Art Therapy Lab
International Residency
Returning January 2028 | Kuldīga, Latvia
Designed to explore concepts of “nature” and how creativity positively impacts our mental and emotional well-being, the Art Therapy Lab International Residency is a yearly residency program that invites participants to embark on a journey of self-exploration and community connection.
Led by an interdisciplinary team of creative practitioners, including art therapy, contemporary art, architecture, performance, and movement, our mission is to cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment where individuals can engage with art, connect with nature (in its broader sense), and nurture creativity to improve mental and emotional well-being.
Eligibility
This residency is for adults interested in contemporary art, mental health, and community engagement. Art therapists, art students, artists, and professionals in the mental health sectors are encouraged to apply.
We believe art therapy is for everyone, so there are no prior art skills required to participant and no portfolio needed to apply. It is all about the process, not product. Our only requirement is an openness to make art with your emotions, exercise creative self-growth, and connect with others.
Participant Fees
Professionals: 950 EUR
Students: 550 EUR
Each year we apply for culture grants in order to keep fees lower than comparable programs. Fees include participation in all residency activities, meals, and accommodation.
Location
Studija
Studija is an art space in Kuldīga city, located in Kaļķu Street quarter. By offering space and time it aims to support creativity, research and education in the field of contemporary art and culture. An essential focus of Stūdija is to create a dialogue between the invited participants, local community and international networks.
Kuldīga
Kuldīga city in a Courland region is a small Hanseatic town with a rich culture background and beautiful nature. Known for its waterfall and wooden architecture it has become a popular destination for both locals and foreigners. Recently the city's old town has became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Organizers
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Julia Volonts is a Licensed Art Therapist and Founder of Art Therapy Lab, focused on creating art therapy experiences that promote community engagement, make art therapy more accessible, and inspire new conversations around mental health.
As a dual citizen of Latvia and a Fulbright Program alumna, Julia moved to Riga in 2019 to conduct art therapy research, returning to NYC in 2022. Her international work fostered collaborations with international organizations, allowing her to launch community-based projects that serve diverse populations. Julia has partnered with a range of collaborators, including Paris Collage Collective, Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, MARTA Centre, LGBT House Riga, School of Visual Arts NYC, ISSP Latvia, and Kyiv Collage Collective.
In addition to her community-based work, Julia has a clinical background in private practice, where she offers individual and group psychotherapy virtually to adults addressing anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. Overall, she is passionate about the evolving role of art therapy in mental health care and is excited about the opportunities this residency will offer to advance arts in health programming.
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Maija Rudovska is an independent curator, art critic, cultural agent, art historian and educator. She holds an MA in art history from the Art Academy of Latvia, Riga (2009) and has completed postgraduate studies in curating from Curatorlab in the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm (2010). Currently she is a PhD student in the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn. This summer she will be opening an art space Studija (in Kuldīga), which will provide a residency/studio space for creatives to work with new and old ideas, developing them in close connection with the local community.
Rudovska has gained expertise and visibility in both regional (Baltic/Nordic) and international realms of contemporary art, and has worked with institutions and art spaces such as: MO museum (LT), the Manifesta biennial (for the 13th edition in Marseille), the Foundation Ricard (both FR), Komplot, the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts (both BE), Futura (CZ), the Moderna Museet (SE), the Kim? Contemporary Art Centre (LV), Rupert, the Contemporary Art Centre Vilnius (both LT), the KUMU Art Museum (EE), the Living Art Museum (IS), HIAP (FI) and others.
Past Residencies
2026
Our 2026 theme centered on the concept of roots as a foundation for supporting a larger ecosystem, exploring healing through our relationship to land, community, and shared histories. Through embodied, art-based, and site-responsive practices, participants were invited to draw from both community resources and personal experience, engaging land as witness and teacher. The residency emphasized how communities function as living ecosystems shaped by interdependence, resilience, rupture, and regeneration, while imagining more connected and sustainable futures.
Guest facilitators included:
Ina Celitāne, Storyteller, Folklorist, & Cultural Practitioner (LV)
Mor Keshet, Integrative Eco-Art Therapist (USA)
Ilga Leimanis, Artist, Arts Educator, & Researcher (CA/UK)
Ilze Rukšāne, Landscape Architect and Urbanist (LV)
2025
Our 2025 cohort included art therapists, artists, art educators, and other arts-in-health professionals from various countries, which include Germany, Canada, Japan, Singapore, United States, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Netherlands, and United Kingdom.
The 2025 program took inspiration from gardening as both a concept and practice. The theme centered on the cultivation of spaces where needs are met, growth is nurtured, and meaningful learning takes place. Landscape Architect and Urbanist, Ilze Rukšane from Latvia, collaborated as a guest facilitator, leading immersive outdoor experiences that centered on our relationship to plants and connection to environment through natural dying workshops, forest therapy meditations, and nature walks.
Our 2024 cohort included artists, art educators, art therapists, and other arts-in-health professionals from various countries, which include Belgium, Finland, United States, Latvia, Netherlands, Germany, and United Kingdom.
The 2024 program centered on the integration of eco-art therapy, movement, and the positive impact of contemporary art on mental and emotional well-being, aiming to inspire broader conversations about the role of nature in healing and the transformative power of art. Performance artist Linda Bolsakova from Latvia collaborated as a guest artist, leading movement workshops that incorporated somatic practices connected to the environment, mindfulness, and healing.
Cohort Reflections
Erica Browne (USA)
“It is unlike any other residency experience.”
Gwen Morgan (UK)
“It is a transformative experience that blends creative expression with personal growth, offering a unique space to explore art in a deeply meaningful way.“
Lauma Lejeja (LV)
“I can say that this residency is now the first of its kind on my list of projects I have done so far. Very valuable for me as an artist and human being.“
Kim Fewell (UK)
“I thought I would come and learn a lot but in fact I did that and grew massively in confidence and felt very restored by the experience.“
Gwen Morgan (UK)