360 XOCHI QUETZAL: Spring Artist Residency in Mexico

360 XOCHI QUETZAL offers a free one-month artist residency in Chapala, Mexico. The residency includes housing, studio space, food stipend, wi-fi, local phone service, weekly maid service, and all utilities. Artists are responsible for laundry, meals beyond the stipend, entertainment, transportation, and international calls. Travel to and from Guadalajara International Airport (25 minutes away) is the artist's responsibility, though pickup and drop-off can be arranged.

The studio features a large work table, 16 ft long x 8 ft high work wall, 10-foot ceilings, desk, comfortable chair, printer, and free wi-fi. The adjoining bathroom serves as a cleaning area. A spinet piano is available for musicians. The residence includes a kitchen and living room downstairs, bedroom and spacious studio upstairs, and 2.5 bathrooms. Residents have access to a nearby park with running track, pool, tennis courts, and walking trails, as well as the malecon, a lakeside promenade. The area offers hundreds of mountains, spectacular sunsets, sunny weather 300 days per year with temperatures averaging in the 70s, and activities including hiking, dancing, and thermal springs. Chapala and nearby Ajijic have dozens of cafes, galleries, art openings, and hundreds of artists.

Residency dates for 2013 are May 1-31, October 1-31, and December 21 - January 20, 2014, with some date flexibility. Applicants must be artists, writers, or new media creatives over age 25 demonstrating artistic accomplishment, a well-conceived project, and self-reliance. National and international artists are welcome. The application fee is $36.00 USD, with 5% discounts available for members of certain artist organizations and $12 discounts for previous applicants. Spouses or significant others may join; children, guests, and pets are not permitted. Smoking and firearms are prohibited. Spanish language skills are not required.