Casa Crisálida

Creative Home & Artist Residency

open calls 2026

April-june: (Partially & Fully-guided)

July & AUGUST: (Self-guided)

September: (Partially & Fully-guided)

Casa Crisálida is an intimate, land-rooted artist residency devoted to creative incubation, ecological presence, and personal transformation. Nestled in the mountains near Constanza in the Dominican Republic, Casa Crisálida offers artists, writers, and embodied practitioners a slowed, intentional environment to listen deeply—to their work, to the land, and to what is in the process of becoming.

We welcome interdisciplinary practices including, but not limited to: visual art, writing, music, movement, performance, ritual, somatic and educational practices, research-based inquiry, and other forms that live at the threshold between art and inner and outer ecology.

The residency offers spaciousness rather than production pressure. Time here is designed for creation, rest, reflection, and reconnection.

Residents are invited to engage with:

An artist’s personal home and it’s surrounding rural landscapes
Mountain air, garden life, and seasonal cycles
A gentle container that honors solitude, dialogue, and presence

Casa Crisálida values:

Art as a living, relational practice
Nature as teacher and collaborator
Slowness, care, and reciprocity
Creativity as a regenerative force

RESIDENCY PATHWAYS:

Casa Crisálida offers several residency pathways, each designed to support different rhythms of creative incubation, solitude, and accompaniment. All pathways take place within a living home and are oriented toward early-stage development, creative unblocking, and gentle emergence, rather than production or output-driven work.

The cost of residency can range between $650-$4800 per week depending on the pathway you choose. Your experience will be tailor-made during the application process according to your specific needs.

Residencies range from 5 days to 5 weeks.

Self-Guided Residency

Private stay · Independent process

This pathway is for artists who need solitude, spaciousness, and privacy to enter their own rhythm. You will have the home to yourself and full autonomy over your days.

The Self-Guided Residency is well suited for:

writers and composers working independently
artists in a phase of listening, reflection, or reset
those who already have a strong inner structure for their process

This pathway offers time, quiet, and room to soften — a chrysalis held by land and place, rather than by facilitation.

$650/week (1 room)

$1750/week (entire house)

Partially Guided Residency

Shared home · Light accompaniment

This pathway offers a balance between independence and relational support. You will share the home with the host and receive gentle, periodic check-ins to support reflection, clarity, and integration.

The Partially Guided Residency is ideal for:

artists navigating a creative threshold or transition
those who benefit from mirroring without direction
projects in an editing, re-shaping, or early forming stage

Guidance is spacious and responsive, allowing your process to lead.

Starting at $1400/week

Fully Guided Residency

Shared home · 1:1 accompaniment

This pathway offers deeper presence and intentional support throughout your stay. Alongside sharing the home, you’ll receive daily one-on-one sessions oriented toward creative process, embodied listening, and nature-based reflection including bodywork, excursions, guided wanders, artistic practices, prompts, rituals, and embodiment.

The Fully Guided Residency is well suited for:

artists experiencing creative block or disorientation
those seeking a held container for personal and creative transition
individuals who want accompaniment through a sensitive or liminal phase.

Starting at $3800/week.

MIX & MATCH

Self-guided, Partially-guided and Fully-guided days can be mix and matched during application process for a varied level of accompaniment.

Rather than output-driven expectations, Casa Crisálida invites forms of contribution that feel aligned,

generous, and authentic.

Residents are invited (but not required) to:

Share a short written reflection or description of their practice during residency (to be included in Casa Crisálida documentation and archives)
Offer an informal sharing, conversation, or presentation of their work-in-process if and when it feels appropriate

What is asked of Residents

Casa Crisálida is an incubation space for ideas in their chrysalis phase.

It is a place for slow brewing and creative re-orientation—supporting process over product, listening over output, and depth over display.

This residency is especially suited for artists in a developmental phase: those clarifying vision, editing existing work, composting creative block, or laying the groundwork for what will come next.

Casa Crisálida is not a production studio.

It is a home—an alchemical refuge where ideas are given time to soften, breathe, and begin to take shape.

