10 Oct 2014

Winter and Summer Studio Space in Cyprus

Since 1969 the Cyprus College of Art has been offering professional artists and art students from Britain, Ireland and elsewhere the chance to spend time enjoying the Cypriot sunshine at an affordable price.

We are not a 'college' in the educational sense. We are a collection of like-minded people - namely artists, who run a studio.

We offer studio space with or without living accommodation at very low prices throughout the year for artists and art students from all over the world. Some stay for one or two weeks, others for up to a year.

Our winter season starts on 1 November 2014. In the winter months we are very quiet, so there is an opportunity to get work done, although you will have to enjoy your own company or that of only a small group.

Our living accommodation is simple, even primitive, youth hostel style accommodation, with shared bathroom and cooking facilities, and everyone chips in to keep the place clean. It is simple, but not unpleasant accommodation which you can think of as being a bit like camping, although you should imagine stone tents.

However do bear in mind that it is not always warm in Cyprus in winter, and it can get very cold, so even a 'stone tent' is not going to be something everyone will want to stay in at this time of year.

In the summer months, which are from May onwards, the temperature gets very hot, and the whole feel of the environment changes as Cyprus moves into a Middle East heat bubble emanating from the Levant.

A sense of freedom has always been central to what we do, so that although many universities and art studios might pay lip service to the idea of artistic freedom, very few of them practice it in a meaningful way. We try to. That does not mean there are no rules, but there are no prejudices or preconceived ideas and as long as you work with good faith, honesty and integrity you will find a warm welcome here.

The Winter and Summer Studio, like the Cyprus College of Art as a whole, is a simple place, a bit ramshackle and rough around the edges, but it points to a future ideal world where art is valued not for its financial value, but for its intrinsic quality. It points to a utopia where artists are considered important because of what they make, and not because they are a brand name or celebrity always filling the media.

If being an idealitic, utopian artist living simply in the winter sunshine (and sometime winter rain) of Cyprus appeals to you, then get in touch and let's see if we can find space for you - as we say, from one week up to a full year.