Platform comparison
Artaway vs ResArtis
ResArtis is the directory of institutional residency programs. Artaway is a marketplace where artists and hosts arrange the exchange directly. They serve different layers of the same question, and which one fits depends on what you're looking for.
At a glance
Which one fits you?
Choose ResArtis if
You want a deep directory of formal, member-vetted residency programs you can research and apply to through each program's own pipeline. ResArtis is strongest for career-track institutional residencies, especially in Europe.
Choose Artaway if
You want to message a host directly, propose a creative exchange that doesn't fit a residency application form, or browse opportunities in Portuguese, Spanish, or French. Artaway is a marketplace, not a directory — the conversation happens inside the platform.
Side by side
ResArtis vs Artaway — what differs
| ResArtis | Artaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Member directory of residency programs | Direct artist-host marketplace |
| Scale | Hundreds of member residencies | 100+ listings, growing |
| Geographic strength | Europe-heavy, 80+ countries represented | 20 countries today; strongest in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina |
| Application flow | Each residency runs its own application pipeline off-platform | Message hosts and apply directly inside the platform |
| Cost | Application fees common per residency; member orgs pay dues | Free for artists; free for hosts during early access |
| Account required | No — browse the directory anonymously | Yes — needed to message hosts and submit applications |
| Vetting | ResArtis members meet network admission criteria | 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 | Established 1990s | Launched 2026 — early stage |
| Best for | Career-track institutional residency applications | Independent exchanges, direct host arrangements, multilingual discovery |
Where ResArtis wins
Three things ResArtis does better
Institutional gravity
ResArtis members include long-established residencies whose alumni networks, jury composition, and curatorial reputation carry real weight on a CV. If you're targeting career-stage residencies where the institutional name matters, ResArtis is the canonical place to find them.
Breadth of funded programs
Stipend-bearing and fully-funded residency programs are over-represented in the ResArtis directory compared to most other listing sources. The platform skews toward residencies that have the infrastructure to pay artists, which is a meaningful filter when you're sorting through hundreds of options.
Conference and professional network
ResArtis hosts an annual conference where residency directors meet — that's where a lot of the residency-program community's relationships actually form. Artaway has nothing equivalent. If you want to be part of that conversation as a host or director, ResArtis membership is the route.
Where Artaway wins
Four things Artaway does differently
Direct host conversation
On Artaway you message the host inside the platform. There's no juried gatekeeping between you and the person whose space you'd be staying in. For exchanges that don't fit a formal residency application — a two-week trade for studio access, a mural commission, an unstructured visit — that direct line is what makes the model work.
Exchanges as a first-class type
The 'art-for-stay' exchange model — trading creative work or time for accommodation — sits outside what residency directories index. ResArtis is built for structured residency programs. Artaway is built for the exchange itself, with messaging, reviews, and listing types designed around that.
Multilingual by default
Artaway is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. For artists and hosts in Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and Quebec, browsing and applying in your own language is a meaningful difference from English-only platforms.
Paid commissions alongside residencies
Paid commission listings (murals, workshops, performances) are a supported type on Artaway, so the same platform you use to find a residency can also surface paid one-off work. That hybrid scope doesn't exist on residency-only directories.
Who uses each
Three personas for each platform
Who chooses ResArtis
- A mid-career visual artist building a residency-heavy CV who wants the most credible directory of funded European programs.
- A residency director researching peer programs, jury composition, and conference relationships.
- An established artist with foundation backers who want recognisable residency names on the public bio.
Who chooses Artaway
- A Brazilian printmaker proposing a two-week trade at a Portuguese studio — no formal application, just a direct message and a negotiated exchange.
- A muralist looking for paid commission work in a country where the formal residency directories don't list informal hosts.
- An eco-artist wanting an unstructured exchange with a rural host that doesn't fit any 'residency' application form.
Questions
Common questions
Last updated 2026-05-12. Listing and country counts pulled from the Artaway database on the date above. ResArtis facts drawn from their public site and member documentation. We update this page when material differences change — model, pricing, or scope. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@artaway.org.