Frequently Asked Questions
About the Residency
1. What is Yasmine Laraqui Studio & Residency?
Yasmine Laraqui Studio & Residency is an independent art residency and curatorial platform based in Casablanca.
The program supports artists, writers, researchers, curators and other cultural practitioners through residential stays, curatorial dialogue, project-based collaborations, exhibitions and public programs.
Accommodation is provided in the Mers Sultan residency apartment, while the studio and principal working space are located in Palmier.
2. Who can apply?
The residency welcomes emerging, mid-career and established practitioners working across disciplines, including:
Visual arts
Painting and drawing
Installation
Photography and moving image
Writing and publishing
Curatorial and artistic research
Performance
Sound and digital practices
Architecture and design
Interdisciplinary and socially engaged practices
Formal art-school training is not required. Applications are assessed according to the quality and relevance of the proposed project, its feasibility and its relationship to Casablanca or the residency’s cultural context.
3. Do I need to propose a finished project?
No. The project does not need to be fully developed before the residency.
The residency can be used for research, experimentation, writing, production or the development of a new or existing project. However, applicants should clearly explain what they would like to investigate or develop and why Casablanca is relevant to their work.
4. How long can a residency last?
Residential stays generally last between one and three months.
Shorter stays may occasionally be considered when they correspond to a specific project, partnership or research requirement. These requests are reviewed individually and may be charged on a prorated basis.
5. When can I apply?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis according to availability.
Because the residency has limited accommodation, applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance and provide more than one possible date when possible.
Submitting an application does not automatically reserve a room.
Accommodation and Workspace
6. Where is the residency located?
Accommodation is provided in Mers Sultan, a central Casablanca neighborhood known for its Art Deco architecture, layered history and active urban life.
The working and curatorial space is located in Palmier, approximately a 15-minute walk from the residency apartment.
7. What type of accommodation is provided?
Each resident is provided with a private bedroom within a shared residency apartment.
Residents share the apartment’s common areas and are expected to respect the space, the other residents and the agreed house rules throughout their stay.
Wi-Fi and basic utilities are included in the residency fee.
8. Is the working space private?
The Palmier studio is a shared and flexible working, meeting and research space rather than a private production studio assigned exclusively to one resident.
Access is coordinated according to the needs of the residents, ongoing projects and the studio calendar. Applicants must communicate their spatial, technical and material requirements before their residency is confirmed.
9. What kind of work can be produced at the studio?
The studio can support research, writing, meetings, small- and medium-scale visual work, curatorial development and certain installation or presentation formats.
Applicants proposing work requiring heavy machinery, highly specialised equipment, significant construction, hazardous materials or unusually large production areas should provide full technical details in advance.
Acceptance into the residency does not guarantee that every proposed production requirement can be accommodated.
10. Can couples or artist duos apply?
Yes. Artist duos and collaborators may apply together.
When two accepted participants share one bedroom, they are not each charged the full price of a separate room. The applicable fee will be confirmed according to the duration, room arrangement and requirements of the project.
For a standard one-month stay in one shared room, the residency fee is generally €1,000 in total.
If two separate rooms are required, the fee will be calculated according to the number of rooms occupied.
Fees and Reservations
11. What is the residency fee?
The standard Residential Program fee is €1,000 per month.
The fee includes:
A private bedroom in the shared Mers Sultan residency apartment
Wi-Fi and basic utilities
Access to the Palmier studio as an agreed working and research space
Curatorial dialogue and project-development support
Introductions to relevant artists and cultural practitioners when appropriate
Support in developing a public presentation when appropriate and feasible
12. What is not included in the residency fee?
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, residents are responsible for:
International and domestic travel
Visa and passport expenses
Travel and health insurance
Meals and personal expenses
Local transportation
Art materials and specialised equipment
Printing, framing and fabrication
Installation and production costs
Shipping and customs expenses
Optional travel outside Casablanca
The residency does not automatically provide a production budget or artist fee.
13. How do I reserve my room?
Once an application and exact dates have been approved, the resident will receive a residency agreement and payment information.
A non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total residency fee is required to reserve the room.
Dates remain provisional until:
The residency agreement has been signed; and
The 30% confirmation deposit has been received.
An email expressing interest, a verbal agreement or an acceptance letter issued for a funding application does not by itself reserve a room.
14. When is the remaining balance due?
The remaining balance is due no later than one month before the resident’s arrival, unless a different payment schedule has been agreed in writing.
If the residency begins in less than one month, the payment deadline will be specified in the agreement.
15. Is the deposit refundable?
The 30% confirmation deposit is non-refundable because it secures the room and removes the dates from availability for other applicants.
Any exceptional request to change confirmed dates is subject to availability and must be approved in writing. Alternative dates cannot be guaranteed.
16. Can I reserve dates while waiting for funding?
The studio can provisionally discuss dates and provide an official acceptance or invitation letter for a funding application. However, a room cannot be held indefinitely without the signed agreement and deposit.
