Essere Residency

Overview

Founded and directed by award-winning author, spiritual life coach, and wellness practitioner Jennie Lee, Essere Residency is a 2-week, multidisciplinary, self-directed program set on a private, medieval estate in the countryside of Cetona (Province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy). Situated within a historic hamlet complete with Etruscan tombs, a medieval tower, a church, and olive groves, Essere (“to be” in Italian) prioritizes inner nourishment and creative space over rigid output expectations. Residents are housed across six restored historic estate homes, with shared access to independent studios, countryside walking paths, and medieval communal spaces.

Mission

Essere Residency aims to nurture the “soul of the artist” by providing an optimal balance of solitude, structured support, and international community. Grounded in the belief that authentic productivity arises from cultivating inner well-being, the residency seeks to foster cross-disciplinary, cross-generational, and multicultural dialogue. By offering partial fellowships and dedicated mentorship, the program strives to make Tuscan residency stays accessible to diverse, historically underrepresented, and early-career voices.

Programs / Opportunities

• Two-Week Multidisciplinary Summer Residency: Self-directed residential sessions in Tuscany providing private room accommodation, access to two independent art studios, shared kitchens, 10 three-course dinners with wine prepared by a local chef, and housekeeping services.
• Faculty Mentorship & Craft Talks: Evening presentations and craft talks led by visiting Artists in Residence (covering topics like intuition, mindset, and authentic marketing), along with one-on-one mentorship appointments.
• Personal Coaching & Guided Meditation: Individual spiritual life coaching, creative counseling, and guided meditation sessions facilitated by Founder/Director Jennie Lee.
• Six Specialized Fellowships (€1,000 Off Residency Fees):
  • BIPOC Cultural Explorations Fellowship (for creators celebrating cultural heritage).
  • Emerging Voices Fellowship (for early-career storytellers and artists).
  • Reflections on Identity Fellowship (exploring personal/collective identity, gender, and migration).
  • Musical Development Fellowship (for musicians, composers, and librettists).
  • Single Parent Creatives Fellowship (supporting artists balancing single parenthood).
  • Ancora Imparo Fellowship (dedicated to art teachers in honor of Michelangelo’s “still learning” ethos).
• Excursions & Cultural Integration: Optional day trips to Siena, Florence, and Montepulciano, local thermal spring visits, and on-site Italian cooking classes.

Target Community

• Multidisciplinary Creatives & Storytellers: Emerging, mid-career, and established visual artists, writers, poets, playwrights, musicians, composers, filmmakers, digital media creators, and art educators worldwide.