ARTIST RESIDENCY
in Mexico City
Theatre, Film & Performance · Two- or Four-Week Residencies
A Place to Live, Create and Develop New Work
A play takes on new dimensions when spoken aloud. A solo performance develops through rehearsal, through choices about rhythm, movement and the relationship with an audience. Directors and stage designers test ideas through bodies, objects and space. Filmmakers and visual artists explore how sound and moving image can enter into live performance.
These processes require time and attention, a place to experiment, and opportunities to bring the work into conversation with others.
Casa Hechale is a cultural centre for theatre, film and performance in Mexico City, where artists can live, work and develop new material within an active artistic community.
The Artist Residency Programme offers two or four weeks for research, writing, rehearsal and experimentation. Artists can use this time to develop a project, revisit existing material or investigate a question that needs sustained exploration.
The house supports work at different stages. In the black box, ideas can be tested through movement, staging and the arrangement of space. Rehearsal and reading rooms provide settings for physical practice, script work and collaboration. The front gallery offers a context for visual and interdisciplinary work, while Salon CHÁ brings artists together around readings and conversation. The Actor’s Lab and Playwright’s Lab contribute to the wider artistic programme of the centre.
Meetings with the artistic team and advisers provide focused conversations about each resident’s practice and work in development. According to the project, a reading may help a writer hear how a scene works; a feedback session may offer a performer another perspective; an Open House may bring emerging material into contact with a local audience. These opportunities are developed in consultation with the team, with activities and space use agreed around the residency and programme schedule.
Based in the neighbourhood of Santa María la Ribera in Mexico City, Casa Hechale supports artistic exchange across Mexico, the United States and the wider international community. Residents work independently while taking part in the life of a cultural centre, with opportunities to meet artists working across disciplines and cultural contexts.
Member Organization of Artist Communities Alliance (ACA)
WHAT THE RESIDENCY PROVIDES
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Accommodation
Residents stay at Casa Hechale in the neighbourhood of Santa María la Ribera in Mexico City. Accommodation is provided for the full residency period in a private single room or a shared twin room, with shared bathrooms and kitchen facilities.Rehearsal and Work Space
Scheduled access to spaces for writing, research, rehearsals and meetings. Time in each space is arranged with the team according to the needs of the project and the centre’s programme.Black Box Theatre
The Black Box Theatre offers a setting for exploring movement, staging and work in development. Residents may request access as part of their project, subject to availability and prior agreement on the proposed use and technical requirements. Technical staff, equipment and production support are not included unless separately confirmed.Salon CHÁ & Front Gallery
Salon Cha provides a setting for readings, small presentations and conversations around work in progress. The Front Gallery offers space for presenting visual and interdisciplinary work and sharing research materials. Residents may propose a reading, presentation or informal sharing session in either space, with arrangements agreed with the team according to the project and the centre’s programme.
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Casa Hechale Orientation
Each residency begins with an introduction to the Casa Hechale team, spaces, working practices and current programme. The orientation also covers practical arrangements, space use and participation in activities during the residency.Community Manager
A Community Manager serves as the resident’s principal point of contact. The Community Manager supports arrival, day-to-day communication, space scheduling, programme information and connections within the Casa Hechale community.Residency Coordination
Basic coordination includes confirmation of the residency schedule, arrangement of individual sessions and activities, and the preparation of official residency documents where required. -
Every resident weekly receives two individual sessions during the residency.
Project Conversation
A meeting with the Casa Hechale creative team to discuss the proposed work, priorities for the residency and how the available time and spaces can support the project.Advisory Session
A meeting with an artistic adviser or invited practitioner to discuss material in development, receive feedback or explore a specific question within the artist’s practice.The focus and timing of both sessions are agreed with the resident.
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Weekly Programme
Residents receive invitations to selected activities taking place at Casa Hechale during their stay. Depending on the programme calendar, these may include performances, readings, rehearsals, workshops, exhibitions, artist talks, salons and community gatherings.Participation is encouraged but not required. Residents retain the time and independence needed for their own work.
Casa Hechale Open House
Each residency cycle includes an Open House bringing together residents, members of the Casa Hechale community and invited practitioners.Residents may introduce their work, share a question, present a short reading or offer a brief view into a process in development. The Open House is informal; no completed work or formal presentation is required.
Connections in Mexico City
Where relevant, Casa Hechale may arrange introductions to artists, theatre-makers, researchers and cultural organisations in Mexico City. Introductions are based on the needs of the project and the relevance of the connection.All spaces, sessions and programme activities are coordinated in advance. Their form and timing may vary according to the residency period, the nature of the project and the current programme of Casa Hechale.
ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBILITY
Casa Hechale accepts applications from individual artists, duos and small collaborative teams working in theatre, film, performance and related fields. The programme supports focused periods of research, experimentation and the development of new or existing work.
Theatre & Live Performance Devised theatre, solo performance, comedy, puppetry and live art. Projects may focus on generating material, shaping a performance or exploring storytelling, form and the relationship with an audience.
Acting & Directing Research and practical exploration for stage or screen, including character development, text interpretation, scene work and rehearsal methods. Actors and directors may apply with a specific project or a clear area of investigation within their practice.
Playwriting, Screenwriting & Dramaturgy Original writing, revision, adaptation and translation for stage or screen. Proposals may explore dramatic structure, dialogue and narrative, or use readings and critical discussion to inform further development.
Dance, Movement & Choreography Choreographic development, improvisation, physical theatre and research through the body. Projects may investigate movement, gesture, rhythm and composition, independently or with collaborators.
