[English version] OPEN CALL Residency Program Francoise x Cité des arts

Association Françoise X Cité internationale des arts – Art & Research Residency Program
January – March 2026, Paris

« Art is what makes life more interesting than art » — Robert Filliou

The Association Françoise for Contemporary Art and the Cité internationale des arts have joined forces to build a research and creation residency program which will take place in Paris, at the Cité internationale des arts, from January to March 2026. This initiative is open to an artist/researcher duo invited to explore the intersections between art, psychiatry, clinical psychology, the social and human sciences, and the life sciences.

Summary

• Context
• Theme
• The Program
• Eligibility and Selection
• Public Events and Documentation
• Application Guidelines
• Calendar

For any questions regarding the program, please contact us at the following email address: residence@francoiseartmemo.fr

Cité internationale des arts de Paris’ website : https://www.citedesartsparis.net/ 

Context

Since 2015, the Françoise Association has been working to place contemporary artistic practices at the heart of the city, fostering a dynamic of openness and inclusion of diversity. Its projects — exhibitions, residencies, collaborations with care institutions and associations — explore the relationships between art, memory, vulnerability, and transmission.

The Association builds on collaborations with venues such as the Museum Dr. Guislain (Ghent, Belgium), dedicated to the history of psychiatry and outsider art, and the Fondation Francès.

In partnership with the Cité internationale des arts, the program offers a dedicated time and space for research, creation, and professional exchange within the unique context of the Cité. Identified as a “safe space,” the Cité provides an environment of trust, conducive both to individual and collective research, and enriched by the presence of a community of 300 artists of all disciplines, generations, and nationalities.

The Association Françoise and the Cité internationale des arts have invited Albertine de Galbert, clinical psychologist in psychiatry and independent curator, to accompany and support the laureates’ research throughout the program.

Theme

Art, society, psychiatry, clinical psychology

Art is a witness to psychic life: it can be its source, its subject, and its reflection, expressing discoveries as well as conflicts, imbalances, or shortcomings.

The program provides a space for experimentation and dialogue between artist and researcher, encouraging shifts in perspective, collective elaboration, and the development of hybrid and open-ended practices.

A partnership with a mental health institution (psychiatry or medico-social fields, for example) may be developed during the residency with the support of the Association Françoise, the Cité internationale des arts, and Albertine de Galbert, but this is not a prerequisite.

The Program

The residency will take place from January 5 to March 27, 2026. Each laureate will benefit from:

• Dedicated professional support, meetings, and networking opportunities organized by the program partners, including 4 to 6 working sessions with Albertine de Galbert;
• A furnished live-in studio at the Cité internationale des arts (Marais site), combining living and working space;
• A monthly grant of €1,000 net of taxes;
• Coverage of international round-trip travel to/from Paris airports or train stations, travel insurance, and research support (up to a defined ceiling, upon presentation of receipts).

Eligibility and Selection

The program has no age limit and is open to:

• Artists (all disciplines), mid-career or established;
• Researchers in the human and social sciences or life sciences.

Applicants must:

• Reside and work within the European Union;
• Demonstrate fluency in French and a proven interest in the links between art (creation, reception, critique, etc.) and psychic care. Applications may be submitted by an existing artist/researcher duo or individually; in the latter case, the jury may propose a pairing.

Applications will be reviewed by a jury composed of representatives of the program partners. In addition to assessing the applicants’ professional background, the jury will pay particular attention to:

• The originality of the research project to be carried out during the residency;
• The relevance of the residency context, including the mentorship of Albertine de Galbert;
• The contribution of the Cité internationale des arts to the applicant’s practice and professional network.

Public Events and Documentation

• Ongoing documentation: online journal, newsletter, podcast;
• Public events: mid-term open studio;
• Final restitution (exhibition, public talk, or publication), to be defined with the laureates and partners.

Application Guidelines

Applications (1 single PDF, max. 15 MB) must be submitted by October 12, 2025 at 11:59 pm (GMT+1) to: residence@francoiseartmemo.fr.

Once submitted, applications cannot be modified. Please prepare your materials carefully.

Required documents:

• A detailed CV (2 pages max.), in French or English;
• A portfolio (10 pages max., in French or English) for artists; a dossier of recent publications for researchers;
• A statement of intent (2 pages max., in French or English) outlining your motivations, the relevance of the residency to your ongoing research, and your interest in the program’s context (Paris and the Cité internationale des arts) and professional support;
• One letter of recommendation from an institution or curator.

Residency Conditions

The laureates will be hosted in live-in studios on the Marais site of the Cité internationale des arts. Ranging from 25 to 40m², the studios combine research-creation and daily life, and include a work space, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. Each studio can accommodate up to two adults and one child under 10. Additional fees apply for companions and visitors.

The studios are not yet fully accessible for people with disabilities, but the Cité is working toward improved accessibility. For any questions regarding accessibility, please contact the Cité internationale des arts.

Calendar

• Application period: September 12 – October 12, 2025
• Selection of residents: October 27, 2025
• Results announced: mid-November 2025
• Residency dates: January 5 – March 27, 2026