One lucky Miami artist will earn a Paris residency thanks to this arts nonprofit

A local arts nonprofit is about to give one lucky — and talented — Miami artist the opportunity of a lifetime.

Bakehouse Art Complex, one of the city’s oldest artist-serving organizations, announced Friday evening that it has partnered with the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, a prestigious artistic residence complex, to secure an all-expenses paid spot for one Bakehouse artist. The agreement is the first of its kind for the Miami organization.

The artist, who will be selected from a juried process, will earn a two-month stay at the Cité internationale des arts in the Marais where they’ll have access to networking and collaboration opportunities, the program’s resources and Paris’ famed art world and institutions.

Every year, the Cité internationale des arts welcomes over 1,200 artists of all disciplines from 100 countries to stay in one of the 325 live-in studios on campus. The program also promotes artists’ work to an international audience by organizing concerts, shows, exhibitions, installations and screenings.

“We are excited about this new partnership and look forward to the creative exchanges and professional opportunities a residence at the Cité can offer to Bakehouse artists,” said Bénédicte Alliot, the director general of the Cité internationale des arts, in a statement.

Bakehouse artists will be able to submit applications starting Nov. 30 with a deadline of Dec. 30. The jury will meet in early January and forward the final selection to Cité internationale des arts in February, Bakehouse spokesperson Andrew McLees said in an email. The artist will stay in Paris this summer.

Cathy Leff, the Bakehouse executive director, said the group is honored and thrilled to provide the opportunity to one of their artists.

“We also look forward to what our institution can learn from this prestigious affiliation with the Cité internationale des arts, as we envision and plan the future development of our campus and the evolution of our organization and program,” Leff said in a statement.

The partnership underscores Miami’s rising international recognition as an arts hub. As Art Basel Miami Beach approaches its 20th anniversary, institutions from longstanding arts capitals like Paris are taking notice of local arts nonprofits.

Bakehouse was founded in 1985 as an organization by artists for artists. The nonprofit, housed in a former bakery in Wynwood, provides studio space and collaboration opportunities for local artists along with access to two galleries, a classroom, print room, photography lab, ceramics facilities and woodworking and welding areas.

Besides the Paris partnership, the organization has kept itself busy as it plans to renovate its building to add affordable housing for artists and community members over the next five years.

This year’s residency — including travel costs, materials and housing — was funded by a donation from Bakehouse Board President Jason Korman, The Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation and a portion of the proceeds raised at the nonprofit’s fundraiser event Friday evening.

During Friday night’s event, Leff lauded Bakehouse’s team, donors and artists for making the partnership possible.

“Stay tuned,” Leff said. “Thank you all so much for contributing to this amazing creative and professional development opportunity for one of our artists.”

This story was produced with financial support from The Pérez Family Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.

This story was originally published November 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.