🇫🇷 Cité internationale des arts, Paris
The Cité internationale des arts (International City of Arts) is a world-renowned artist-in-residence complex in Paris, France, dedicated to hosting and supporting professional artists from around the globe. It is one of the largest and most diverse residency centers in the world, playing a critical role in promoting international cultural exchange.
Mission and Scope
The Cité internationale des arts was established in 1965 as a foundation of public utility. Its core mission is to:
- Host professional artists: Provide comfortable and dedicated living and working spaces (called ateliers-logements or live-in studios) for French and international artists for periods typically ranging from two months to a year.
- Encourage cultural dialogue: Foster a unique environment where over a thousand artists from around 90 different countries and diverse disciplines can meet, exchange ideas, and collaborate.
- Support creative projects: Offer personalized support, networking opportunities, and specialized technical facilities to help residents develop their creative or research projects.
Two Iconic Locations
The Cité operates across two complementary sites in central Paris:
- Marais Site: The main campus, located on Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville in the historic Marais district, directly across from the Île Saint-Louis. This site has the largest number of studios and shared facilities like an auditorium, rehearsal studios, and specialized workshops (engraving, silkscreen printing, etc.).
- Montmartre Site: A smaller, more intimate site situated in the picturesque Montmartre district, near the Sacré-Cœur, offering a different, quieter atmosphere for residents.
Residency Programs
The Cité hosts over 1,000 artists, curators, and researchers each year across all disciplines, including:
- Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, photography, digital art)
- Music (classical, contemporary, jazz)
- Performing Arts (dance, theatre)
- Writing (literature, criticism)
- Film, Design, and Architecture
The residencies are granted through two main avenues:
- Partner Programs: The majority of the studios are allocated by over 135 French and international partner institutions (governments, universities, foundations, etc.), which use the Cité’s facilities to host their chosen grantees.
- Direct Applications (“2-12 Program”): A smaller number of studios are reserved for artists who apply directly to the Cité for self-funded or externally supported stays of 2 to 12 months.
The Cité’s unique cooperative model, supported by the City of Paris, the French Ministry of Culture, and its numerous international partners, makes it a vital global hub for artistic creation and cross-cultural encounters.