Your residency in not the outcome. It's the beginning of what comes next.
FAR is a place-based residency for self-directed artists who want Fez to shape both their work and where it leads next.
Fez Art Residency
Fez provides the context, challenge, and inspiration. FAR provides the structure, guidance and personal support.
Fez Medina challenges the way you see your work as an artist. How you decide to respond to this is where FAR comes in.
Our role is to help you explore new ideas, and make the most of your time in Fez. By providing structure, guidance and personal support, FAR helps you develop projects that support what comes next in your practice.
Our role is to help you explore new ideas, and make the most of your time in Fez. By providing structure, guidance and personal support, FAR helps you develop projects that support what comes next in your practice.
A different type of residency
Most residencies give you space to create. FAR helps you build.
As a place-based residency in the heart of Fez Medina, we use the cultural and artisanal heritage of the Medina as the foundation for every programme we offer. By connecting artists with the Medina's creative community, we help you build relationships, develop projects, and create opportunities to support the next steps in their practice.
As a place-based residency in the heart of Fez Medina, we use the cultural and artisanal heritage of the Medina as the foundation for every programme we offer. By connecting artists with the Medina's creative community, we help you build relationships, develop projects, and create opportunities to support the next steps in their practice.
Explore with Purpose
Our location sets us apart
Fez Medina is not simply the background and setting for your time with us.
Its people, craftsmanship and cultural context become part of how you think, research and develop your work.
We'll connect you with artists, artisans, and local creative communities so you experience the Medina as an artist, not as a tourist.
Fez Medina is not simply the background and setting for your time with us.
Its people, craftsmanship and cultural context become part of how you think, research and develop your work.
We'll connect you with artists, artisans, and local creative communities so you experience the Medina as an artist, not as a tourist.
Develop with
Support
Support
No two artists arrive with the same goals.
Because we work with a small number of artists, support is personal rather than standardised.
Each artist is encouraged to define what they want from their time in Fez, whether it's to connect with artisans, develop a project, or strengthen their career.
Our flexible residency, immersion, and retreat options are then tailored around your practice, interests, and intended next steps.
Because we work with a small number of artists, support is personal rather than standardised.
Each artist is encouraged to define what they want from their time in Fez, whether it's to connect with artisans, develop a project, or strengthen their career.
Our flexible residency, immersion, and retreat options are then tailored around your practice, interests, and intended next steps.
Build What
Comes Next
Comes Next
The best residencies don't end when you leave.
They should help you develop knowledge, new ideas, and the confidence to support your practice after you return home.
Through individual support and guidance, we help you develop the knowledge and confidence to turn ideas into opportunities.
We encourage you to leave with momentum, not just memories.
They should help you develop knowledge, new ideas, and the confidence to support your practice after you return home.
Through individual support and guidance, we help you develop the knowledge and confidence to turn ideas into opportunities.
We encourage you to leave with momentum, not just memories.
At FAR, we believe artists have more influence over the future of their practice than they often realise. Through entrepreneurial thinking and the CARES Framework, our programmes encourage artists to approach their work with intention, developing projects that strengthen and develop both their creative practice and its future direction.
The CARES Framework
Being successful as an artist isn't only about creating work. It's also about making decisions that determine the direction your of you practice.
CARES encourages you to take ownership of your direction, think entrepreneurially, and recognise that the opportunities of tomorrow often depend on the choices of today.
Don't wait for opportunity, build it.
CARES encourages you to take ownership of your direction, think entrepreneurially, and recognise that the opportunities of tomorrow often depend on the choices of today.
Don't wait for opportunity, build it.
Contact refers to the moments where your work is actually met, not just where it appears. It asks you to notice how, where, and on whose terms people meet your work, and whether it is being met too quickly, too thinly, or without context.
Audience refers to the people your work is actually oriented toward, not everyone it could reach. It asks you to notice who recognises the work, who stays with it over time, and whether those encounters are aligned with what the work needs to continue.
Response looks at what follows an encounter. Not likes or praise, but whether interest has somewhere to go. It asks you to notice whether projects lead to conversation, return, or relationship, or whether they reset to zero each time.
Exchange looks at what comes back to support the continuation of your practice. Not just money, but whether time, energy, care, or resources return in ways that allow the work to keep going, or whether it relies on constant personal subsidy.
Sustainability is about whether your practice can keep going without wearing you down. It looks at pace, energy, and alignment over time, helping you notice what’s being sustained, what’s being depleted, and whether this way of working is livable.
CARES offers a different way to approach your practice.
One that is less about waiting for opportunity, more about creating it.
Less about chance, more about intention.
Don't wait for opportunity, build it.
