Introduction:
The Pastificio Cerere Foundation, in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti and RUFA – Rome University of Fine Arts, is launching the “6ARTISTA. Project for Young Artists 2026-2027”, aimed at supporting the professional development of emerging talent with the goal of promoting and showcasing Italian contemporary art. The 7th edition of the Award, established in 2009, is organised with the support of the MiC and SIAE, as part of the “Per Chi Crea” (“For Those Who Create”) programme.
Prize:
The 6ARTISTA Award aims to select six emerging young artists under 35, offering them the opportunity to develop their artistic research. Each selected artist will have access to a shared studio for 75 days at Pastificio Cerere and will be able to exhibit their works in the residency’s final exhibition, hosted in the exhibition spaces of the Pastificio Cerere Foundation.
Purpose:
The aim of the project is to:
- To foster the development of young artists through engagement with different cultural contexts and forms of expression;
- To evoke the historical identity of the former Pastificio Cerere, offering an environment in which young artists can develop their own path through dialogue with the resident historians;
- To realise an exhibition project as an integral part of the artist’s residency;
- To enrich the artists’ network of contacts with critics, curators, gallery owners and experts in the sector.
Subject:
The competition aims to select six artists who will have the opportunity to spend 75 days in residence at the Pastificio Cerere in Rome. The aim of the residency is to build a strong institutional network, offering young artists opportunities for growth and training at national and international level. The project promoters will organise activities, meetings, studio visits and guided tours of cultural institutions in Rome, enabling the artists to engage with critics, curators, journalists and institutions. During their stay, the artists will be required to develop an exhibition project that will be presented at the end-of-residency exhibition, scheduled for January 2027 at the Pastificio Cerere Foundation.
The tutors Marta Jovanović (artist), Gianni Politi (artist) and Fabrizio Sartori (artist) will supervise the selected artists during the residency activities.
Target audience:
The award is aimed at students enrolled at ABARoma NABA and RUFA, and therefore also at former students who graduated from visual arts degree courses from 2020 onwards.
The competition is aimed at artists aged 35 or under (i.e. persons who have not yet reached the age of 36 by the closing date of Call 3 – Professional Development for Artists as part of the “Per Chi Crea” programme, 2025 Edition, i.e. 30/10/2025), who are resident in Italy (including persons who are not Italian citizens) or resident abroad but who are Italian citizens.
Duration:
The residencies will take place according to the following schedule:
- First period: 27 April 2026 – 10 July 2026
- Second period: 13 July 2026 – 25 September 2026
- Third period: 28 September 2026 – 11 December 2026
Exhibition installation: between December 2026 and January 2027
End-of-residency exhibition: to be held between January and February 2027 at the Fondazione Pastificio Cerere in Rome
For each selected artist, the prize includes:
- The use of a shared studio at the Pastificio Cerere for 75 days. The studio will be a workspace and reception area, but not intended for overnight stays.
- A scholarship of €2,000.00 gross, awarded to each winner during the last week of their assigned residency period. This amount will cover the costs of producing the works, meals and any travel within the city.
- Free participation in one or more learning opportunities offered by the partner academies, such as seminars, workshops and/or talks, with a total duration ranging from 10 to 30 hours.
How to apply:
Participants must submit the following documentation:
- Application form completed in full;
- Presentation portfolio containing:
– Letter of introduction signed by an expert in the arts and
sector;
– Curriculum vitae (max. 3,600 characters, including spaces);
– Portfolio of works completed in the last year (max. 10 images and a short introductory text of max. 1,800 characters, including spaces);
– Abstract of the research project to be developed during the residency (max. 3,600 characters, including spaces, with a maximum of 5 images);
– Photocopy of a valid identity document; - Presentation video in which the candidate introduces themselves and explains their reasons for taking part in the project (max. 200 MB, max. duration 1 minute and 30 seconds).
The application form and the presentation booklet must be sent in Word or PDF format (max. 20 MB) by email to 6artista@pastificiocerere.it; the presentation video must be uploaded exclusively via the following Drive link.
Applications must be submitted exclusively as indicated above no later than 1 April 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be automatically excluded from the selection process.
Jury:
The jury will be composed of:
- Marcello Smarrelli, Artistic Director of the Pastificio Cerere Foundation
- Claudia Cavalieri, Director of the Pastificio Cerere Foundation
- Angelica Gatto, Curator
- Gianni Politi, Artist and tutor for NABA
- Marta Jovanović, Artist and tutor for RUFA
- Fabrizio Sartori, Artist and tutor for ABARoma
- Niccolò Fano, Gallery Owner
Selection criteria:
Based on the material submitted, the jury will select six candidates and allocate one of the three residency periods to each of them (see the “Duration” section). The winners will be contacted by phone or email using the contact details provided on the application form.
The list of selected artists will be published on the website www.pastificiocerere.it.
Evaluation criteria:
- Ability to use contemporary forms of expression;
- Aesthetic quality;
- Innovation and experimentation;
- Value of artistic research;
- Creativity and originality.
The jury’s decisions are final. By submitting an application, the candidate undertakes to ensure their availability for the entire duration of the project and to accept one of the three residency periods provided for, as determined by the jury. The names of the winners will be made public between 20 and 21 April 2026.
With the support of the MIC and SIAE, as part of the “Per chi Crea” programme
