ATELIER
ARTIST in RESIDENCE
A unique arts residency experience where we continuously curate our programming and destinations for artists of exceptional talent and promise.
We transport our artists to a uniquely creative workspace.
What sets Atelier Artist in Residence apart is that each residency location is specially chosen for its ability to transport our artists to an immersive creative workspace not otherwise available in its ability to transform and inspire.
Our 2026 programs are set at Chateau de Cerisay, a beautiful, sprawling French estate, 40 minutes from Le Mans which is 1 hour from Paris via train. An Ideal location for focused creative process but close enough to nearby cities & beautiful French villages for exciting & enriching excursions.
Programs at Chateau de Cerisay will be held as follows;
2026 Q1 - January/March Residencies
Winter at Chateau de Cerisay offers something rare in our hyperconnected world: profound stillness that allows creativity to turn inward. As the French countryside settles into its winter rhythm, Artists find themselves embraced by a silence that penetrates deeper than any studio back home, where bare branches create intricate sketches against pewter skies and morning frost transforms the estate grounds into a crystalline wonderland. The shorter days create natural boundaries around creative time, encouraging intentional artistic practice, while the longer evenings invite deeper conversations with fellow artists around the chateau's many gathering places. French winter light possesses a quality that artists have celebrated for centuries—the low-angled sun creates dramatic shadows that dance across ancient stone walls, while overcast days provide perfect soft, diffused lighting that infuses artwork with emotional depth.
Winter residencies foster a unique sense of camaraderie among artists, with evening gatherings feeling more intimate when drawn together by the warmth of shared spaces rather than scattered across sunny terraces. Chef-prepared dinners become anticipated events where conversations flow as freely as carefully selected local wines, often becoming the birthplace of lasting artistic collaborations. The chateau's thick stone walls provide natural insulation while carefully maintained heating ensures studio spaces remain comfortable for extended creative sessions, creating a sanctuary where artists feel protected and nurtured while taking risks in their artistic practice. Local markets transform into intimate affairs offering seasonal treasures, while nearby towns reveal their authentic personalities without summer tourist layers, providing artists with genuine French winter culture experiences that often find their way into their work as authentic cultural elements rather than surface-level tourism impressions.
Ready to experience the transformative power of winter creativity in the French countryside?
Applications for our winter sessions are now open, with limited spaces available for this intimate season of artistic exploration.
Session 1 - January 15th – January 29th, 2026
Session 2 – February 2nd – February 16th, 2026
Session 3 – February 20th – March 6th, 2026
Session 4 – March 10th – March 24th, 2026
DEADLINE TO APPLY - July 31, 2025
2026 Q2 - March/June Residencies
Spring at Chateau de Cerisay awakens both the countryside and the artistic spirit with an energy that's impossible to replicate in any studio setting. As the estate emerges from winter's contemplative embrace, artists find themselves surrounded by an explosion of creative inspiration: cherry blossoms cascading across ancient stone walls, vibrant greening fields stretching toward the horizon, and gardens bursting with the kind of color palettes that make painters weep with joy. The gradually lengthening days provide the perfect creative rhythm, with golden morning light streaming through studio windows earlier each week, while mild temperatures invite artists to work en plein air for the first time in months. This is the season when the boundaries between indoor and outdoor creative spaces dissolve, allowing sculptors to expand their practice into the gardens, photographers to capture the daily transformation of the landscape, and writers to find inspiration in the symphony of birdsong and rustling leaves.
Spring residencies foster a unique atmosphere of renewal and possibility, where the natural world's renaissance mirrors the artistic breakthroughs happening within the chateau's walls. The season's energy is infectious—evening gatherings naturally spill into the gardens, where artists share their work under the soft light of lengthening dusk, often sketching or writing by the last rays of sunlight. Local markets overflow with the season's first strawberries, asparagus, and spring herbs, while nearby villages celebrate with festivals and outdoor events that provide authentic cultural immersion opportunities. The temperate spring weather creates ideal conditions for planned excursions to Mont St. Michel and Le Mans, where artists can explore galleries and historic sites without the crowds of summer or the limitations of winter weather. This perfect balance of creative solitude and vibrant community energy, combined with the natural world's daily transformations, creates an environment where artistic practice doesn't just continue—it flourishes and evolves in ways that artists carry with them long after they return home.
Ready to experience the renaissance of spring creativity in the French countryside? Applications for our spring sessions are now open, with limited spaces available for this season of artistic renewal and growth.
Session 1 - March 28th - April 11th, 2026
Session 2 - April 15th - April 29th, 2026
Session 3 - May 4th - May 18th, 2026
Session 4 - May 22nd - June 5th, 2026
Session 5 - June 17th - July 1st, 2026
DEADLINE TO APPLY - July 31, 2025
Meet & Greet
Upon Arrival to the Chateau, once you’ve had a moment to settle in and freshen up, we will have an afternoon soiree to get to know each other before our first group dinner.
Gather Materials
The following morning, we will take stock of what material needs you may have and you'll have the ability to venture into the nearby towns that are best equipped to supply your needs.
Explore & Join In
From this point, as we are a self-directed residency, most of your time is up to you. However, we do have planned outings throughout the Residency!
Including:
Chef prepared group dinners each evening. Breakfast & lunch foods provided for Artists to prepare on their own schedules.Day trips to Mont St. Michel, Le Mans & more for gallery visits and cultural enrichment.Exploring local events like marchés and local brocantes for an authentic french experience, etc.The Chateau is centrally located to other cultural and entertainment options to be explored, both on and off the property.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
We welcome all Artists, amateur or established - Worldwide! Painters, Writers, Photographers, Musicians, small scale Sculptors, Poets, Illustrators, Digital Artists, Textiles, Print making, etc.New Artists who would benefit from surrounding themselves with other Artists in practice.Emerging Artists wanting to further immerse themselves in the creative experience.Established Artists looking for new approaches to their work or wanting to explore working in a new environment.Artists wanting a dedicated period of time to focus on projects without the distractions of their daily lives.We welcome couples as Artists, so long as each are engaging in their artistic practice during the residency. Couples may collaborate with or practice independently of the other partner.
Included with your tuition:
Housing (Private room)Studio space (Shared and Private)Chef prepared group dinners each evening. Breakfast & lunch foods provided for Artists to prepare on their own schedules.Programming related events, as outlined above.Transportation related to planned group outings.
