Our purpose with this article is to introduce the best opportunities for artists to advance their careers through transformative residencies in Italy. These programs are selected for their ability to provide financial support, professional growth, and cultural immersion, helping you elevate your artistic practice. To focus on the quality and impact of these residencies, we have not considered application deadlines in our selection, ensuring you can explore these opportunities at your own pace. Italy’s rich cultural heritage, vibrant art scenes, and historic landscapes make it a magnet for artists worldwide. For Artinfoland Magazine readers seeking immersive creative experiences, here are 5 top-funded international artist residencies in Italy for 2025. These programs, spanning regions like Tuscany, Rome, Venice, Umbria, and Lombardy, provide stipends, accommodation, and resources, enabling artists to focus on their practice while engaging with Italy’s dynamic cultural landscape. Each residency is open to international applicants, with details on funding, eligibility, and application processes drawn from reliable sources like residency websites, Res Artis, and TransArtists. All locations are verified as Italy-based, and funding details are approximate based on 2024–2025 data; check official websites for updates.
- Villa Lena Foundation Residency
- Location: Palaia, Tuscany (Via Toiano 12, 56036 Palaia, Pisa, Italy), 1 hour from Florence and Pisa.
- Funding: Fully funded for selected artists; includes accommodation, studio space, and half-board meals (breakfast and dinner 5 days/week). Non-funded residents pay €21 application fee and €1,500–€2,500/month, but scholarships cover costs for many.
- Duration: 4–5 weeks, April–October 2025.
- Eligibility: International artists in visual arts, music, film, literature, fashion, and other creative disciplines. No age or experience restrictions, but a strong portfolio is required. Artists donate one artwork to the foundation.
- Application Process: Submit a portfolio (10–15 works or writing samples), CV, project proposal, and a reference letter via www.villa-lena.org. Deadlines typically in January 2025.
- Why Apply?: Set in a 500-hectare Tuscan estate with woodlands and vineyards, Villa Lena fosters collaboration through workshops and talks, ideal for artists seeking nature and community. Past residents include filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher.
- Mahler & LeWitt Studios
- Location: Spoleto, Umbria (Via delle Mura 16, 06049 Spoleto, Italy), near Festival dei Due Mondi.
- Funding: Fully funded; includes accommodation, studio space, and a stipend (~€1,000/month) via partnerships with Yale University, King’s College London, and Fondazione Carla Fendi.
- Duration: 4–8 weeks, summer 2025 sessions.
- Eligibility: International artists in visual arts, performance, and literature with a project tied to Spoleto’s cultural context. Open calls prioritize emerging and mid-career artists.
- Application Process: Apply via www.mahler-lewitt.org with a portfolio, CV, and project proposal. Deadlines expected in early 2025.
- Why Apply?: Housed in Anna Mahler’s and Sol LeWitt’s former studios and the medieval Torre Bonomo, this residency offers a unique blend of history and contemporary art, with opportunities to present at the Festival dei Due Mondi.
- Villa Medici – French Academy in Rome
- Location: Rome (Viale della Trinità dei Monti 1, 00187 Rome, Italy), in a 16th-century villa.
- Funding: Fully funded; includes €1,500/month stipend, accommodation, and workspace for fellows. Shorter residencies may have partial funding.
- Duration: 12 months for fellows; 2 weeks–6 months for other residencies, year-round 2025.
- Eligibility: Francophone artists, writers, and researchers in any discipline (visual arts, music, literature, choreography). Open to all nationalities, but French fluency is required.
- Application Process: Apply via www.villamedici.it with a portfolio, CV, and project proposal. Deadlines vary; main fellowship deadline is January 2025.
- Why Apply?: Set in a stunning villa with 17-acre gardens, Villa Medici offers access to Rome’s cultural heritage and a library with 38,000 volumes, ideal for interdisciplinary projects.
- Scuola Piccola Zattere Fellowship
- Location: Venice (Fondamenta Zattere al Ponte Longo 1401, 30123 Dorsoduro, Venice, Italy), in the Palazzo delle Zattere.
- Funding: Fully funded; includes a €5,000 grant for 3 months, accommodation, and a shared studio space. Round-trip travel to Venice may be covered; candidates handle visas and insurance.
- Duration: 3 months, May–July or September–December 2025.
- Eligibility: International artists and cultural practitioners (curators, researchers, architects, choreographers, performers, writers) based outside Venice, in Italy or abroad. Duos and collectives welcome, but grant and accommodation are singular.
- Application Process: Submit a single PDF (max 20 MB) with a one-page motivation letter, portfolio, CV, and valid ID (EU) or passport (non-EU) to fellowship@scuolapiccolazattere.com by March 7, 2025 (May–July session) or July 9, 2025 (September–December session). File must be named “Applicant’sName_Applicant’sSurname_FellowshipApplication” (e.g., Giulia_Rossi_FellowshipApplication).
- Why Apply?: Part of the “One Year Score” program (November 2024–November 2025), this residency explores social dynamics, space, and performance, offering access to Venice’s cultural scene and the 2025 Architecture Biennale. Fellows contribute to public programs like workshops and presentations, fostering dialogue with the Scuola’s community, led by curator Irene Calderoni. Note: Some controversy exists due to founder Victoria Mikhelson’s ties to Russian billionaire Leonid Mikhelson, with three artists withdrawing from a 2024 exhibition, though funding is stated to be legitimate and monitored by Italian authorities.
- Nature, Art & Habitat Residency (NAHR)
- Location: Taleggio Valley, Bergamo, Lombardy (Sottochiesa, 24010 Taleggio, Italy).
- Funding: Fully funded; includes accommodation (private/shared housing), studio, program participation. Small stipends (~€500–€1,000 for 4 weeks) possible via grants; artists cover travel. Application fee: €30.
- Duration: 4 weeks, June–July 2025.
- Eligibility: International artists, scientists, architects, designers with bio-inspired or ecological projects. Mid-career preferred; English fluency required.
- Application Process: Apply via www.nahr.it with portfolio (10–15 works), CV, project proposal, motivation letter. Deadlines: February–March 2025.
- Why Apply?: NAHR’s alpine setting and focus on bio-inspired art suit artists integrating science and nature, with small cohorts ensuring personalized support.
Artinfoland Magazine’s Mission for Artists
At Artinfoland Magazine, our goal is to empower artists by connecting them with transformative opportunities that fuel creative and professional growth. We are dedicated to curating resources like residencies, grants, and exhibitions that help artists at all career stages thrive. By highlighting programs that offer financial support, cultural immersion, and networking, we aim to inspire and equip you to advance your practice, build global connections, and contribute to the vibrant art world. Whether you’re a painter, performer, or writer, Artinfoland Magazine is your partner in navigating the path to a successful artistic career.
For Artinfoland Magazine readers, these residencies provide a gateway to Italy’s cultural heartbeat. Apply early, refine your proposal, and create in one of the world’s most inspiring countries. 
