Artist-in-Residence / Studio Spaces

Overview

Tokonomato offers short-term, studio-based artist residencies for contemporary artists seeking focused time for making work in Nagano City, Japan. We welcome local and international artists, writers, and curators at various stages of their practice, including both emerging and established practitioners interested in immersing their work in the cultural and material context of Japan.

Tokonomato welcomes applicants working across diverse media, including painting, sculpture, installation, video, sound, performance, writing, and research-based practices. The residency is especially suited for artists seeking sustained time to work, experiment, or rethink their practice outside of institutional or production-driven settings.

Residencies are designed as self-directed working periods rather than structured programs, allowing participants to shape their own pace, process, and forms of engagement. Artists use the studios, shared resources, and exhibition spaces while engaging with the surrounding cultural and material environment.

Studios & Accommodation

Resident artists are provided with access to either private or shared studios and on-site accommodation for the duration of their stay. Studios are suitable for a range of contemporary practices, including painting, drawing, video, sculpture, installation, and interdisciplinary work.

Accommodation is offered as part of the artist residency stay, supporting sustained studio use and daily working rhythms.

Duration

Residencies are typically 2 to 8 weeks, depending on availability and the nature of the artist’s proposed work. For shorter or longer stays please contact us.

Materials & Shared Resources

Tokonomato provides access to basic shared tools and materials, including Japanese paper and sumi ink. Artists are encouraged to explore traditional materials experimentally, in dialogue with the materials and methods of their own practice. This is not a formal instructional program, but a space for inquiry, play, and discover

Cost & Self-Funded Model

Tokonomato operates as a self-funded, artist-run space. Residencies are fee-based, with artists contributing toward studio use and accommodation costs.

Fees are structured to support the ongoing operation of the studios, exhibition spaces, and shared facilities.

Click here for detailed cost information.

Financial Support

Tokonomato operates primarily as a self-funded, artist-run program. In limited cases, partial financial support or reduced fees may be offered to assist artists whose participation aligns closely with the program’s aims or who face financial constraints.

Any financial support is determined on a case-by-case basis and does not constitute a grant or stipend. Availability of support may vary depending on the residency period and available resources.

Application

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Artists are selected based on the clarity of their practice, their interest in a self-directed residency, and the compatibility of their work with the space and time frame.

We welcome local and international artists, as well as emerging and established practitioners, who are interested in immersing their practice in the cultural and material context of Japan.