FAQ

La Becque | Artist Residency was developed under the auspices of the Fondation Françoise Siegfried-Meier.

Born in 1914, renowned violinist Françoise Siegfried-Meier showed unswerving commitment to the artists of her time. Generous and passionate, she sought to support several public organizations and institutions in the long-term, particularly in the field of the arts, by creating a foundation bearing her name. Siegfried-Meier’s wish for her family’s domain in La Tour-de-Peilz to foster meetings and creativity has now been realized with La Becque’s residency program—a natural fit for this unique and stunningly beautiful site.

La Becque has the ambition to host artists from all backgrounds and disciplines. Residents will benefit from an exceptional location, great facilities, and networks that will help them accomplish the project they have been selected for.

Participants in our Principal Residency Program will be selected by a transdisciplinary jury of experts. The program is oriented towards established as well as up-and-coming artists with high potential for development.

The residency program dedicates particular attention to projects that focus on the interplay between nature and technology—two notions that are more than ever intertwined and lie at the heart of contemporary concerns.

La Becque has developed several partner residency programs which have their own application processes, are announced separately, and have their own rules and juries. La Becque’s Principal Residency Program application criteria and guidelines and application forms are only valid for La Becque.

The Principal Residency Program is subject to a call for applications in March every year, seeking applications for residencies to be held the following year (or years).

Applications can only be submitted via a dedicated application platform. This platform can be accessed via a link on the page https://labecque.ch/en/residencies/ (click on the “Application platform” button).

The platform remains accessible outside of application periods for the creation of user profiles by potential future applicants.

Applications can only be made via the form available on the platform https://labecque.awardsplatform.com/.

Our Principal Residency Program welcomes applications from Swiss and international professional artists working in a wide range of disciplines, including:

• Architecture
• Critical writing
• Curation, art criticism, and research
• Design (product design, graphic design, design research)
• Film
• Media arts
• Music and sound art
• Performing arts
• Photography
• Visual arts

Both up-and-coming and established artists are welcome to apply.
Applicants should be professionals in their field.
Applicants must show proof of specialized training or an equivalent track record, recognition among their peers, and a history of publicly showing their work.

Applicants who are enrolled in Bachelors or Masters programs at the time of applying are not eligible for the Principal Residency Program. It does not matter whether they will have completed said studies program at the time of their potential residency taking place - to repeat: applicants are ineligible if they are enrolled at the time of applying.

Applicants enrolled in PhD programs are eligible during the course of their studies - at any time if they are engaged in a European-style PhD curriculum, and after completion of their coursework if engaged in an American-style PhD curriculum.

Applicants must be at least 23 years of age at the beginning of the year of residency, but there is no upper age limit.

Registration for the Principal Residency Program is free of charge.

Applications can only be submitted via a dedicated application platform. This platform can be accessed via a link on the page https://labecque.ch/en/residencies/ (click on the “Application platform” button).

Applicants are asked to fill in the required fields on the application platform, upload the requested documents, and complete their application in the proper form.

The platform remains accessible outside of application periods for the creation of user profiles by potential future applicants.

The application should include:

• A pitch for your project (max. 700 characters including spaces)
• A short biography including a brief description of the applicant’s work (max 1,000 characters including spaces)
• A description of your project (max 2 pages)
• A full CV (max. 4 pages)
• A digital portfolio

Please read this year’s conditions of participation carefully before preparing your application.

Applications may be submitted in either English or French. However, please note that some members of the jury are not fluent in French and will therefore use automatic translation tools to help them understand applications written in French.

Yes. However, keep in mind that when we attribute a residency for a specific project, our offer remains the same: collective applicants should take into consideration that their members will share facilities (one apartment and, where appropriate, one exclusive or shared studio space).

The grant is adapted for artists’ collectives according to the number of members in the group, up to limits determined by La Becque (see further below, “How much is the monthly stipend and what does it cover?”).

An apartment can comfortably accommodate two adults or a small family. For groups of three or more adults, we advise applicants to organize themselves according to the needs of the project and the limitations of the accommodation.

For duos or collectives, applications must include a portfolio with the number of projects requested per discipline (see above) that they have completed as a collective.

If the duo or collective has completed fewer projects than requested per discipline together, or has not yet completed a project together, applicants must include a maximum of five projects (in total, not five projects per person) in the portfolio that represent the practices of the collective and/or each member of the collective.

If the duo or collective has already worked together, a single biography and CV will suffice. If the individuals have never worked together, applicants must include a biography and CV for each member of the duo or collective.

In the outline of their residency project, applicants should show explicit and structured interest in the guiding themes developed in the Principal Residency Program, e.g., notions of nature and technology, and their interplay.

In the outline of their residency project, applicants should also clearly state in what way their project would specifically benefit from being developed at La Becque, what they expect to draw from our location and our networks, and what specific part of the project would particularly benefit from the residency. In a nutshell, in what way does the applicant’s project necessitate or justify a stay at La Becque?

In addition, applicants should specify their workspace needs—especially if they are applying as a duo or a collective.

