Le Ville Matte

“Le Ville Matte” constitute a network of artist residencies promoted by the Province of Cagliari – Cultural and Sport Policies Office.
Focusing the attention on the continuous evolution of artistic languages and on the need for artists to experiment and relate, the Province of Cagliari promotes study and research residencies in territories that share valuable environmental and landscape features, and fosters new productions in the field of music, writing and visual arts, as well as promoting an intense exchange between artists and the territory.
The training and production activity is located in three towns of the Province of Cagliari: Villasor (visual arts), Teulada (music) and Orroli (writing).
The residencies aim to bring together groups of maximum ten artists from Italy and abroad, offering them, for one month, space to develop their activity and material for their work and research.
During the residency, the artists are coordinated by a visiting professor (an established artist) who guides the group in the study of the territory, focusing on specific themes to work on and supporting their research.
During the program the visiting professor can decide to invite guest experts to hold short workshops for a more complete training experience for the participants.
The group can also rely on another figure, that of the guest curator, who offers further support to the training of the artists in residence, and who is invited to provide an in depth exploration of the cultural realities of the territory (studio visits, meetings with collectors, etc.).
The works produced during the residency must have a strong connection to the territory and yet go beyond a local dimension.
Each residency ends with a final event in which the works produced during the sojourn are presented. During the residencies, moments of exchange between the participants and the local inhabitants are encouraged, as well as those with local artists and professionals of the specific art field; during these meetings, structured as regular appointments through the residency, the participants have the chance to present their work.
The projects pursues a synergy with the Sardinian cultural institutions through the organization of short trips and meetings with the cultural operators of the region. In addition, the project encourages visits of critics and international operators in the specific art field in order to increase the visibility of the works by the artists in residence.
“Le Ville Matte” project stands out for offering the participants an experience of life in small towns where it is possible to enter in close contact with the local community; the initiative also relies on insularity meant as a particularly favorable dimension for study as well as for reflection on the “beyondness”, a useful tool for an artist’s research.
Among the ten artists of each residency, one position is always reserved for one Sardinian artist that has distinguished himself for his capacities along his artistic career, and aspires to reach a professional level.