Usine Utopik

The association ADN – Usine Utopik is a centre for contemporary artistic creation with a mission to support and promote visual arts and contemporary writing in a rural environment. Residencies take place at Usine Utopik, located in the old horticultural greenhouse of Tessy-sur-Vire, a village with about 1500 inhabitants. Artists can participate in live-in residencies where they realize specific projects, conduct research, or develop new directions in artistic practice, which will result in an exhibition. The centre offers help during all the different phases of the artist’s work, research and exhibition. Usine Utopik also offers residencies for authors and presents a diverse cultural program (exhibitions, art library, public lectures, publications, etc.) that facilitates interactions between artists and the local art community. For the tenth year in a row, Usine Utopik offers residencies in 2024. This application call regards all artists with a successfully completed art degree and with a professional artistic practice in contemporary creation (painting, sculpture, installations, photo, drawing, ceramic, performance, etc…), regardless of age and nationality. Usine Utopik organises six residencies a year, from spring to fall, and welcomes three artists at the same time. This set-up demands collaboration between the artists for the final exhibition. During the residency the artists are asked to question their work regarding the territory, its history and its geography. The residency takes place for a period of 54 days. The artist needs to be present at least 45 days during this period. If the artist needs some time off for professional reasons, to participate in other exhibitions for example, they can take a maximum of three consecutive days off (with a total of 9 days) on the condition that this is compatible with the planning of the residency. If this agreement is not respected, the artist gets a penalty of €50 per day of absence