Residencies

The first artist to reside at the Cotton Factory's creative hub was Marko Mäetamm. During his residency, Marko Mäetamm held artist talks in Ottawa at the Enriched Bread Factory and in Hamilton at the Talik Cotton Factory, Urban Space Gallery, and AHG Annex. During his residency, he created a new series of works titled "Sit Back and Relax."

At the invitation of the Estonian Artists' Association, Canadian artist Tor Lukasik-Foss resided in Tallinn from September 21 to October 21, 2018. In his artistic practice, Tor Lukasik-Foss explores the theme of social anxiety, particularly its manifestation in public and private spaces. In Estonia, he was interested in the application of the country's rich folklore and music heritage in a modern context.

In 2018, Peeter Laurits participated in the exchange program in Canada. During his residency, Peeter Laurits held artist talks in Ontario, where he discussed his artistic journey and Estonia's emerging art scene.

In 2019, Kai Kaljo participated in the exchange program in Canada, while Canadian artist Tyler Tekatch resided in Estonia. In 2021, Britta Benno participated in the program in Canada, and multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker Vanessa Crosbie Ramsay resided in Tallinn. In 2022, Johanna Ulfsak and Kärt Ojavee participated in the exchange program in Canada. In 2023, Taavi Talve resided in Canada, while Canadian visual artist Andrew McPhail participated in the program in Estonia.

Since 2019, residents have been selected through a public competition organised by the Hamilton Arts Council and facilitated by the Estonian Artists' Association.

In December 2018, following negotiations, a collaboration agreement was signed by Bo Myhrman, President of the Swedish Grez-sur-Loing Foundation, and Vano Allsalu, then President of the Estonian Artists' Association (EAA), to provide Estonian artists with residency opportunities at Hôtel Chevillon in France.

Located in the picturesque village of Grez-sur-Loing, a village with fewer than 1,500 residents and approximately 70 km from Paris, the area has a rich history as an artists' haven, attracting creatives like Carl Larsson, August Strindberg, and Robert Louis Stevenson in the late 19th century.

Since its reopening in 1994, Hôtel Chevillon has offered apartments and studios at discounted rates to partner organisations, which in turn make them available to artists through open competitions. EAA covers the accommodation costs, while artists cover travel and living expenses, often with support from the Estonian Cultural Endowment.

Previous residency participants include Sirja-Liisa Eelma (2019), Anna Litvinova (2022), Urmas Lüüs (2023), and Darja Popolitova (2024).

VANTAA RESIDENCY

Since 2020, the collaboration agreement between the Estonian Artists' Association (EAA) and the Vantaa Artists' Association offers one EAA member per year the opportunity to live and work for a month in the Gjutars artists' guest studio in Vantaa, Finland. Under the same agreement, each year, one artist from the Vantaa Artists' Association also resides in the EAA guest studio in Tallinn.

The Vantaa residency is situated in a charming wooden house, just a short walk from Tikkurila railway station. In addition to becoming acquainted with the work of local Vantaa artists and enjoying a peaceful working environment, the residency provides an excellent opportunity to work in the Finnish capital – the train ride from Tikkurila to Helsinki city centre takes just about twenty minutes.

During the one-month residency, the artist is provided with free living and working space, and there is also financial support for travel expenses. By prior arrangement, the artist can present their work, organise exhibitions, and hold events. The competition is typically announced in early spring, with residencies taking place in summer or autumn. Applicants must be members of the Estonian Artists' Association or one of its sub-associations. Applications are reviewed by the residency committee, which includes representatives from the association’s board and council (from 2019–2024, Vano Allsalu, Pille Kivihall, and Tanja Muravskaja).

Estonian artists who have lived and worked at the Vantaa artists' guest studio Gjutars include Tiiu Rebane (2020), Kai Kaljo (2021), Mari-Leen Kiipli (2022), Kelli Valk (2023), Maryliis Teinfeldt-Grins, and Francesco Rosso (2024). Finnish artists who have participated in the exchange programme at the EAA guest studio in Tallinn include Jan Heinonen (2020), Jaana Tuomisto and Jaana Kangas (2021), Paula Pitkänen (2022), Johanna Rytkölä (2023), Tarja Polari, Jan Heinonen, and Rosa Maria Ruotsalainen (2024).