Music Residency
From November 2025 to April 2026
Three 1-month residencies to create three original soundtracks for three documentary films.
About
About the Residency
As part of its artistic fellowship program, the association PAX MUSICA is partnering with Rocabella to offer professional musicians who have obtained refugee status in France a unique opportunity for creation and exchange, at the heart of a multidisciplinary residency overlooking the Mediterranean.
In dialogue with filmmakers, sculptors, photographers, and graphic novelists, the musicians will work on both individual and collective projects, including the composition of an original soundtrack and the preparation of a public presentation.
Theme & Artistic Direction
The 2025–2026 Rocabella cross-disciplinary residencies are part of the project Guardians of the Mediterranean, a collective creation in which filmmakers in residence draw inspiration from the stories of three women: activists, scientists, freedivers, water sports professionals, fishers… women deeply committed to protecting the Mediterranean Sea.
These testimonies, shared at the opening of the residency, fuel the entire creative process, becoming material to be interpreted, transformed, and transmitted.
Two filmmaking teams will follow the sculptors throughout their creative journey, producing short films that blend documentary and poetic fiction. PAX MUSICA musicians will interact with these teams and their works, designing and performing original sound creations:
- Sculpture & Music: translating the shared stories into sonic universes, echoing the gestures and materials shaped by the visual artists.
- Film & Music: composing and recording soundtracks, soundscapes, and improvisations inspired by the creative process and explored themes.
Artistic Intentions
To create dialogue between voice, matter, image, and sound. To explore a cross-disciplinary creation that is authentic and committed, where music becomes a vehicle for transmission, memory, and collective transformation.
Objectives
- To highlight the voices of women working for the preservation of the Mediterranean.
- To offer artists a demanding yet liberating space for creation.
- To invent a poetic and embodied way of telling the story of ecology through the encounter of visual arts, cinema, and music.
Sessions
- Session 1: November 20 – December 19, 2025
- Session 2: January 29 – February 27, 2026
- Session 3: April 2 – May 4, 2026 (mandatory presence from April 30 to May 4)
Each session will host 2 to 3 musicians and a mentor, selected for the artistic quality of their work and their ability to collaborate within a collective framework.
What the Residency Provides
- Round-trip transportation (arrival at the start of the residency, departure at the end).
- Accommodation and meals covered by Rocabella.
- A creative environment in immersion with other artists.
- Artistic guidance from a mentor and a PAX MUSICA coordinator.
- On-site piano tuning and a dedicated rehearsal space.
Responsibilities of the Musician
- Civil liability insurance and instrument insurance.
- Personal equipment and personal expenses.
- Additional travel costs.
Eligibility Criteria
- Professional or pre-professional musician with recognized refugee or protection status in France.
- Artistic openness and ability to collaborate with artists from other disciplines.
- Full availability for the chosen session.
- French-speaking and/or English-speaking profile.
Application Guidelines
Applications must be submitted by September 9, 2025, midnight to: residences@paxmusica.fr
Format: a single PDF including:
- Artistic CV
- Motivation letter outlining an artistic project for the residency
- Links to 2–3 audio/video recordings
- Letter of recommendation from a musician mentor
Selection Process
- Pre-selection by PAX MUSICA: September 10–11, 2025
- Files forwarded to Rocabella: September 12, 2025
- Final interviews with Rocabella and partners: September 15–18, 2025
- Results announced the week of September 22, 2025
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FAQ
What is the duration of the residency?
Depending on the themes, a residency can last from one week to several months, which gives participants enough time to immerse themselves in the environment and carry out their projects successfully.
Who can participate in a residency?
The residency is open to artists and researchers aged 21 and over and of all levels of experience. Priority is given to those who wish to exchange with their peers or with other creatives from other disciplines. The selection is based on an application file, which includes a project proposal, a portfolio and a statement of interest. A panel of competent experts reviews all applications.
Are there any costs associated with the residence?
All essential expenses are covered: accommodation, full board, housekeeping, consumables, round-trip transportation, as well as access to shared tools and spaces required for collective projects. Residents remain responsible for their personal expenses and any specific costs related to their individual projects. An artistic grant is also awarded to support each residency.
Does the residency include coaching or mentoring?
Each residence is specific. Depending on the themes, participants can have access to personalized coaching and mentoring from renowned experts in their field. Storytelling and pitch training workshops are also often included in programs to help residents better value their work.
Are international applications welcomed?
We welcome applications from around the world for a portion of our residencies. The diversity of perspectives is highly valued in our program and the common language is English.
Please consult the specific residences to see which are in French and which in English.
Are-the residents alone on site ?
During the winter residency periods, Rocabella focuses on its artist-in-residence program.
What is a creative residency in La Rocabella?
Artistic residencies are periods during which artists and creators come to work on their projects around a specific theme. Residents are supervised by a specialist mentor and can benefit from advice from professional artists or specialists to enrich their creative activity.
