Work and Exhibit in Venice
Residency and Solo Exhibition
The Scuola Internazionale di Grafica offers a combined 2-week guided residency and a 2- to 4-week solo exhibition program, designed for artists and galleries seeking to develop and present new work in Venice.
Over the years, the Scuola has collaborated with internationally recognised artists such as Michael Mazur (in the photo), Christopher LeBrun, Hughie O’Donoghue, Clare Romano, Jörg Schmeisser, and many others, who have not only created editions in our studios but also exhibited their work in our gallery spaces.
Artists seeking technical guidance and conceptual dialogue are invited to apply for a guided residency, working closely with our instructors throughout the creative process. In contrast, experienced printmakers — especially those proficient in sustainable techniques — may opt for an independent residency, making full use of our professional studio facilities while working autonomously. In both formats, the residency culminates in a solo exhibition in our SG Gallery.
Guided Residency
Week 1
Monday – Arrival, Orientation, First Impressions
Welcome and studio introduction.
Exploration of materials and tools.
Suggested focus: Monotype as gesture and meditation. First monotype prints.
Tuesday – The Monoprint
Introduction to Monoprint and drypoint on plastic.
Experiments with textures, repetition, and variations across prints.
Wednesday – Voice and Surface: Letterpress
Letterpress with movable type.
Working with typographic texture and printed language as visual mark.
Words will be printed on thin paper for later use in chine-collé.
Thursday – Composition & Improvisation
Mixing monotype, monoprint, and letterpress to create a visual score or poetic fragment.
Friday – Pause and Reflection
Revisiting works-in-progress.
Printing a small edition.
Time for review and informal critique.
Saturday – Sunday
Independent work in the studio.
Guided Residency
Week 2
Monday – Drypoint on Cardboard
Drypoint on food-grade cardboard.
Etching with pressure, slowness, and sensitivity.
Tuesday – Surface and Depth: Drypoint II + Chine-collé
Refining drypoint lines and tonal fields.
Introduction to chine-collé. Incorporation of letterpress prints from the previous week.
Wednesday – Free Exploration
Open prompts based on individual direction. Personal choices: deepening a technique or diverging into new territory.
Thursday / Friday – Printing, Closing
10:30 – Days dedicated to the press in collaboration with the tutor. Completion of works. Studio clean-up and closing ritual.
Saturday – Sunday
Independent work in the studio + SG Gallery Exhibition Setup
Week 3 to 6 — Solo Show in SG Gallery
Please note: The schedule above is an example
of how the program may be organized. We are open to changes in techniques and timing to adapt to the artists’ needs and goals.
Costs & Information
Costs & Information
- 2-week guided residency €4,000.00
- 2-week independent residency €1,185.00
- 2-week exhibition at sg gallery €5,500.00
- 3-week exhibition at sg gallery €7,700.00
- 4-week exhibition at sg gallery €10,000.00
- NB: fees include 22% IVA tax (VAT).
Fees include all materials used during one-on-one mentored sessions. Materials for independent work are not included and can be purchased at the Scuola or from local art supply shops.
If the artist requires assistance in printing one or more
editions, Master Printer Roberta Feoli will be available for additional support at a rate of €50.00 + VAT per hour.
All work produced during the residency remains the exclusive property of the artist, except for one piece to be donated to the Scuola’s permanent collection (all artists contribute one or two works at the end of their residency).
Graphic Assistance for the Exhibition
Graphic Assistance for the exhibition – upon request
• €500.00 + 22% VAT
Includes:
- Creation and print assistance for the invitation card (10×15 cm)
- Creation of an email invitation (A4, PDF, and JPEG)
- Creation and print assistance for an A3 poster (29.7 x 42 cm)
- Posting on the Scuola’s website, Facebook and Instagram
- NB: You may request a quotation for the design and printing assistance of a catalogue.
Terms of Participation - The Residency
INSCRIPTION FEES
Upon acceptance in the Program all artists are requested to pay 30% inscription fee. This fee is not refundable.
BALANCE FEES
The 70% balance fees are due at the commencement of the program.
LATE CANCELLATIONS
Artists who cancel within 30 days of the program start date are required to pay 50% of their balance fees. Cancellations made within 10 days of the start date are subject to a 100% payment of the balance fees.
