One of Havana's greatest strengths is the intensity of human interaction.
Here, people still spend time together in ways that have become less common in many Western cities.

Conversations happen in studios, on rooftops, in courtyards, on sidewalks.

For many visiting artists, these exchanges become as important as the artwork itself.

Located in Havana, the residency offers artists an opportunity to engage with a city shaped by history, resilience, and constant transformation. Through immersion in local culture, everyday life, and exchange with Cuban artists, participants are invited to reflect on questions of memory, identity, and what remains in times of change:

A Different Relationship to Material and Process

Cuba encourages artists to rethink how they work.

Limited access to materials often leads to experimentation, improvisation, and resourcefulness. Many visiting artists discover new approaches precisely because they cannot rely on familiar systems of production.

Immersion in a Distinct Cultural Context

Havana offers an encounter with a society shaped by a unique blend of African, European, Caribbean, and Latin American influences.

For many European artists, this provides access to perspectives and narratives that differ significantly from those of Western Europe.

Time and Space for Reflection

The rhythm of life in Havana can feel slower and less driven by constant productivity.

This creates opportunities for observation, research, conversation, and artistic reflection that are often difficult to find in more accelerated urban environments.

Exchange with Cuban Artists

One of the greatest assets of a residency is meaningful dialogue.

Direct contact with Cuban artists, musicians, writers, and cultural practitioners can lead to new ideas, collaborations, and lasting professional relationships.

Exploring Questions of Memory, Identity, and Change

Havana is a city where past and present coexist in visible ways.

Artists are often confronted with questions of transformation, resilience, migration, belonging, and cultural memory. These themes resonate far beyond Cuba and can enrich a wide range of artistic practices.

The township 'Regla' is known for its strong afro-cuban background. Quite a few artists have chosen to work and live here and around. It is a kind of quiet place, where time seems to run somewhat slower than elsewhere.  At the same time, it is centric. Regla is situated on a peninsula in the middle of bay of Havana. Habana Vieja, the historical and touristic center you reach with a small ferry boat, which crosses the bay in 10 minutes.

You get a house with 2 bedrooms (airconditioned), 3 bathrooms, kitchen, living room,  2 studio rooms, rooftop terraces, large patio with a few trees.  Plenty of space to work and to live  (In total approx. 220m2 indoor + 250m2 outdoor).

In addition you get local help during your stay, specially at the beginning so you get an easy start, learn how to move around, get connected and networked to the people and artists you might like to know.