One that is less about waiting for opportunity, more about creating it.
Less about chance, more about intention.
Don't wait for opportunity, build it.
Career Advancement & Residency Engagement Strategy
The CARES Programme
The CARES Programme is the flagship programme of Fez Art Residency, created for artists who want to actively shape the future direction of their practice. It is the operating philosophy behind everything FAR does.
Using Fez as both inspiration and catalyst, it provides structured support before, during and after your residency, helping you take ownership of your direction, develop structured projects, and create opportunities with the same intention you bring to making your work.
The purpose of the programme, is to give you the knowledge, confidence and insight to create opportunities rather than waiting for them to happen.
Using Fez as both inspiration and catalyst, it provides structured support before, during and after your residency, helping you take ownership of your direction, develop structured projects, and create opportunities with the same intention you bring to making your work.
The purpose of the programme, is to give you the knowledge, confidence and insight to create opportunities rather than waiting for them to happen.
- Built around the ethos and entrepreneurial spirit of FAR, the CARES Programme encourages artists to think beyond the residency itself, taking ownership of their direction and creating opportunities with intention.
- With individual support before, during and after your time in Fez, we guide you to define an outcome before your residency, use your time in the Medina to develop the project, and continue supporting you for up to six months afterwards as you work towards achieving it.
Programme Features
CARES is for self-directed artists who want to take an active role in shaping what comes next. You might have an idea to explore, a project to develop, or simply be looking for greater direction in your practice. Fez helps you build this.
This programme is structured around outcome.
This programme is structured around outcome.
CARES provides six to nine months of individual guidance, beginning before you arrive in Fez and continuing for up to six months afterwards.
Regular one-to-one sessions help you explore your ideas, make informed decisions and keep your project moving forward. Along the way, we consider how the project fits within your wider practice, who it needs to reach, the importance of maintaining momentum, mand how it can create opportunities for what comes next.
Regular one-to-one sessions help you explore your ideas, make informed decisions and keep your project moving forward. Along the way, we consider how the project fits within your wider practice, who it needs to reach, the importance of maintaining momentum, mand how it can create opportunities for what comes next.
Together, we identify an idea worth exploring and define a purposeful project inspired by your time in Fez. As part of the process, we'll also agree on a tangible outcome that gives the project direction and something meaningful to work towards.
That outcome might be an exhibition, new body of work, collaboration, publication, funding application or another intentional next step that provides focus and continues momentum beyond the residency.
That outcome might be an exhibition, new body of work, collaboration, publication, funding application or another intentional next step that provides focus and continues momentum beyond the residency.
CARES is a six-to-nine-month professional development programme built around three phases. Each phase moves your project forward: defining its direction before Fez, exploring and developing it in the Medina, to continued development and a defined outcome after you return home.
Fez acts as the creative catalyst rather than the final destination. The wider programme provides the structure, reflection and strategic support to turn what you discover here into a project that continues to develop afterwards.
Fez acts as the creative catalyst rather than the final destination. The wider programme provides the structure, reflection and strategic support to turn what you discover here into a project that continues to develop afterwards.
Your CARES residency includes one week of private accommodation in Fez Medina, alongside FAR's local knowledge, introductions, creative connections and practical support throughout your stay.
CARES is an artist-funded programme, with fees covering both your residency and the wider period of individual support. We encourage artists to see this as an investment in their future practice, with partially funded places occasionally available through open calls.
Programme Investment: £575-755 sliding scale
CARES is an artist-funded programme, with fees covering both your residency and the wider period of individual support. We encourage artists to see this as an investment in their future practice, with partially funded places occasionally available through open calls.
Programme Investment: £575-755 sliding scale
Artist experiences
- Caroline“Participating in the Fez Residency programme brought me a sense of creative freedom and purposeful collaboration. The conversations I had with Peter were valuable in helping gain clarity in approaching my career with intention and purpose.”
- Youssef“Through the FAR team, I was connected to artisans who were not only deeply skilled but also generous with their knowledge and time. These encounters helped me develop my practice in a grounded, material way, opening up real opportunities.”
- Ujammiugaq“I met very skilled people who passed on their knowledge and were happy to exchange experiences. Peter puts you in a setting of possibilities to explore and connections to be influenced by, and I brought home new ways of approaching my art.”
The Artist Immersion Week
The Artist Immersion Week is our foundational programme and where everything begins for many artists.
Whether you want to work alongside traditional artisans, find inspiration in the medinas alleyways, or develop a creative project, this programme provides a flexible foundation, and the freedom, local knowledge and support to make the most of your time here.
