artist residency

Welcome to
Cose Belle

Welcome to
Cose Belle

The experimental Artist Residency project reserved for the winning illustrators of the Cose Belle Illustration Contest.

Learn more

A valuable and creative experience.

The illustrators, guests for the artist residency, have the opportunity to spend a week immersed in the rhythms of Calabrian life with a focus on creativity and sharing. They will explore suggestive Calabrian villages, discover Calabria's cultural heritage and inhabitants, learn traditions and innovations, and taste traditional foods. It is a full immersion of unique and authentic experiences in close connection with local communities.

Full of value and inspiration.

The Cose Belle OFF residency is designed to became a locus amoenus, a pleasant place, a happy time, an opportunity for cultural exchange that can deeply enrich the illustrators both artistically and personally.

To meet the creative part of Calabria.

The illustrators have the opportunity to meet and interact with companies of excellence that have been able to preserve and enhance traditions through design, production processes and innovations, thus managing to give life to unique products in which each piece contains a priceless tradition of love and passion.

Discovering suggestive villages.

Cose Belle OFF takes place in the charming villages of Calabria: Soveria Mannelli, Pizzo Calabro, Cosenza, Belmonte Calabro, and Fiumefreddo Bruzio. Illustrators can discover natural landscapes, villages and history and enjoy the possibility of travelling to the sea, the hills, and the mountains without travelling far distances.

Creating a narrative of a beautiful land together.

The artist residency is designed to give illustrators every possible experience and emotion that will stimulate the five senses and inspire them to tell their own story dedicated to Calabria and their artist residency experience.

Calabria, casa sempre aperta. Un arancio il tuo cuore, succo d’aurora. Calabria, rosa nel bicchiere.

Franco Costabile

The Cose Belle di Calabria
exhibition.

All the illustrations created during the residency will give life to the Cose Belle di Calabria exhibition. The illustrators will become narrators by creating a visual storytelling of Calabria with all its strange and beautiful sides. They will become our allies in giving Calabria an image that goes beyond its stereotypes, bringing a more positive light to it and redeeming it from an image that has been harsh and distorted for too long. These illustrations dedicated to Calabria are an invitation to see this region through more loving eyes and to recognize and understand its beauty.

In collaboration with companies of excellence.

The Cose Belle OFF project is made possible by the synergies built with companies of excellence in the Calabrian region that stand out for excellence in production, design, and enhancing the culture and roots of their land.

The companies that have already embraced the project.

The structures and restaurants that have already hosted the Artist Residency.

Potete immaginare, creare e costruire il luogo più meraviglioso della terra ma occorreranno sempre le persone perché il sogno diventi realtà.

Walt Disney

A sincere thanks to the participants!

  • "Getting to know Calabria and the Cose Belle Festival for me was a bit like entering the White Rabbit’s hole, where you take a chance and enter. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, I decided to cross the threshold and enter. I had never been to Calabria, and I was struck by it. I want to thank all the people I met who helped me grow and find new stories to tell."

    Flavia Luglioli

  • "I had never been to Calabria before
    the Cose Belle OFF Artist Residence, but it felt like
    I had always been there. The people, the energy, and
    everything else… All of it still has a special place in my heart,
    and one day I hope to return."

    Silvia Benedetti

  • "The artist residency was a great experience for me. I met exceptional people, professionals with dedication and professionalism who work in our region. I treasured every piece of advice I was given during those days. I still remember the great chats."

    Giuseppe Talarico

  • "Participating in the Cose Belle OFF artist residency
    was a very interesting and formative experience for me. I learned a lot by getting into the heart of the companies, Rubbettino Publishing House and Lanificio Leo,
    and I had the opportunity to meet and
    interact with other illustrators."

    Carla Tomaino

  • "The artist residency was an unforgettable experience for me that will always have a place in my heart. I had the opportunity to meet wonderful people, with whom I’m still in contact today, who believed in me and allowed me to grow in the workforce."

    Silvia Benedetti

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Find out more details of the project.

