The program has two tracks for applicants. Artists may apply as individuals or as artist-couples (for artists who share home accommodations). For each session, the selection committee and program directors seek a total of three to six artists whose mix of media, approaches, styles, and focus will create a dynamic and collegial community.
The residency provides time for uninterrupted work in an inspiring and historic setting made unique by Brittany's extraordinary light, distinctive landscape, and rich cultural traditions. The village of Rochefort-en-Terre has been designated a "Petite Cité de Caractère" and is home to many artists and craftspeople.
Patricia Tobacco Forrester
Painter
"Rochefort is a special and wonderful place. The landscape is very different from what you find in American residencies, and there is also a sense of artistic tradition and continuity that one feels at the Château. The thing I so loved about the program beyond the other people was that I was painting in such history."
Debra Rubino
Printmaker/Photographer
"I cannot tell you what a privilege it was to awake each morning knowing that I would spend the whole day in art-making, and in thinking, reading, and talking about art. Brittany summer days are marvelously long, so not only was I able to leave behind all the distractions of everyday life, but the gloriously drawn-out days made the month-long experience even more delectable. I had no idea how much the experience would change my work, or me."
Bill Schmidt
Sculptor/Painter
"I've been a sculptor for 25 years. At Rochefort, I returned to my roots as a painter. A different place, especially one that is also beautiful and particularly magical just ramps things up a notch and suggests different possibilities. It all came together for me there in the cloister-like quality of my little studio space."
Maps & Directions