Prato visual residency
Prato visual residency
A collaboration between Monash Art, Design & Architecture and the Monash University Prato campus
We're pleased to offer a wonderful opportunity for a visual residency in Prato, Italy - a collaboration between Monash Art, Design & Architecture and the Monash University Prato Campus (MUPC).
Italy is renowned for the richness of its art, design and architecture. Our visual residency program gives Australian creative practitioners the chance to engage with this culture.
Each year, we offer an established or emerging Australian creative practitioner the opportunity to spend three months in Prato to undertake a new project or enquiry that relates to the local context.
The MUPC Visual Residency Program encourages international engagement, through contemporary art practice and research, and offers a broad range of activities for inspiration, education and professional development.
Program details
The Visual Residency in Prato, Italy program highlights our commitment to contemporary art, design and architecture, and to building an international profile in creative practice and research.
The Program is particularly interesting from a number of cultural perspectives and can offer an endless array of activities for inspiration, education and professional development.
Prato’s proximity to Tuscan historic sites such as Siena and Pisa (Medieval religious, intellectual, educational and arts centres) and Florence (Renaissance economic, religious, intellectual and arts centre) makes it a highly attractive location for a visual residency program. Other major cities in Italy are also within convenient reach such as Venice (Venice Biennale), Bologna, Rome and Milan.
Prato is an interesting and challenging location in and of itself from the perspective of migration studies, cultural studies, inter‐cultural communication, and historic and contemporary economic relations and interactions.
Prato is also home to the Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art, the Textile Museum, Renaissance art collections, and it is close to Fattoria Celle in Pistoia, home of the important Gori Collection of site-specific contemporary artworks.
The 2026 Visual Residency Program is supported by the Australian Multicultural Foundation.
Our offer
As part of the residency, we offer the following:
- Return economy airfare (arranged by Monash University)
- Contribution to further travel, living expenses, materials and/or production costs to the value of $12,000
- Serviced apartment in Palazzo Vai (single or double occupancy) from 1 May – 31 July
- accomodation is available for artists with dependant children
- for further details on family accomodation please contact pratoresidency@monash.edu
- Private studio with:
- approx. 40 square metres
- abundant natural light
- white-clad walls that can be hung on
- power points
- Wi-Fi
- access to PC and Mac computer labs including printing facilities
- access to fax and photocopier via the administrative offices
- Some general costs associated with exhibition and public presentation, e.g. promotional material, professional translation services, refreshments
- Travel insurance for the period of the residency, which will be provided by Monash University’s Insurance Agent
- Administrative assistance with permits for transport of artworks
- Monash University Prato Campus offers professional liaison support for interactions with the local community, but applicants should be in a position to undertake their residency in a largely self-directed capacity.
Expectations
- Give an initial public presentation either about existing work and/or the research to be undertaken during the Residency
- Engage with the Monash Art Design & Architecture’s semester programs
- Public engagement opportunity, e.g. workshop, lecture, exhibition (of works produced during the residency, works in progress, or existing work)
- The Monash University logo, Monash Art Design & Architecture and Monash University Prato Campus acknowledgement must appear on works that were developed during or associated with the residency and on all related publicity material.
Aims of the program
As the artist-in-residence, you'll engage with Monash students during their semester program in Prato, generally from September to November, giving them the opportunity to learn from a current creative practitioner. You'll also share your work with the general public.
- provide opportunities for creative practitioners to sustain and deepen their practice and research
- offer and encourage engagement with institutions and industry in Prato
- provide access to significant collections, exhibitions, colleagues and practitioners in Europe
- encourage independent artistic thinking, experimentation and practice
Please note, the studio is not suitable for major construction as there are no workshops or hand tools. The heritage-listed parquetry floor can be covered for minor works.
All other services, materials and expenses, including transport of artworks, private phone arrangements, laundry, tools, etc. must be covered by the artist.
It is the responsibility of the resident to inform themselves of visa requirements for Italy and to make any necessary arrangements.
Applications
In order to be considered for the visual residency in Prato, please complete the expression of interest application form.
Applications for the residency are currently closed.
Enquiries about the program or eligibility may be directed to: pratoresidency@monash.edu
Eligibility
Applications are accepted from Australian citizens or residents with a track record of professional practice and public presentation in their field. Early and mid-career practitioners are encouraged to apply. If you have an undergraduate fine art qualification, you must have three years of practice since graduation.
Applications will not be accepted from current Monash contract or ongoing faculty members, currently enrolled Monash students, or recent fine art graduates of any program (within 3 years).
Selection procedure
Normally, candidates will be selected through a competitive application process. The selection committee will include the Dean of Monash Art Design & Architecture (or delegate), the Head of the Department of Fine Art (or delegate), the Director of the Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA), and the Director of the Prato Centre. The selection committee reserves the right to appoint by direct nomination.
All applications are assessed on the merit of their proposal, in relation to the aims and objectives of the residency program, Prato context, and the potential benefits to the applicant and the wider community. Decisions are also subject to the availability of the studio.
About Monash University Prato campus
MUPC is located in the 18th century Palazzo Vai, in Tuscany, just outside Florence, where it provides a strategic base for research and engagement in Europe.
Prato is an interesting location from the perspective of migration studies, cultural studies, inter-cultural communication, and historic and contemporary economic relations and interactions.
It’s home to the Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art, the Textile Museum, Renaissance art collections, and it is close to Fattoria Celle in Pistoia, home of the important Gori Collection of site-specific contemporary artworks.
And Prato’s proximity to Tuscan historic sites such as Siena and Pisa (Medieval religious, intellectual, educational and arts centres) and Florence (Renaissance economic, religious, intellectual and arts centre) adds potential for visual research.
Past Residents
- 2025 Gian Manik, Australia
- 2024 Sangeeta Sandrasegar, Australia
- 2023 Mel Deerson, Australia
- 2022 Hayley Millar-Baker, Australia
- 2019 Jon Campbell, Australia
- 2018 Damiano Bertoli, Australia
- 2017 Stuart Ringholt, Australia
- 2016 Charlie Sofo, Australia
- 2015 Laresa Kosloff, Australia
- 2014 Pat Foster & Jen Berean, Australia
- 2013 David Rosetzky, Australia
- 2012 Maree Clarke, Australia
- 2011 CAI Kequn, China
- 2010 Jo-Anne Duggan, Australia