20 Oct 2015

Short and Long Term Artist Residencies in Cyprus

Low Cost Living Accommodation and Art Studio Space for Winter and Spring 2015 - 2016

Single room accommodation and art studio space from €60 a week.

Since 1969 the CyCA Lempa Studios have been helping professional artists and art students from around the world the chance to spend time working in our studios in Cyprus (either with or without living accommodation) at an affordable price.

By that we mean the cost can be as low as €60 a week with living accommodation and studio space, or €25 a week just for studio space.

Minimum booking is one week. Long term stays can be indefinite, all subject to availability. The place is low tech, but can be easily used by painters, sculptors and other visual artists, but we have also had writers, musicians and other creative people stay at Lempa to simply get on with their own in peace and without interference.

In the Winter and Spring months the studios tend to be quiet which means this is a real opportunity for artists to get work done. The cooler temperatures of Cyprus during these months also means it is a great opportunity to explore Cyprus, from its beautiful natural environment, or the ancient and medieval sites, which includes museums with stunning classical sculptures, pottery and mosaics, French gothic churches and cathedrals and of course the lovely painted medieval Byzantine churches. Modern Cyprus might be of interest too, being a place where east literally meets west, with a long history of Greek-Turkish, Christian-Muslim interaction. It all makes for a visually stimulating place.

We can also try to help you arrange exhibitions in Cyprus if that is something that interests you, and we do have our own gallery.

Our accommodation is simple youth hostel style accommodation, with shared bathroom, WC and cooking facilities, and everyone chips in to keep the place clean. It is simple, but not unpleasant accommodation which you might think of as being a bit like camping, but you should imagine stone tents.

With all that, do bear in mind that it is not always warm even in Cyprus in winter, and it can get very cold, so even a 'stone tent' is not going to be something everyone will want to stay in at this time of year. Spring and autumn are warmer, but not like summer, with mean daytime temperatures in the high teens or low 20s celcius.

A sense of freedom has always been central to what we do, so that although many universities and art studios might pay lip service to the idea of artistic freedom, very few of them practice it in a meaningful way. We try to. That does not mean there are no rules, but there are no prejudices or preconceived ideas.

The CyCA Lempa Studios as a whole are a simple place, a bit ramshackle and rough around the edges, but it points to a future ideal world where art is valued not for its financial value, but for its intrinsic quality. It points to a utopia where artists are considered important because of what they make, and not because they are a brand name or celebrity always filling the media.

If being an idealistic, utopian artist, living simply in the winter and spring sunshine of Cyprus appeals to you (and yes we have to admit it does sometimes rain in winter), then get in touch or enrol on the Cyprus Winter Studio now.

If you would like to ring me to talk about the facilities please do so on +357 9945 2757 (ask for Margaret) or e'mail us.