Who can participate in the Artist Residency?
The winners of the Cose Belle Illustration Contest, chosen by a well-qualified jury, are eligible to participate in the artist residency.
Where is the Artist Residency held?
The artist residency takes place in the beautiful region of Calabria, with its charming village and unique landscapes that allow travelers to visit the sea, the hills, and the mountains in a short time. In previous years, the residency has taken place in the towns of Soveria Mannelli, Cosenza, Pizzo Calabro, Belmonte Calabro and Fiumefreddo Bruzio.
Why is the Artist Residency called Cose Belle OFF?
OFF as in taking time off or getting away, because Cose Belle is a project that continues even after the festival event. It takes illustrators away from their daily routine and presents them with an artist residency aimed at bringing talented illustrators together to share a unique journey and discover all the beauty and richness of Calabria, our land that we love so much.
What do illustrators do during the Residency?
The illustrators participating in the residency will be immersed in the rhythms of life in Calabria and will have the opportunity to gain valuable experiences on both a cultural and entrepreneurial level. This includes guided tours and excursions and valuable workshops with host companies. They will taste the culinary delights and delicious cuisine of Calabria as well as discover the history of picturesque villages and explore beautiful locations.
When does the Cose Belle OFF artist residency take place?
Each edition is organized during a different period. Previous editions were held in June and July, but we will soon be organizing a residency that will take place in the winter months.
Will illustrators create works of art during the artist residency?
Yes, we ask illustrators to be our partners in creating a visual narrative of Calabria. For this reason, the artist residency will be followed by an exhibition of all the illustrations created during the residence. With the exhibition, the illustrators will have the opportunity to share their Calabrian experience as seen through their eyes. They will visually express the beautiful things that they have encountered during this experience.
Will the works featured in the exhibition be created during the residency?
Not necessarily. The illustrators in residence should enjoy the journey, find inspiration, gather ideas, take pictures, and draw if they like. Once the residency is over, they will have a period of time (about two months) to elaborate their narrative and work on the details of the illustrations to be showcased in the exhibition.
When will the exhibition take place?
The collection of illustrations will be set up in the months following the residence, in a museum space located in the city of Cosenza. Afterwards it will be featured in other dedicated spaces in museums and/or cultural events in Calabria. The exhibition will also be added to our website so that it can be shared with a wider audience, while at the same time showing the capability of illustration as a form of communication.
Do illustrators in the residency incur any costs?
The illustrators in residence are guests of our association, Interazioni Creative, and the sponsor and partner companies that support the project. This means room and board are included. The only costs that the artist has to bear are the return trip to Cosenza and any extra personal needs of the artist.
Where do the artists in residence stay?
Guests in residence stay in high-quality accommodations, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and apartments Accommodations are dependent on the different locations of the residence. In the past, we have stayed in beautiful structures such as the Popilia Country Resort (****) in Pizzo Calabro, La Rosa nel Bicchiere (The Rose in the Glass) in Soveria Mannelli, La Casa della Filanda in Belmonte Calabro.
Is board included in the Residency?
Yes. of course. The guests of the artist residency enjoy full board, which includes gourmet restaurants, typical trattorias, pizzerias, and pubs. And, if it happens, we are always willing to accept invitations from locals who skillfully cook traditional Calabrian cuisine, a truly authentic experience. In previous editions, we have dined at La Rosa nel Bicchiere in Soveria Mannelli, Villa Cuccagna in Belmonte Calabro, Da Gianni in Belmonte Calabro, Antica Crissa in Calabro, and Antica Crissa in Pizzo Calabro.
Which partner companies have supported the artist residency?
The following companies have recognized and embraced the potential of this project and have given us their support: Lanificio Leo, Rubbettino Editore, Rubbettino Print, Callipo.
Does the project get public funding?
Unfortunately not. Proposals we have submitted to the Calabria region for funding allocated to culture have continuously ranked towards the bottom of the list. However, that won’t stop us. Our hope is that sooner or later key figures will take note of our accomplishments and pay closer attention to innovative cultural projects like ours that strive to spread a positive image of Calabria and make a valuable contribution in promoting the region both locally and internationally.

Would you like to take part in Cose Belle OFF?

Join the next
Cose Belle Illustration Contest.
Learn more

Would you like to host an artist residency in your village and in your company?

Get in touch with us and let's get to know each other! We would be very happy to discover your village, learn about your unique products, or experience how passionately you do business. It would be a pleasure to listen to your ideas, get you involved in our projects or come up with new ones to meet your promotion and marketing needs.

Write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. call us at 3494785643