Stage, Costume Design & Scenography Concept development and research in sets, costume, lighting, projection and objects for performance. Work may take the form of sketches, models, material studies or spatial experiments that examine how design contributes to a production.
Film, Moving Image & Sound Film development, experimental moving image and sound-based work. Proposals may focus on research, treatments, storyboards, audiovisual studies or the use of image and sound in performance.
Visual & Interdisciplinary Arts Visual art, installation and projects that connect different artistic disciplines, with a focus on the body, space, live action or moving image. The residency can support research into materials, presentation formats and the encounter between a work and an audience.
Applications are considered at all career stages and are open to artists worldwide. Proposals may fall within one field or cross several disciplines.
Proposals should be suited to the available time and facilities. Any requirements for additional collaborators, equipment or technical support should be identified in the application. A completed production or public presentation is not required.
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Applications are reviewed by the Casa Hechale artistic team, with input from invited advisers where appropriate.
Selection considers:
Artistic direction — The ideas, questions or intentions guiding the proposed work.
Artistic practice — The applicant’s work samples and experience, considered in relation to their stage of practice.
Purpose of the residency — How a focused period at Casa Hechale would support the development of the project or the artist’s practice.
Fit with the centre — How the proposed work relates to Casa Hechale’s focus on theatre, film and performance, and the spaces and support available.
Feasibility — Whether the proposed activities are appropriate for the requested duration and available resources.
Proposals may also describe how working in Mexico City, meeting local practitioners or participating in the centre’s programme could contribute to the residency. A project does not need to take Mexico or the city as a subject.
Early explorations and work already in development are both considered. The application should communicate a clear purpose while allowing room for experimentation and change.
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The working languages of Casa Hechale are English and spanish .
Applicants are not required to speak both languages but should be able to work in at least one. Orientations, individual sessions and programme activities may take place in Spanish, English or bilingually.
Professional interpretation, translation and bilingual dramaturgical support are not included unless agreed separately.
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Casa Hechale is based in Mexico City and works across local and international contexts.
The programme supports exchange between Mexico and the United States and develops relationships with artists and institutions in Spain, wider Europe and beyond.
Where relevant, residents may be introduced to actors, directors, playwrights, dramaturgs, theatre-makers, researchers, theatres and cultural organisations in Mexico City. Introductions are made according to the needs of the project and the relevance of the connection.
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WINTER 2026/27
December 2026–January 2027
Application deadline: October 30, 2026EARLY SPRING 2027
February–March 2027
Application deadline: December 30, 2026SPRING 2027
April–May 2027
Application deadline: February 28, 2027Artists may apply for either a Two-Week or Four-Week Residency within their selected cycle. Applicants should indicate their preferred residency period and an alternative option in the application form.
Programme capacity is limited to six Resident Artists per month.
CENTRO CULTURAL CASA HECHALE
CENTRO CULTURAL CASA HECHALE
RESIDENCY PERIODS
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The Four-Week Residency is intended for artistic projects that benefit from a sustained period of research, writing, rehearsal, and development.
The period may be used to develop a text, establish a performance language, undertake an extended rehearsal process, begin a collaboration or advance an existing body of work.
A reading, open rehearsal, work-in-progress presentation or public conversation may be developed where appropriate to the project. No public outcome is required.
Programme Fee
Shared resident room — USD 2,100 per artist
Private resident room — USD 2,800 per artist*The Programme Fee supports accommodation, access to working spaces, programme coordination, and the artistic framework of the residency.
Duration: 28 nights
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The Two-Week Residency provides a focused working period for artists pursuing a clearly defined line of enquiry, text, methodology, or performance idea.
It is particularly suited to concentrated research, early-stage exploration, or the development of a specific aspect of an existing project. Artists may also use the residency to undertake research connected to Mexico City and its artistic and cultural contexts.
The residency is centred on process. A completed work or public outcome is not required.
Programme Fee
Shared resident room — USD 1,300 per artist
Private resident room — USD 1,900 per artist*The Programme Fee supports accommodation, access to working spaces, programme coordination, and the artistic framework of the residency.
Duration: 14 nights
SCHOLARSHIPS AND FUNDING
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A limited number of Casa Hechale Residency Scholarships are awarded to outstanding artists selected for the Four-Week Residency.
Each scholarship provides a fee reduction of up to USD 700.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of
The artistic quality and clarity of the proposal
The strength of the applicant’s artistic practice
The relevance of the residency to the development of the work
The relationship between the proposal, Casa Hechale and the context of Mexico City
The applicant’s potential contribution to artistic dialogue and exchange
The scholarship is not available for the Two-Week Residency.
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Outstanding applicants who were born in Latin America and currently live and maintain their artistic practice in Latin America may also be considered for an additional award of up to USD 500.
The Latin America Residency Award may be combined with the Casa Hechale Residency Scholarship, providing a maximum total fee reduction of USD 1,200.
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Artists may use personal funds, institutional support, external grants or a combination of funding sources to cover the residency fee and related expenses.
Following selection and provisional confirmation of the residency period, Casa Hechale can provide an official letter of selection for applications to arts councils, cultural ministries, universities, foundations and other funding bodies.
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Scholarships are available only for the Four-Week Residency.
Selection for the residency does not guarantee a scholarship or award.
Recipients are responsible for the remaining fee and all additional expenses.
All awards are confirmed in writing with the residency offer.
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Productions
CENTRO CULTURAL CASA HECHALE
Location
Dr Atl 236
Mexico City