Applicants waiting for external funding should explain their expected decision date. The studio will confirm whether the proposed dates can remain provisional during that period.
17. Can you provide an official invitation letter?
Yes. After an application has been accepted, the studio can provide an official acceptance or invitation letter for visa, mobility or funding applications.
The applicant should provide:
Their full legal name
Nationality and country of residence
Passport number only when specifically required by the relevant authority
Proposed residency dates
Project title
Name of the funding body or institution
Any required wording or application deadline
Issuing an invitation letter does not guarantee funding, a visa or a confirmed room. The room is only secured after the agreement and deposit have been received.
Application and Selection
18. What should I include in my application?
Applicants should submit:
A short biography
A current CV
A portfolio or link to recent work
A project proposal or research statement of no more than one page
Preferred dates and intended duration
Alternative dates when possible
Technical, spatial and material requirements
The intended development or outcome of the project
A short explanation of why Casablanca and Yasmine Laraqui Studio are relevant to the proposal
Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.
19. How are applications selected?
Applications are reviewed according to:
The clarity and quality of the proposed project
Its relevance to Casablanca or the residency’s context
The applicant’s previous work and research
The project’s technical and spatial feasibility
Available accommodation and working space
The potential for meaningful exchange
The applicant’s ability to work independently
Selection is not based exclusively on age, career level, nationality or formal qualifications.
20. How long does the selection process take?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Response times depend on the volume of applications, the requested dates and whether additional documents are required.
Applicants should not make non-refundable travel arrangements until they have received written confirmation that their residency is secured.
21. Can I apply again if my requested dates are unavailable?
Yes. If the application is of interest but the requested dates are unavailable, the studio may propose an alternative period.
Applicants may also ask to keep their application on file for future availability. An alternative period remains provisional until exact dates are agreed and the reservation requirements are completed.
Projects, Exhibitions and Public Programs
22. Is an exhibition guaranteed at the end of the residency?
No. A public presentation is encouraged when relevant, but it is not automatically guaranteed.
Depending on the project, calendar, available venue and technical feasibility, the final format may take the form of:
An exhibition
An open studio
An artist talk
A reading
A screening
A performance
A workshop
A research presentation
An informal conversation or work-in-progress event
The most appropriate format is developed collaboratively during the residency.
23. Who pays for an exhibition or public presentation?
Unless specific funding has been confirmed in writing, residents remain responsible for their materials, printing, framing, fabrication, transportation, installation and other production expenses.
The studio may provide curatorial guidance, communication support and organizational assistance according to the needs and feasibility of the presentation.
24. Do I have to complete a specific amount of work?
No. Residents are not required to produce a predetermined number of artworks, pages or finished pieces.
The residency values research and process as much as completed work. Residents are nevertheless expected to engage seriously with their proposed project and participate in agreed meetings or moments of exchange.
25. Will I be the only artist in residence?
Not necessarily. Several practitioners may be in residence at the same time.
The program values encounters between residents working across different disciplines. Residents should therefore be comfortable living in a shared apartment and participating in a collaborative cultural environment while maintaining responsibility for their own practice.
26. Does the residency organize connections in Casablanca?
When relevant to the resident’s project, the studio may facilitate introductions to artists, curators, researchers, cultural spaces and other practitioners in Casablanca.
These introductions depend on availability, professional relevance and the needs of the project. The residency cannot guarantee access to every requested person, institution, archive or location.
27. Are trips to other Moroccan cities included?
No. Trips outside Casablanca are not included in the standard residency fee.
Optional visits to cities such as Rabat, Marrakech, Essaouira, Tangier, Asilah, Fez or Meknes may be discussed separately. Transportation, accommodation, meals, guides and related expenses remain the resident’s responsibility unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Other Programs
28. Can Moroccan practitioners based in Casablanca apply?
Yes. Moroccan artists, writers, researchers, curators and cultural practitioners who do not require accommodation may apply for a project-based collaboration through the Associate Program.
This pathway may include agreed access to the studio, curatorial dialogue, research support, professional guidance or participation in selected public programs.
It does not automatically include accommodation, production funding, permanent studio access or a guaranteed exhibition.
29. Are fellowships available?
A limited number of partial or fully supported fellowships may occasionally be offered when external funding, sponsorship or an institutional partnership is available.
Fellowships are not permanently available and cannot be guaranteed through the general application process. Confirmed opportunities will be announced separately through the website, newsletter and social media.
30. Can institutions propose a partnership?
Yes. Cultural institutions, universities, foundations, galleries, associations and independent organizations may contact the studio to discuss:
Hosted residencies
Research partnerships
Curatorial collaborations
Artist exchanges
Exhibitions and public programs
Workshops and educational initiatives
Mobility and funding applications
Partnership proposals should clearly describe the organization, participating practitioners, proposed dates, available funding and the responsibilities expected from each party.
Contact
31. How can I contact the residency?
For applications, partnerships and residency enquiries, please contact:
Please include a clear subject line and all relevant documents or links. Applicants should avoid sending the same application repeatedly through multiple email addresses or social-media accounts.