Whether you want to work alongside traditional artisans, find inspiration in the medinas alleyways, or develop a creative project, this programme provides a flexible foundation, and the freedom, local knowledge and support to make the most of your time here.
Artists discovering Fez
Programme Features
The Artist Immersion Week is for artists who want to experience Fez before deciding where it might lead. You might be looking for inspiration, interested in working with traditional artisans, or have a particular idea or project you want to explore.
This programme is structured around exploration.
This programme is structured around exploration.
The Artist Immersion Week is designed around you. Whether you're looking for inspiration, researching an idea related to the Medina's artisanal heritage, developing a project or simply curious about Fez, the programme provides the flexibility and freedom to follow your interests without an overly structured schedule.
We provide the context, local knowledge and support that help you explore the Medina with confidence, make the connections that are important, understand what you're experiencing and make the most of your time here.
We provide the context, local knowledge and support that help you explore the Medina with confidence, make the connections that are important, understand what you're experiencing and make the most of your time here.
Fez is home to centuries of craftsmanship traditions, from ceramics and textiles to metalwork, wood, leather and traditional decorative arts. We help introduce you to the people, places and practices most relevant to your interests.
Where appropriate, we help facilitate conversations with artisans, visits to workshops and opportunities to explore particular materials, techniques or processes more deeply.
Where appropriate, we help facilitate conversations with artisans, visits to workshops and opportunities to explore particular materials, techniques or processes more deeply.
Your week begins with an introduction to Fez, the Medina and its creative landscape. From there, the programme remains intentionally flexible, combining selected introductions and experiences with plenty of independent time to walk, observe, research, make work or follow unexpected directions.
Throughout your stay, FAR remains available for practical guidance, recommendations and connections as your interests develop.
Throughout your stay, FAR remains available for practical guidance, recommendations and connections as your interests develop.
The programme includes seven nights of private accommodation in Fez Medina, giving you your own base from which to experience the city at your own pace. You'll also have access to FAR's local network, knowledge and support throughout your stay.
The Artist Immersion Week is artist-funded, with a single programme fee covering your accommodation and core residency support. Additional specialist workshops, materials or activities can be arranged separately according to your interests.
Programme Investment: £345-445 sliding scale
The Artist Immersion Week is artist-funded, with a single programme fee covering your accommodation and core residency support. Additional specialist workshops, materials or activities can be arranged separately according to your interests.
Programme Investment: £345-445 sliding scale
Host a Retreat
Host a Retreat has grown naturally from artists wanting to share the experience of Fez with their own creative communities.
Designed for practicing artists, educators or creative facilitators, this programme provides the local knowledge, logistical support and inspiring setting to design and lead a retreat that reflects your own practice and vision, and welcomes your own community.
Designed for practicing artists, educators or creative facilitators, this programme provides the local knowledge, logistical support and inspiring setting to design and lead a retreat that reflects your own practice and vision, and welcomes your own community.
Artists leading retreats
Programme Features
Host a Retreat is for artists and creative practitioners who want to turn their skills, ideas and community into a retreat of their own. You bring the concept, programme and participants; FAR provides the setting, local knowledge and support to make it happen in Fez.
This programme is structured around creative entrepreneurship.
This programme is structured around creative entrepreneurship.
The Host a Retreat programme gives artists and creative practitioners the opportunity to turn their knowledge, skills and community into a retreat of their own. You develop the creative concept, shape the programme and lead the experience.
Whether built around painting, photography, pottery, wellbeing or another creative practice, the retreat remains distinctly yours while Fez provides context and an extraordinary setting in which to deliver it.
Whether built around painting, photography, pottery, wellbeing or another creative practice, the retreat remains distinctly yours while Fez provides context and an extraordinary setting in which to deliver it.
A successful retreat is also an entrepreneurial project. As host, you take responsibility for building your audience, promoting the programme and bringing together the community that will join you in Fez.
FAR provides guidance on positioning, pricing, presentation, and marketing support, helping you turn your expertise into an experience people understand, value and want to participate in.
FAR provides guidance on positioning, pricing, presentation, and marketing support, helping you turn your expertise into an experience people understand, value and want to participate in.
You bring the idea and the participants; we provide the local infrastructure that makes delivering it in Fez possible. FAR supports accommodation, local logistics and connections, alongside cultural, creative and artisan experiences tailored to your programme.
This allows you to concentrate on leading your retreat while benefiting from our knowledge, relationships and experience that FAR provides on the ground.
This allows you to concentrate on leading your retreat while benefiting from our knowledge, relationships and experience that FAR provides on the ground.
Host a Retreat is designed to create value for both you and your participants. You determine your own retreat price and build your margin around FAR's agreed accommodation and programme costs, giving you the opportunity to generate income from your creative expertise.
