Living with the Land
An off-grid residency for artists and writers seeking time, space and inspiration to create.
We work with each resident to understand the needs of their project and, whenever possible, connect them with local knowledge, craftspeople, landscapes, materials, and opportunities that can enrich their time at Manchoza.
Please don’t hesitate to write about any questions, proposals, or doubts you might have.
Manchoza Art Residency is designed to support focused artistic practice, material exploration, and meaningful engagement with place.
As we host only one resident at a time, each artist enjoys complete access to the accommodation, studio spaces, and the time and quiet needed to develop their work.
Depending on your practice, Manchoza offers opportunities to work across multiple disciplines.
Sculptors and installation artists have access to spacious indoor and outdoor work areas suitable for projects ranging from small-scale experimentation to larger installations.
Woodworking facilities include a wide range of professional tools for carving, fabrication, assembly, and finishing.
For artists interested in expanding their practice, private chainsaw sculpture workshops can be arranged upon request.
Our ceramic studio is available for both experienced ceramic artists and those interested in exploring clay as part of their practice.
Facilities include:
We encourage residents to approach ceramics as a space for research and discovery rather than production alone.
Residents interested in metal casting may have the opportunity to collaborate with a traditional bronze foundry in the nearby town of Tapalpa.
Rather than simply outsourcing the casting process, artists can participate directly in each stage of the work, learning from experienced craftspeople and gaining first-hand knowledge of traditional artisanal bronze casting techniques.
This experience is arranged individually depending on each project’s requirements and the foundry’s availability.
The studios can be adapted to suit a wide variety of painting and drawing practices.
Artists may choose to work:
The flexibility of the spaces allows each resident to create an environment that best supports their creative process.
Manchoza is particularly well suited for writers, researchers, curators, composers, architects, filmmakers, and other practitioners whose work requires uninterrupted time and deep concentration.
The quiet atmosphere, natural surroundings, and absence of urban distractions create ideal conditions for reflection, reading, writing, editing, and developing long-term projects.
Many artists come to produce work. Others come to think. Both are equally welcome.
Residents are invited to experience daily life through simple acts of care: harvesting vegetables from the garden, collecting fresh eggs, learning about composting systems, walking the forest trails, and participating in the rhythms of a place that values sustainability, craftsmanship, and attention.
These experiences are never obligations. Rather, they are invitations to engage more deeply with the environment that surrounds and supports the residency.
Whether you need silence, large working spaces, technical support, opportunities to learn traditional craft techniques, or simply time to think, we work closely with each resident to create an environment that supports their individual practice.
At Manchoza, we are less interested in completed projects than in thoughtful proposals and a genuine curiosity for place. Applications will be evaluated based on:
We encourage applications from emerging, mid-career, and established artists from all disciplines.
Rather than fixed sessions, Manchoza offers flexible residency periods throughout the year. Each season brings different light, weather, rhythms, and opportunities for creative work. Applicants are invited to indicate both their preferred season and the ideal duration of their residency.
January – February
Winter at Manchoza is quiet and contemplative. Cool mornings, crisp air, long shadows, and the stillness of the forest create an atmosphere well suited for writing, research, drawing, planning, and projects requiring deep concentration. It is a season that encourages reflection and careful observation.
March – April
As temperatures rise, the forest begins to transform. New leaves emerge, wildflowers appear, and longer days invite artists outdoors. It is an ideal season for experimentation, walking, collecting ideas, and engaging with the landscape. The garden becomes increasingly productive, and daily life naturally expands into outdoor spaces.
May – June
Longer days and stable weather provide excellent conditions for ambitious studio work. Large-scale sculpture, woodworking, ceramics, and collaborative projects with local artisans are especially well suited to this period. The forest is vibrant, and the rhythm of daily life naturally balances focused work with time outdoors.
Residents may apply for stays between 4 and 12 weeks.
Every project develops at its own pace. Rather than offering fixed residency lengths, we work with each selected artist to determine the duration that best supports their creative goals.
Selected residents will be invited to indicate:
As Manchoza hosts only one resident at a time, residency dates are scheduled individually following the selection process.
If a selected resident withdraws before the residency begins, Manchoza Art Residency may offer the available residency period to an applicant on the waitlist.
Manchoza Art Residency reserves the right not to fill all available residency periods if the selection committee determines that submitted applications do not sufficiently align with the goals of the residency program.
Applications are sent by email. Use the button to open a pre-filled message, or copy the template and reply at your own pace. Write to us with any questions before applying — every residency begins with a conversation.