Application Information:

Disciplines & Media

Interdisciplinary practices are welcome, including:

Visual Art / Writing / Music / Dance & Movement / Theatre & Performance/

Film & Media / Curatorial & Research Practices / Somatic & Educational Programs

Application Language

Applications are accepted in Spanish and English only.

Base Residency Fee: Starting at $650 per week + 10% tax

This includes:

Private bedroom in a shared home with the hostess
Use of shared living spaces and land
Seasonal produce harvested from the garden for self-catered meals.
Free pick-up and drop-off from the nearest transport hub in Constanza (normally $30 USD each way by taxi)

Note: Guided residency experiences are available at additional cost. Fees will vary depending on the level of accompaniment.

Residency period

Residency Dates: Between April 7 — September 15, 2026

Length: 1–4 weeks (longer stays may be considered)

FEES

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Available payment methods:

Bank Transfer
Credit Card
PayPal
Venmo

Additional fees may apply depending on payment method.

Complete the application form (on the button below)
Add mirandaguzmanf@gmail.com to your address book.
You will be notified of your application status after review.
Accepted applicants confirm their place by paying a deposit.
An invoice will be issued by Life As An Act of Poetry.
Once payment is received, your residency dates are confirmed.

Prompt completion is encouraged to secure preferred dates.

HOW TO APPLY

(Application Procedure Step by Step)

Apply for 2026

Local Transport

Free pick-up and drop-off is offered between Constanza and Casa Crisálida.

Pick-up: 9:30–11:30am
Drop-off: 12:00–3:30pm
Travel time: ~30 minutes

From Santo Domingo to Constanza, Caribe Tours buses run regularly (approx. US$8–10).

International Arrivals

Airports:

SDQ — Santo Domingo (Las Américas International Airport)
STI — Santiago de los Caballeros (Cibao International Airport)

Both airports have easy access to Uber, taxis, and overnight accommodations.

Private Transfer (Optional)

From SDQ: $150 USD
From STI: $130 USD

Vehicle Rental

Car rental is possible. Local referrals are available upon request. Please note that driving in the Dominican Republic may be challenging for some visitors.

Casa Crisálida Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KY7toMQyhgoK53Gi7

GETTING HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Casa Crisálida welcomes all creatives, seekers, ritualists, and interdisciplinary makers, as long as you have a project in the works.
Casa Crisálida is a developmental residency.
It is designed for incubation, creative recalibrating, and early-stage exploration — the phase where ideas begin to take shape.
This residency supports process over production, and is especially aligned with writers, musicians, and artists in a conceptual or developmental phase.
No.
Casa Crisálida is not a production residency and does not function as a professional art studio.
The space is not equipped for:
- large-scale fabrication
- intensive material production
What is available is a small workshop space intended for early exploration, expressive practices, basic model-making, and work through creative blocks.
Casa Crisálida is especially supportive for:
- writers working on a book, essay, film, or long-form project
- musicians and songwriters composing, editing, or listening toward new work
- visual artists clarifying idea, concept, or direction before entering a production phase
Visual artists (painters & sculptors) are welcome when the focus is on idea development, conceptual grounding, and creative reset, rather than large-scale output.
Projects that require:
- heavy tools or specialized equipment
- dedicated studio infrastructure
- consistent large-scale material output
If your project depends on professional studio conditions, Casa Crisálida will likely not be the right container.
Yes — within reason and respect for the shared home.
There is a mini studio space on the lower level that allows for exploratory, expressive, and embodied creative practices. Residents are expected to work cleanly, responsibly, and in a way that preserves the home as a living space.
Depending on the pathway you choose:
- Self-Guided: you have the home to yourself and work independently
- Partially Guided: light check-ins or reflective support
- Fully Guided: deeper 1:1 accompaniment through nature-based, creative, and reflective practices
Details are outlined in the Residency Pathways section.
Yes.
Couples or creative partners may apply for a shared residency. Please note that:
- rates differ from solo residencies
- both individuals must complete application questions
Residencies range from a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 5 weeks, depending on availability and pathway.
Selections are made based on:
- alignment with the spirit of Casa Crisálida
- clarity of intention
- readiness
This is a relational and intentional process, not a competitive one.
- Self-guided = full privacy
- Guided residencies = shared home with Miranda (separate rooms)