ArtHouse Jersey, Guernsey Arts and Puglia Culture have joined together to offer six artists the chance to participate in an exciting cultural exchange and artist residency programme.
Supported by the Government of Jersey, the Government of Guernsey (through the Channel Islands Brussels Office – CIBO) Guernsey Arts and the Puglia Culture Consortium, the 2025 project will result in the creation and presentation of new artistic work to be presented in each jurisdiction.
Three artists will be selected from the Channel Islands and three artists from Puglia whose work focuses on poetry/storytelling, music or dance (although it is also open to artists working in visual arts or sculpture). Together they will visit each other’s regions and have the unique opportunity to work alongside each other to develop a co-created project.
Channel Islands’ cooperation with Puglia began in 2024 as the Channel Islands Brussels Office and the Brussels representative office of the region of Puglia worked together to host a panel on sustainable economic development in the 2024 European Week of the Regions and Cities in Brussels organised by the European Committee of the Regions.
The Channel Islands and Puglia are now taking a step forward in their cooperation by working together to develop opportunities for cultural exchange. Both regions share a rich ancient and archaeological history, unique coastal and island topography, the presence of diverse and minority languages, and a shared connection to medieval Norman heritage. These contexts will be a starting point for the artistic residencies and artwork created through the project.
The Minister for Sustainable Economic Development in Jersey, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: “This cross-border artist residency project represents a unique opportunity to connect creative minds across cultures and borders, and I thank CIBO for helping facilitate it. The initiative will nurture artistic growth and collaboration while promoting further understanding of our shared medieval Norman heritage. It also builds on cultural discussions held in Jersey recently, when the UK’s Italian Ambassador visited the Island. A key focus of our arts strategy is to support local artists in furthering their careers and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to create this platform for innovation and dialogue. I look forward to seeing relationships between Jersey and Italy develop further.”
