Group Residency Programme Orkney

The residency has had a profound impact on my practice and research.

Having the space to share ideas with others in such a beautiful place was invaluable – Tracy and the team, as well as the visiting speakers, created such a supportive and inspiring environment.

The sessions and trips were all absolutely brilliant. I would love to repeat any and all of them again and again! The house was comfortable, the food delicious, and the location phenomenal.

My time in residence was the highlight of my year; it really changed my life and mindset for the better.

The residency programme that just keeps giving.

The MICRO-MACRO Group Residency (Orkney) was transformational, both creatively and personally. 

The programme of inspirational and multi-disciplinary contributors, combined with deep immersion in, and exploration of Orkney’s many layered natural and human histories provided a perfect balance for the investigation of site as part of creative practice. 

Our diverse cohort of contributors, artists, writers and poets quickly developed a strong rapport, generously supporting each other and sharing diverse practices, perspectives and ideas. We were looked after all week with care, kindness and delicious food! Thank you.

A high-point in the cycle of my year as a composer, researcher, and educator. 

Multiple residencies with The Museum of Loss and Renewal continue to provide both time and space in which to incubate my ideas and fuel ongoing research, and allow me to be in an enriching environment wherein I feel that I am able to return to my most true ‘self’ as a human, as a creator. 

The fact that my great-grandparents came from a mountain village near Collemacchia has extra meaning for me: it brings my work beyond the purely academic, beyond the purely creative – it is personal, it is familial, and it continues to shape my identity, strengthening my feeling of connection to the inner and outer landscape.

The DRAWING WITH PLACE (Orkney) Group Residency was a gentle boost to my confidence; being in a new environment and having precious, reflective space.

The programme was extraordinary, and the selection of artists who delivered was beyond what I had imagined.

The variety of input from the invited speakers continues to resonate and was held so beautifully by Tracy; I benefited from her gentle, clear input.

I would and have recommended the residency to many fellow artists/creatives.

The Museum of Loss and Renewal has been a very special place for me to start the writing of a book. The history of Collemacchia, the company of other creatives, and the studio facilities made for a great environment that provided me with both the comfort and the inspiration I needed.

Spending the week with the MICRO-MACRO (Orkney) group helped me realise that collaborative making and thinking can be more spontaneous, playful and generous than I’ve ever experienced or imagined. 

The selection of participants was very well considered, and I really appreciated being in the Orkney landscape with incredibly open people of different ages, nationalities and with diverse arts practices.

Tracy provided a strong structure for the residency, offering critical thinking when needed without disrupting the group dynamic in any way – a skilful balance well-maintained.

The MICRO-MACRO (Italy) Group Residency has had such a positive impact on my practice and research. 

Learning from Tracy and Amanda through open conversation, presentations and practical activities was a wonderful experience. I am very grateful for their support and for my time in Collemacchia.

Alongside the residency programme I was able to connect to the area, which is very important to me personally and for my practice.

The individual residency, Taking Time / Prendendo Tempo offered me the unique opportunity to do just that — take time to experience Molise — one of my ancestral lands.

Each day provided new opportunities to connect and learn from the other residents and engage in self-reflection of my own artist practice; all under the guidance of the extraordinary Tracy Mackenna.

The MICRO-MACRO (Italy) Group Residency provided me with a great sense of inspiration and space to reflect on my practice, both past and regarding possible futures.

The beautifully-designed and maintained living and working spaces, structured by home-cooked meals prepared with love and attention, cast a special light on residents’ everyday life: they give space to breathe.

Tracy is a fantastic mentor and guide, and I surprised myself by how easily I was able to settle and start making and thinking. 

Excellent studios, accommodation and library.

Collemacchia is a unique place which continues to resonate with me – I hope to return!

My Taking Time / Prendendo Tempo residency was an incredible experience. 

It was really special to allow myself to fully follow my intuition and my body, instead of overthinking my energy, my time, my tasks. Being able to freely wander, write, read, photograph, draw, talk, cook, feel, walk, and create often with a cappuccino and cornetto pushed my practice and research into unexpected directions.

I am so grateful to have shared this rollercoaster with incredible people, who each had beautiful stories and touching motivations for being there.

The experience of a temporary artistic community was the primary contribution to my practice/research: constructive and mutually supportive. The framing of the Taking Time / Prendendo Tempo residency was linked to the immediate social, cultural and natural environment.

There was an excellent balance between the communal living spaces, which were very conducive to communication and support.

