Platform comparison
Artaway vs Rate My Artist Residency
Rate My Artist Residency is a transparency layer — peer reviews, fee disclosures, stipend data — for existing residency programs. Artaway is the marketplace where the exchange happens. They aren't really competitors. They're complementary tools, used best together.
At a glance
Use which one when?
Use Rate My Artist Residency to
Read peer reviews of residency programs you've already heard about. Check fee transparency, stipend amounts, and red flags from past artists who attended. Vet before you apply anywhere.
Use Artaway to
Find and message hosts directly. Arrange exchanges, residencies, and paid commissions that aren't on traditional residency directories. Browse in Portuguese, Spanish, or French. Reviews accumulate naturally on host profiles as artists complete stays.
Side by side
Rate My Artist Residency vs Artaway — what each does
| Rate My Artist Residency | Artaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Peer-review aggregator (Glassdoor for residencies) | Direct artist-host marketplace |
| Scale | Growing database of reviewed residencies | 100+ listings, growing |
| Geographic strength | Global — wherever residencies have artist reviews | 20 countries; strongest in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina |
| What you do there | Read reviews; rate residencies you've attended | Message hosts and apply directly inside the platform |
| Cost | Free to browse, free to leave reviews | Free for artists; free for hosts during early access |
| Account required | Account needed to post reviews; browsing is open | Yes — needed to message hosts and submit applications |
| Vetting | Peer reviews and ratings from past artists | Host profiles, reviews from past artists, listing approval before publish |
| Languages | English | English, Portuguese, Spanish, French |
| Paid commissions | Out of scope — residencies only | Supported as a listing type (alongside exchanges and residencies) |
| Founded | Recent — newer platform | Launched 2026 — early stage |
| Best for | Vetting institutional residencies before applying | Direct exchanges, multilingual discovery, paid commissions |
Where Rate My Artist Residency wins
Three things RMR does — and Artaway doesn't try to
Peer-review transparency
RMR aggregates artist reviews of residency programs across the world, which is genuinely useful when a residency's own website looks great but the lived experience is something else. That kind of independent transparency layer is the platform's whole point.
Fee and stipend visibility
RMR makes fees, stipends, and what's actually included visible up front — even when individual residency websites bury the financial details. That visibility helps artists avoid paying $3,000 for something that delivers less than the listing implied.
Independent, not transactional
RMR doesn't have a stake in any specific residency placement. Artaway does — we run the marketplace. RMR's independence is exactly what makes its reviews credible. That's a posture we can't replicate; we're a different kind of platform.
Where Artaway wins
Four things Artaway does that RMR doesn't
Direct host conversation
RMR doesn't connect you to a residency — it reviews ones you've already found. Artaway is where the matching and messaging happens. The two tools belong in different parts of your process: discover and arrange on Artaway, vet on RMR before committing to anywhere institutional.
Exchanges, not just institutional residencies
RMR's review model assumes you're applying to a structured residency program. The art-for-stay exchange — trading creative work for accommodation, often with an individual host — sits outside that scope. Artaway is built specifically for those direct arrangements.
Multilingual by default
Available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. RMR is English-only. For artists and hosts in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and Quebec, the multilingual surface matters.
Paid commissions in the same place
Paid commission work (murals, workshops, performances) is a supported listing type on Artaway. RMR is residency-focused and doesn't cover commissions.
Who uses each
Three personas for each platform
Who chooses Rate My Artist Residency
- An artist about to pay a $2,000 application fee who wants to read what past attendees actually thought.
- An emerging artist trying to avoid pay-to-play traps with strong marketing and weak studios.
- A residency veteran leaving honest reviews to help artists choose programs with their eyes open.
Who chooses Artaway
- A Brazilian artist proposing a direct exchange with a Portuguese host — no formal residency program involved.
- A muralist looking for paid commission work that residency directories and review platforms don't cover.
- An eco-artist wanting an unstructured rural exchange in a Spanish-speaking country.
Questions
Common questions
Last updated 2026-05-12. Listing and country counts pulled from the Artaway database on the date above. Rate My Artist Residency facts drawn from their public site. We update this page when material differences change. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@artaway.org.