Strings Attached: the Reality of Institutional Residency Programs in Russia

The new outpost of the Tretyakov Gallery in Samara has launched an innovative artist-in-residence program, the first ever for a state-run art institution in Russia. Its 'Artist+' initiative connects artists with professionals from various fields and aims to foster a dialogue with audiences through educational and public activities.Contemporary residency programs in Russia are shaped by both international influences and Soviet traditions, athough sometimes they seem to lack the most basic elements from either - like housing and artist fees. The origins of the current residency programs in Russia can be traced back to Soviet-era Houses of Artists or Houses of Writers, where creatives could live and work without the usual burdens of daily life. Typically, artists would stay there only for a few weeks and surrounded by their peers they could concentrate fully on their art in a productive atmosphere. However, any financial contribution or guaranteed opportunities for the artists to showcase their work were never on the cards.