Organizer Information
Chokechaka, meaning "The Golden Bridge" in the Andean language of Quechua, is an artist residency in Huaran, a small agricultural town in Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas (Calca province, Cusco region), founded by musician and actor Adolfo Ibáñez Ayerve and multimedia artist Jennifer Zackin. The project traces its origins to 2004, with the creation of Hanaqpacha Intiq Sombran, and evolved through intercultural exchange programs between Cusco and New York before establishing itself as a year-round residency bridging Cusco's cultural heritage with an international artistic community. According to the organization's Res Artis listing, Chokechaka positions itself as a space for cultural, social, environmental, and humanitarian exchange, connecting resident artists with local scholars, craftspeople, weavers, anthropologists, and Andean priests. The residency is not affiliated with a larger institution; it is an independently run, family-founded program.
Title & Description
Chokechaka Artist Residency Program — Sacred Valley, Cusco, Peru
Chokechaka runs a year-round, self-funded artist residency at 9,850 ft (3,000m) in Peru's Sacred Valley, hosting 1–8 participants at a time for stays of 1 to 4+ weeks. The residency welcomes emerging, mid-career, and established artists, musicians, curators, scholars, activists, cultural workers, and creatives, and supports both focused projects and open-ended time for exploration, reflection, or research. Participants are offered private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, shared and private workspaces, and access to a network of local collaborators — including weavers, ceramicists, anthropologists, and Andean priests — for cultural exchange during their stay.
Categories
- Residency
- All Discipline
- Sound/Music
- Curatorial
- Research
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
- Applicants must be 21 years of age or older
- Open to emerging, mid-career, and established artists, musicians, curators, scholars, activists, cultural workers, and creatives
- Open to all disciplines (visual art, writing, music, performance, curatorial practice, etc.)
- Open internationally; no nationality restriction stated in the source
Program Benefits & Awards
- Private bedroom with ensuite full bathroom (hot shower), work table, and fresh linens/towels, in a four-bedroom house accommodating up to eight residents
- Shared common areas, including a great room with wood stove, fully equipped kitchen, dining area, living room, and additional shared bathroom
- Complimentary breakfast items, tea, and coffee provided
- Self-catering kitchen facilities with storage space
- Shared workspace in the great room and outdoor maloca/gazebo; a dedicated private studio is available for painters and artists doing messy work (additional private studios described as forthcoming)
- Outdoor spaces including a ceremonial maloca/gazebo, fire pit, and garden
- Facilitated introductions to local scholars, artists, craftspeople, weavers, anthropologists, and Andean priests for cultural exchange
- Optional assistance arranging transportation and guides to nearby archaeological sites (Pisac, Chinchero, Maras, Ollantaytambo)
Application Fee
This is a self-funded residency: there is no separate fee to submit an application, but an accepted resident pays a Residency Fee based on length of stay, due upon confirmation of dates:
- 1 week: $500 USD (includes breakfast)
- 2 weeks: $850 USD (includes breakfast)
- 3 weeks: $1,050 USD (includes breakfast)
- 4 weeks: $1,200 USD (includes breakfast)
- 4+ weeks: fee provided on request by email
- A 50% deposit is required upon acceptance to secure dates; the remaining balance is due in full 60 days before arrival, after which payments become non-refundable
- Partners sharing a bedroom receive a 50% discount
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 October 2026
Location
Huaran, Calca Province, Cusco Region, Peru
Additional Details
- Stays outside the standard 1–4 week range (4+ weeks) must be arranged directly by emailing the residency
- A separate Res Artis listing for the same residency states a slightly different cancellation policy (a 5% service charge and a 30-day date-change window) than the version currently published on the residency's own website (a 10% service charge and a 60-day date-change window); applicants should confirm current terms directly with Chokechaka before booking
- An optional traditional lunch service is available for S/20 (approx. $6 USD) per day, subject to reservation upon arrival