 – June 2027

presentation

As part of the development of its artistic, educational, scientific and territorial project, Villa Arson is creating a curatorial and experimental residency dedicated to collaborative practices and new mediations in the field of contemporary art.

Conceived as a situated research space, this residency invites an exhibition curator, curator or researcher to develop, over an academic year, a project articulating research, experimentation, transmission and cooperation.

This first edition is a foundational moment. It will help define the methods, formats and development prospects of this new research program in close dialogue with students, teachers, the institution's teams and local partners.

A national public institution under the Ministry of Culture, Villa Arson brings together on a single site a national art school, a contemporary art center, a research and study library, and an international residency program. This unique configuration in France makes Villa Arson a true laboratory where creation, higher education, research, and artistic dissemination converge. Theresidency program aims to leverage this singularity to experiment with new forms of curatorial practices, mediation, and knowledge production.

Purpose of the residency: new forms of mediation and collaborative practices

The residency proposes to explore new mediations, understood in a broad sense as all the devices, methods and situations that allow for the creation of new relationships between works, artists, institutions, territories, knowledge and audiences.

The projects may, in particular, address the following questions:

• contemporary curatorial practices; 

• collaborative and participatory approaches; 

• cultural rights; 

• new forms of mediation and transmission; 

• artistic projects developed outside the walls;

• the relationship between art, research and society; 

• emerging forms of cooperation between institutions, artists and territories. 

Particular attention may be paid to research mobilizing the notions of care, attention, hospitality, solidarity or well-being as cultural, social and political dimensions of contemporary creation.

The residency is situated within an already structured research environment. It will notably draw upon  Surface Démange , a research project developed by Villa Arson and embodied in particular by a dedicated editorial line, which explores the relationships between contemporary creation, artistic practices, critical thought, and societal issues. It will also benefit from the scientific environment of Université Côte d'Azur, especially the work conducted within the framework of the  International Associated Laboratory Art, Society and Well-being (LIA-ASME) , jointly run with Université Laval. These two dynamics provide points of support and resonance.

The police station as a research practice

The residency considers curating as a research practice in its own right.

Beyond the design of exhibitions, it is about considering curating as an activity of knowledge production, creation of collective situations, mediation and connection between artists, audiences, institutions and territories.

The residency is therefore aimed at professionals developing a practice where research, experimentation, transmission and cooperation intersect.

A territory for experimentation

Thanks to the work developed over several years by its public services department, Villa Arson relies on a network of partners bringing together cultural institutions, educational establishments, local authorities, associations, social and medico-social actors, health professionals, artists, researchers and residents.

The territory thus constitutes a true field of investigation allowing for the development of situated research, in contact with concrete contexts and identified partners.

The "outside the walls" approach is considered here as a research method as much as a mode of action.

a residence at the heart of pedagogy

The resident will develop their project with a group of students from the National School of Art throughout the academic year.

This collective research can take different forms:

• seminars; 

• workshops; 

• field investigations; 

• workshops; 

• research-creation; 

• experiments; 

• public meetings; 

• collaborative devices. 

Particular attention will be paid to projects that combine research, transmission, experimentation and knowledge production.

resources made available

The resident will benefit from all the resources of Villa Arson:

the National School of Art; 

• the Contemporary Art Centre; 

• the study and research library; 

• the international residency program; 

• public services; 

• technical workshops; 

• workspaces; 

• the partnerships developed with the University of Côte d'Azur; 

• scientific collaborations associated with LIA-ASME. 

The Contemporary Art Centre serves as a scientific, documentary, and professional resource. However, the residency is not intended to produce an exhibition within the Centre's regular programming. It prioritizes research, experimentation, and project development.

desired profile

The residence is open:

• to the exhibition curators; 

• to independent or emerging curators;

• to researchers working in the field of contemporary art; 

• to cultural professionals developing a curatorial research practice. 

International applications are strongly encouraged.  However, the residency requires regular attendance at Villa Arson throughout the academic year. This long-term commitment is essential to the project, which is based on immersion in the life of the institution, the development of collaborations with students and local partners, and research rooted in the local area. Applicants are asked to take this requirement into account, as travel expenses will be covered within the limits of the residency's budget. The residency involves several periods of attendance spread throughout the academic year.

Particular attention will be paid to projects demonstrating:

• a critical reflection on contemporary curatorial practices; 

• an interest in collaborative and situated approaches; 

• an ability to work with diverse partners; 

• a strong link between research, transmission and experimentation. 

restitution

The residency will result in a research output, the form of which will be defined by the resident in dialogue with the institution.

This restitution can take and combine different forms:

• of a publication; 

• of an editorial project; 

• of a one-day study session; 

• of a public program; 

• of a mediation mechanism; 

• of a digital platform; 

• of a project outside the walls; 

• or any other proposal relevant to the process underway. 

residence monitoring

The residency will be regularly monitored by the Villa Arson team. At its conclusion, the resident will submit a qualitative and quantitative report detailing the actions undertaken, the collaborations developed, the work produced, and the perspectives opened up by the research.

residency conditions

The residency takes place from November 2026 to the end of June 2027.

The resident benefits from:

• furnished accommodation at Villa Arson during the periods of residence; 

• residence fees of €13,500 including VAT corresponding to 45 days of residence (eight weeks of presence plus one week devoted to the return); 

• a maximum budget of €1,500 including VAT intended for travel and expenses related to the project, upon presentation of supporting documents; 

• of a production grant; 

• access to all the educational and technical resources of the institution. 

An attendance of approximately one week per month is expected.

calendar

Publication of the call for proposals: July 2026 

Application deadline: September 15, 2026 

Application selection: end of September 2026 

Interviews: first half of October 2026 

Results: mid-October 2026 

Residency begins: November 2026 

application file

The application must include:

• a curriculum vitae; 

• a statement of intent presenting the research project (3 to 5 pages maximum); 

• a presentation of curatorial, artistic, educational or professional experiences; 

• any document that allows for an assessment of the candidate's approach. 

Applications must be submitted before September 15, 2026 to: international@villa-arson.org