Tracy’s curatorship, mentorship and guidance was crucial to grounding residents in the environment. Her knowledge and experience of the area’s history and contemporary society provided contextualisation and connection; and she was very generous with her time and availability: an excellent balance.

The residency exposed me to a stimulating coupling of natural, historical, material and community phenomena that percolated new, exciting projects that I’m now processing. 

The library was an excellent resource that stimulated new ideas and refreshed concepts that had become dormant, especially those devoted to art writing and photo books. 

Tracy offered guidance and critique that created context for many of my ideas; she was also generous in delivering a session about the ‘photo book’ that has seeded further personal investigation into the process.

My time in Collemacchia was packed full of opportunities to share ideas and experiences, to create new works both on my own and with input from others and to pause in the mad rush of our modern lives to think and allow the experience to wash over me. I felt at one with the place, intrigued as much by its history and mood. 

I was encouraged by Tracy and her approach to pass on her knowledge and experience while at the same time allowing me space. I have learned much and grown in confidence and experience and have a long list of things to research in more depth and creative works I want to explore. Thank you. 

My residency offered me a wonderful opportunity to go deeper into my practice and to be open to developing my artistic expression and voice. Immersing myself fully allowed me time and space to take risks, to experiment with compositional elements, to innovate and to learn, which was an extraordinary gift.

The freedom to work in this way has had a profound impact on my practice and works I created while in residence are providing rich and exciting starting points for a new body of work. 

Tracy’s mentorship was so valuable and I am already taking steps to incorporate her advice into my creative practice. Her curatorship of the residency, her care, enthusiasm and passion ensured that this residency was an outstanding experience and I am forever grateful to her for providing this opportunity to me and all of the other creatives that I met during my time at Collemacchia.

I would really love to return and to spend more time in the future.

My time in residence was the highlight of my year; it really changed my life and mindset for the better.

The residency programme that just keeps giving.

My time in Collemacchia was marked by wonderful discoveries, in natural and archeological landscapes, as well as in my creative practice. You created an inspiring environment, very well suited for reflection and experimentation, which was what I needed to stir my work in a new direction. I also enjoyed our conversations about art, your intellectual perspective, book recommendations, and feedback about my production.

Taking Time at The Museum of Loss and Renewal is an artistic retreat experience like no other. As soon as I arrived I knew I had stepped into an extraordinary environment, both in terms of landscape and community: a space to breathe, form new relationships and renew my creative practice, my sense of purpose.

What I did not anticipate then was how Tracy’s deep connection to Collemacchia, her practical attention to detail and inspirational mentorship would lead me into new unexpected places and help facilitate for me an entirely new body of work.

My experience at The Museum of Loss and Renewal in Collemacchia, Italy was astounding; I have never enjoyed the balance of solitude together with a generous, nurturing community more than I have here.

The landscape revealed itself to me slowly and kindly – as I walked and listened, it held me tenderly, coaxing me to explore, challenge myself and take time to create work. The studios are professionally appointed, well equipped spaces.

I am humbled by and immensely appreciative of Tracy’s ongoing mentorship, academic and personal support while so far from home. Her skill in connecting my work with the diverse library resources on site and key ideas have assisted to significantly advance the conceptual basis of my practice.

For this and all her gifts, I am grateful.

Being part of the Individual Residency Program was truly life-changing.

Tracy is a wonderful mentor and working artist. Her genuine interest in each artist’s work fostered a sense of community, enriching not only my creative process but also nurturing meaningful connections with fellow artists.

This residency provided the ideal balance of structure and freedom, enabling me to explore new artistic depths, leaving an indelible mark on my art making process.

The experience has left such a warm mark on my artistic journey; I’ll cherish it forever.

My residency was a transformative experience in a warm and supportive environment.

Beautiful facilities were provided, and I was welcomed with genuine hospitality, a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.

Dedicated time for reflection allowed me to set a clear direction for my artistic practice, and the proactive guidance given exceeded my expectations.

I am immensely grateful for the enriching experience of participating in the Drawing with Place Group Residency in Orkney, that was lead by Tracy. The profound connection to the character of the land was evident in every aspect, fostering a deep sense of place. This residency served as a poignant reminder that my creative practice is not just an act of creation but a continuous practice of listening and cultivating a relationship with my surroundings.

I’ve been doing a lot of reflection lately and thinking about all of the nourishing experiences I’ve had that have made a difference in my life and career and one of them is the wonderful time I spent in Collemacchia and your very generous support and guidance. And again when we came as a group a positive ripple manifested in different ways!