About

Located in a 15th century castle in the Umbrian region of Italy, Civitella is a residency program for international writers, composers, and visual artists. Since 1995, Civitella has hosted more than 900 Fellows and Director’s Guests. The Center enables its Fellows to pursue their work and to exchange ideas in a unique and inspiring setting. 

Civitella Ranieri Fellowships are awarded through a careful nomination and jury process by a rotating group of distinguished artists, academics, and critics that ensures access to a highly diverse group of emerging and accomplished candidates from around the world.

Only nominated candidates may apply and a review jury makes selections.

 Emerging talent, mid-career Fellows, and senior, established professionals are all sought to round out the community of any given group. English is the common language. Fellowships include round-trip travel, room, board, and studio or work space. 

Life of a Fellow

Fellows choose from four six-week sessions offered annually beginning in May and ending in early November. Most Fellows are housed in the castle, but several outer buildings are also well-loved studios and apartments. Blessed by constant breezes at its hilltop location, Civitella provides immediate access to wooded pathways for walks and reflection. There are gardens of indigenous plants and flowering bulbs, wild roses, and lavender. Tables and chairs are set in a variety of locations, all with Wi-Fi access. Everything is orchestrated to provide Fellows with a maximum amount of privacy and uninterrupted time for working, talking, wandering, and reading. 

Lunch may be taken in your studio or apartment, or shared with a group that might gather on the ‘Russian Terrace’ or under the gazebo. Everyone comes together to eat the evening meal at 7:30. Late evenings often involve movies, ping pong, bocce, gelato excursions, or more studio time. 

Weekly excursions are vital to our time together. Fellows and staff propose destinations, and groups are accompanied by the Director, the Residency Director, or visiting scholars who come has Director’s Guests. Frequent destinations include Arezzo, Sansepolcro, Monterchi, Urbino, Perugia, Assisi, Rome, or Florence. Piero della Francesca’s work is often the focus of our explorations. We have organized excursions to the opera, contemporary music festivals, special exhibitions, literary events, and traditional local festivals, such as ‘Ceri’ in Gubbio. Two cars are also available to Fellows for personal use and small group excursions. 

In addition to a fleet of bikes

“Every once in a while, if you are lucky, you get to experience a place so beautiful that you get an overwhelming sense that the creativity of the universe, of nature, is more splendid than anything anyone could have imagined. This is home. A place in time, remembered with those with whom you shared it. Such is, and will be, Civitella, my Civitella.”

Ken Ueno (Fellow 2013)