Itinera Arte, a platform based in Rio de Janeiro and in collaboration with Arquipélago Carioca, launches its first international residency program for both Brazilian and international contemporary artists. The residency is open to artists at any stage of their careers working across various media—including painting, drawing, video, performance, sculpture, installation, among others—who are interested in exchanging experiences with peers and engaging with the cultural environment of the city.

Rooted in Itinera’s identity of movement and flow—its name evoking notions of transit, travel, and walking—the residency program fosters the exchange of knowledge in motion, in dialogue with the living historical environment surrounding Guanabara Bay, at the heart of Rio de Janeiro.

This inaugural edition embraces the concept of Freedom in Transit. Inspired by the ideas of Mário Pedrosa—who believed the revolutionary potential lies “south of the Equator, where life germinates and a new art threatens to bloom”—the program encourages reflections on freedom in its multiple manifestations: from bodily research to collective practices, from environmental advocacy to cultural studies. Artists who understand art as an “experimental exercise of freedom” are especially invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant cultural scene of Rio de Janeiro, particularly in the historic city center where the Itinera studios are located.

Four artists will be selected for this first edition: three paying residents and one full scholarship recipient.

Applications are open from April 10 to May 20, 2025.

Throughout the program, selected artists will receive ongoing support from the Itinera Arte team. This edition is coordinated by curator Bruna Costa.

The residency offers each participant:

  • Studio space in downtown Rio de Janeiro (25 m² studio, with a work table provided)
  • Weekly curatorial guidance
  • Portfolio reviews
  • Engagement with the local art scene (including studio visits, gallery tours, visits to institutions and exhibitions)
  • Conversations with guest curators
  • Cultural activities around the historic center of Rio
  • A collective exhibition at the end of the residency (opening on August 2, 2025)

Selected artists are free to focus on the wide range of opportunities provided by the program. The work presented in the final exhibition may be defined in dialogue with the Itinera team throughout the residency.

Applicants must be able to communicate well, preferably in English or Portuguese.

Application requirements:

  • Portfolio
  • CV
  • Artist Statement

Note 1: All application materials must be submitted in English or Portuguese.
Note 2: Candidates applying for the full scholarship must also submit a Letter of Intent, explaining their interest in the residency and justifying their request for financial support.

Cost:

USD 350 for the entire residency period
Brazilian artists receive a 50% discount on the total fee

Please note: The residency does not include accommodation, travel, food, or personal expenses. However, Itinera Arte will provide assistance with information and recommendations for accommodation and navigating the city.

Scholarship:

Regarding the scholarship, one artist will be selected for a full fee waiver, based on criteria of socio-economic vulnerability, race, and/or gender. The selection committee will also consider the applicant’s artistic background and the relevance of their work to the conceptual framework of the residency. Scholarship applicants must include a Letter of Intent addressing both their interest in the program and the need for financial support according to the criteria listed.

Pre-selected residents will be contacted by the end of May 2025.

Bruna Costa is an independent curator, art historian, and professor.She holds a degree in History of Art from the Escola de Belas Artes at UFRJ, including a sandwich scholarship at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. She also earned a Master’s degree in Visual Arts from UFRJ, with a research focus on color and material culture in the work of Hélio Oiticica.
From 2020 to 2023, she worked as studio manager for the artist Ernesto Neto, and from 2023 to 2024, she was a professor at CEFET/RJ.

Her research interests include art and political movements, art historiography, and global peripheries.

Apply link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerrGFs6eAiPZTmxpttZ0C5gW204smBgDEffSgnjrE6s1bXDQ/viewform

Email: itineraarte@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItineraArte

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