Countercult art residency: Mexico
We’re inviting up to eight international artists to spend a month living and working in Guadalajara. Bring a practice and a project you want time to develop. We review applications as they arrive until all places are filled.
Guadalajara’s cultural life includes mariachi, José Clemente Orozco’s murals at Hospicio Cabañas, ceramic workshops in nearby Tonalá and Tlaquepaque, and food such as birria and tortas ahogadas.
Housing
The house is a spacious 200-year-old historic building in central Guadalajara, with five bedrooms, two garden/patio areas, Wi-Fi, kitchen access, desks, shared workspace, and a lounge. Restaurants and historic streets are close by.
Making work with Guadalajara
International residents will develop one project with a local business or initiative. It might be a workshop, event, documentation, or another idea agreed with the people involved.
The programme is intentionally light: shared work time and dinners, informal critiques, conversations with resident advisors, and selected local activities or workshops. The rest of the time is yours.
Who should apply?
We welcome artists who want time to develop a project and are ready to make a month of their own. You do not need a finished plan. We look for clarity of intention, thoughtful engagement with place, curiosity, and openness to collaboration.
A good fit
- You are self-starting and comfortable shaping your own time and work.
- You are curious about Guadalajara and thoughtful about working with local people.
- You enjoy communal living and want to help make a shared experience with other artists.
You should not apply if
- You are expecting a fully funded residency. The room fee is EUR 1,500 per room; food, travel, and visas are separate.
- You want a private retreat or a taught course. The house is shared, and resident advisors are fellow artists, not formal instructors.
- You need professional therapeutic support. This is an artist residency, not a clinical programme.
- A lively central city is not workable for you. Street noise and petty theft in busy areas are real considerations.
The residency is queer- and child-friendly. Spanish is welcome but not required. Accessibility matters to us. Write to us about access needs or other questions; we will talk through what the house can provide.
Dates and costs
The residency runs from 5 January to 5 February 2027. The fee is EUR 1,500 per room for the full stay. A duo shares one room and fee. You can indicate whether you prefer one large king bed or two double beds; that is a preference, not a guaranteed assignment.
The EUR 400 non-refundable down payment is due on acceptance. The balance is due before 1 December 2026. A place is confirmed only after the full room fee is paid. The first artist to pay in full gets first choice of the rooms still available. Food, travel, and visas are not included. The city can be noisy, and petty theft can happen in busy areas. Countercult is not responsible for travel delays, weather, health emergencies, or visa problems.
Resident advisors
Our resident advisors are Sketchy Shona, a visual and installation artist and curator, and Fernanda, a floral artist, interior designer, and curator in Guadalajara. Shona has spent years making room for artists at THE FLOOR, Countercult’s Berlin residency. Together, we are here as fellow artists to answer questions and think through ideas with you, not as formal instructors or program managers. Visit Sketchy Shona on Countercult.
How to apply
Use the international residency application on this page. Your answers go to Countercult by email. If you have a question or the form does not work, email Countercult directly.
Local artists can join for free
Artists based in Guadalajara can join the programme at no cost through a separate call. It covers shared activities, not a bedroom in the house. Details will be announced separately.