Villa Medici and Angoulême launch cross-residency for comic artists

On November 27, the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici and La Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image d'Angoulême signed a long-term agreement for cross-residencies between Rome and Angoulême. The residencies range from fifteen days to three months, targeting comic artists, illustrators, and animation filmmakers who are French or reside in France. The program includes two residency periods: one at the Maison des auteurs in Angoulême and the second at Villa Medici in Rome. The partnership aims to support the creation of specific projects such as books and films, as well as transdisciplinary projects. Villa Medici director Muriel Mayette-Holtz stated that all creative disciplines deserve a place to be cultivated, and the institution is happy to support comic artists in their research. Since taking the helm over two years ago, Mayette-Holtz has emphasized multidisciplinarity, launching initiatives like the Art Club with curator Pier Paolo Pancotto, the weekly free event 'I giovedì della Villa – Questions d’art', and the first edition of the Viva Villa festival. The new partnership extends this vision to the comic medium.