FUNDING
We shall be glad to assist all artists in the process of requesting funding in their country by providing them with
a formal letter of acceptance in the program.
LIFE AT THE SCUOLA
Studio Resident artists have open access to the Scuola’s studio facilities. They are given keys to the Scuola and are welcome to use the facilites 7 days a week, from 9am to 8:30pm, including bank holidays.
Both artists and students enjoy participating in life at the Scuola through presentations and critiques. When in calendar, resident artists have the opportunity to attend our classes and workshops at no additional cost.
SUPPORTED TECHNIQUES
At the Scuola, artists can work on 8 etching presses, a vertical press for woodcut, a typographic press for letterpress.
• We do not support Litography, Serigraphy, Photoetching as there is no exposure unit.
• Alternative methods are available for creating Aquatints using substitutes for the traditional Aquatint box and rosin.
• Oil and Encausting painting are not allowed in our studio.
One of the distinguishing features of our studio is its commitment to providing a less toxic environment for artists. For those who may not be familiar with sustainable printmaking methods, we extend an invitation to attend our introduction courses. These courses are designed to familiarize artists with the techniques and practices necessary to work in our facilities while
minimizing environmental impact.
ART SUPPLIES & MATERIALS
These materials are available to everyone: etching grounds, soft ground, abrasive powders, detergents, bites (ferric chloride, copper sulphate), black ink for etching and typography, proof paper and vellum paper. Other equipment is available only on a limited basis (glue, acrylics, permanent markers, masking tape, cutters, carborundum, tarlatan).
You are required to provide your own materials, including brushes and pencils. Gloves, tarlatan, coloured inks, etching paper, copper, aluminium, wood and zinc can be purchased from the Studio or in local stores. Special care must be taken with use of Scuola equipment and in particular to return all such equipment back to where it belongs after use. Equipment is never to be removed from the Scuola. Each morning a staff member checks all equipment, printing characters, inks, rollers, brushes etc: Books in the studio & library are to be returned to their place after consultation and are never to be taken out of the Scuola.
SHIPPING GOODS TO ITALY
Shipping goods to Italy is a perilous business as customs may block them and request complicated paperwork. We strongly discourage studio resident artists from shipping to Venice items such as shampoo, medicines, vitamins, health supplements, as they will all (almost certainly) be checked. Regretfully, the Scuola is unable to provide assistance in dealing with customs in this regards.
NON DISCRIMINATION POLICIES
The Scuola welcomes in its studios artists of all genders, ethnic groups, political and sexual orientations, physical abilities.
YOUR ART-WORK
All our studio resident artists are requested to donate a minimum of one art-work produced during their residency
to the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica print collection.
Terms of Participation - The Exibithion
INSCRIPTION FEES
Upon acceptance in the Program all artists are requested to pay 30% inscription fee. This fee is not refundable.
BALANCE FEES
The 70% balance fees are due at the commencement of the program.
LATE CANCELLATIONS
Artists who cancel within 30 days of the program start date are required to pay 50% of their balance fees. Cancellations made within 10 days of the start date are subject to a 100% payment of the balance fees.
FUNDING
We shall be glad to assist all artists in the process of requesting funding in their country by providing them with
a formal letter of acceptance in the program.
EXHIBITION HOURS
The gallery is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The Scuola is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
The artist, who will receive a set of keys, may choose to keep the gallery open on closed days. In that case, the artist is fully responsible for opening and closing the main gate and turning off all lights.
INSURANCE
The Scuola carries third-party liability insurance.
Artworks on display are not insured, and the Scuola is not responsible for any theft or damage
EXHIBITION SETUP
The artist is responsible for both the installation and dismantling of the exhibition. The Scuola will provide assistance and basic materials (e.g. plexiglass sheets, magnets, etc.).
PROMOTION AND INVITATIONS
The Scuola will publish the exhibition on its website and promote it on social media channels. An A3 poster will be printed and displayed at the entrance and in the gallery. Invitations will also be emailed to our mailing list.
Please note that we do not send press releases.
For requests regarding graphic assistance, please refer to the relevant section above.
OPENING RECEPTION
The artist is welcome to organize a reception at their own expense to mark the opening of the exhibition.