Applicants can apply for a three-month residency, which must take place during the three annual quarterly residency periods: January–March, May–July or September–November.

Applications for residencies shorter or longer than three months are not possible within this program.

The residency period must be specified at the time of application and cannot be changed.

Whether or not their application is successful, applicants may not apply for the Principal Residency Program two years in a row.

Candidates to the program can apply only every two years.

This rule is valid for any form of application within the Principal Residency Program

For example, if an applicant has applied one year with a solo proposal, they can’t be part of a collective application the year after, and vice versa.

The “once every two years” rule applies solely to the Principal Residency Program. An unsuccessful candidate to said program is free to apply to another residency program at La Becque the following year, provided they are eligible for said program.

Yes. All applicants should submit a complete, up-to-date application.

Personal details on a previous applicant’s existing application profile, such as contact information, should also be thoroughly reviewed and updated where necessary at the time of a new application.

The selected artists commit to coming to La Becque on the dates agreed with the team following their selection. For organizational reasons, it is generally not possible to postpone a residency.

Applications are first reviewed by La Becque’s administrative staff to ensure that they meet the application criteria and rules.

Applications that meet these requirements are then reviewed by the jury of the Principal Residency Program.

The composition of the jury changes in part from year to year and can be found on our website.

Resident artists are provided with a live/work apartment for the duration of their stay. The apartments are specifically designed for their use.

Each apartment is 80 sqm in size, with a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, a separate bedroom and bathroom, and a flexible main living/workspace of approx. 40 sqm, plus a terrace facing Lake Geneva.

Depending on the needs outlined in their application, residents will also be allocated the exclusive or shared use of one of our artists’ studios. Our studios have a surface area of 30 m2 and a ceiling height of 3.70 m and offer plenty of natural light.

La Becque has a professionally equipped music and recording studio. Residents also have access to La Becque’s wood workshop, which features a wide range of machines for cutting and assembling wooden parts. A workshop for ceramics production is also available, equipped with a 45 x 60 cm kiln and a potter’s wheel.

Finally, a 3D printer (BambuLab Ams 2) and an on-site library are available to residents.

Residents will be required to contractually commit to La Becque’s code of conduct and house rules. They are encouraged to interact with other residents, as well as with contacts relevant to their project which La Becque will provide.

La Becque’s administrative staff will conduct simple interviews with residents at regular intervals to ensure the progress of their project, in addition to frequent updates and meetings both formal and informal.

Residents will also be asked to write a report on their residency once it is completed. A deposit, which is deducted from the final month’s grant, will be paid once this report has been submitted to La Becque.

Open studios are organized after each 3-month residency period. This is an opportunity for residents to present their ongoing research to art professionals and the public. Participation in this event is appreciated and preferable, but not compulsory.

In addition to Open Studios, La Becque regularly organizes public events alongside residencies, such as studio tours, discussion circles, concerts, and screenings. Residents may be invited to take part directly, but acceptance is voluntary. Residents are welcome to attend all these events.

La Becque regularly organizes public events on its La Tour-de-Peilz site, which feature a diverse and sometimes large audience in some of the site’s shared spaces, including the garden. Some of these events involve residents in their program, while others do not.

In addition, artists who are invited to take part in these events may be invited to stay for short periods at La Becque. Other artists, juries, and La Becque partners are also frequently invited to stay. Residents are informed in advance of these events, visits, and temporary “neighbors.” They are invited to take part in the events and to interact with the aforementioned visitors and guests, who will also respect the integrity of the residents.

La Becque guarantees a welcoming and safe environment for all its guests.

Residents will receive a monthly stipend of CHF 1,500 to cover living expenses and production costs. The grant is adapted for artists’ collectives according to the number of members in the group, up to a monthly maximum of CHF 2,500 for a collective.

La Becque contributes to the travel costs of the residents, with limits on participation based on total costs. If the residency project is expected to incur significant production costs, it is the responsibility of the resident to find additional funding for the project.

Before the start of their residency, residents are responsible for organizing their own trips and applying for any visas that may be required for their stay. They should also ensure that they have valid health and accident insurance covering their stay in Switzerland.

Yes, partners and/or children may stay with residents during their residency. La Becque strives to be as flexible as possible to accommodate partners and/or children in the different residency programs, but we remind you that the resources available to residents are the same whether they come alone or accompanied (an apartment, possible individual or shared access to a workshop, and a monthly stipend).

La Becque offers additional monthly financial support of CHF 1,000 to help with childcare/schooling costs, for children present with their parent(s) during the residency. La Becque does not offer specific assistance or activities for children, but we are happy to refer parent artists to various childcare and school facilities.

Yes. La Becque is accessible to wheelchair users.

Applicants with specific accessibility needs are encouraged to contact us in advance so that we can provide further information and discuss any individual requirements.

No pets are allowed at La Becque, except for assistance dogs, which are of course welcome.

Should applicants require any further clarification after reading the conditions of participation and the FAQ, please contact applications@labecque.ch.