A successful retreat can also become something you repeat, develop or take elsewhere, turning a single week in Fez into a sustainable part of your wider creative practice.
Programme Investment: Profit share
A successful retreat can also become something you repeat, develop or take elsewhere, turning a single week in Fez into a sustainable part of your wider creative practice.
Programme Investment: Profit share
Longer residencies
Some projects need more than a week, and longer residencies are designed for artists who want time to explore further.
We don't run extended residency programmes, but organise and support longer stays for artists wanting learn new skills from traditional artisans, develop an extended creative project, or simply build a stronger connection with the Medina.
We don't run extended residency programmes, but organise and support longer stays for artists wanting learn new skills from traditional artisans, develop an extended creative project, or simply build a stronger connection with the Medina.
The Spirit of Fez
Programme Features
Longer Residencies are for artists who want more time to connect with Fez, develop a project, learn new skills or work alongside traditional artisans. An extended stay allows you to move beyond first impressions, build relationships and let your ideas evolve at their own pace.
This programme is structured around deeper engagement.
This programme is structured around deeper engagement.
FAR longer residencies give you the time to move beyond first impressions and develop a deeper relationship with Fez. Stays are typically shaped around a particular project, research interest, creative practice or simply the desire to work and explore at a slower pace.
With fewer time constraints, you can follow ideas as they evolve and allow the experience of living in the Medina to become part of your practice.
With fewer time constraints, you can follow ideas as they evolve and allow the experience of living in the Medina to become part of your practice.
An extended stay provides opportunities to build stronger and more meaningful relationships with Fez's artists, artisans and creative community. We help identify people, workshops and practices relevant to your interests and facilitate introductions where appropriate.
For artists interested in traditional craftsmanship, longer residencies also provide the time needed to observe processes, develop relationships and explore particular materials or skills in greater depth.
For artists interested in traditional craftsmanship, longer residencies also provide the time needed to observe processes, develop relationships and explore particular materials or skills in greater depth.
Our longer residencies have no fixed programme or expected outcome. Together, we'll discuss what you want from your time in Fez and design the residency around your interests, project and preferred way of working.
FAR provides local knowledge, creative context and ongoing support while leaving you the independence and flexibility to determine how your time develops.
FAR provides local knowledge, creative context and ongoing support while leaving you the independence and flexibility to determine how your time develops.
Longer residencies include private accommodation in the Medina, providing a comfortable base for living and working independently. Depending on availability and your requirements, stays can range from several weeks to a number of months.
Pricing reflects the length of your stay and the level of programme support required, with longer stays offering better weekly value than shorter programmes. Specialist workshops, materials and additional experiences can be arranged separately with independent experts.
Programme Investment: from £850
Pricing reflects the length of your stay and the level of programme support required, with longer stays offering better weekly value than shorter programmes. Specialist workshops, materials and additional experiences can be arranged separately with independent experts.
Programme Investment: from £850
Fez Art Residency is an independent, artist-funded organisation. We encourage artists to see their residency not simply as a cost, but as an investment in the future of their practice.
Our programmes are priced on a sliding scale which allows us to remain independent, keep our pricing accessible, and fairly support the people who make each experience possible.
A limited number of reduced-fee places and financial support opportunities may be available for artists facing financial barriers, particularly students, Moroccans, and those from underrepresented or lower-income backgrounds.
Our programmes are priced on a sliding scale which allows us to remain independent, keep our pricing accessible, and fairly support the people who make each experience possible.
A limited number of reduced-fee places and financial support opportunities may be available for artists facing financial barriers, particularly students, Moroccans, and those from underrepresented or lower-income backgrounds.
Upcoming retreats
Upcoming retreats
Hosted at Dar Drouj, our artist-lead retreats are developed through our Host a Retreat programme.
We provide the base and local context - you design the programme, bring your people, and lead the experience.
Every artist looks for something different in a residency.
FAR is for artists who want something more.
If your ambition extends beyond simply making work, and towards building a project, a collaboration, an exhibition, a new body of work, or simply a clearer sense of direction, FAR may be exactly what you're looking for.
FAR is for artists who want something more.
If your ambition extends beyond simply making work, and towards building a project, a collaboration, an exhibition, a new body of work, or simply a clearer sense of direction, FAR may be exactly what you're looking for.
Meet some of our artists
Meet some of our artists
Art Residency in Morocco: A Guide for Artists
A collection of articles exploring what it means to live, work, and develop as
an artist in Fez and within the wider context of Morocco.
If you're ready to use your time in Fez to build something that continues beyond the residency, we'd love to hear from you.
