From the 24th to the 28th of March 2025, the ACCR, members of the network of cultural meeting centres and partners took part in an Erasmus+ mobility programme at the Neimënster Abbey in Luxembourg. This learning visit, organised jointly by the ACCR and the Abbaye aux Dames, provided an opportunity to reflect broadly on the support provided to artists by residencies.
Among the topics discussed, particular attention was paid to creative residencies, i.e. a period during which an artist is welcomed to carry out research or creative work, without any obligation to produce results.
/ Time for oneself
The CCR network has been particularly vigilant in creating the conditions necessary to make residencies a time of tranquillity and reflection conducive to introspection and creation free from external constraints. The aim is to offer artists and researchers a calm and secure working and living environment in which to create.
Participants agreed on the distinction to be made between pure creation time and mediation time, which requires artists and researchers to adopt a different mindset and approach. This distinction is also reflected in the remuneration of artists: a residency grant is not a salary that implies an obligation to produce a result (workshop, etc.). For example, the Neimënster Abbey is mindful of this: the residency grant is used to support research work; if the artist leads a workshop, they then change their role and are paid a specific fee.
If mediation and cultural activities are planned, these should be discussed with the artist in advance to ensure a good balance and that they are willing to engage with the public.
/ End of residency
With regard to residency outcomes, which are organised according to the artists‘ wishes, the CCRs strive to tone down the solemnity of the term “presentation”. The teams prefer to present this as an opportunity for informal encounters and exchanges in order to gain an understanding of the artists’ thought processes and backgrounds.
The aim is to encourage people to discover the unknown, whether through a convivial evening or a structured discussion, in a setting that is not imposing and at times that suit the availability of as many people as possible. Generally, those who attend are regulars, people who have confidence in the site's programming.
For some artists, the audience's perspective and feedback are invaluable in feeding their work. The performance is therefore a way of testing, trying out and adjusting.
With a view to creating moments of life, Noirlac Abbey organises Sunday morning events where people can get together for breakfast, a lecture and a concert.