Residencies - The Big Idea/How The Little Barn Residencies Came About

The whole idea for not-for-any-money residencies came from my own experiences when I was studying for my Documentary Photography degree as a  mature student.  During this time, I often saw amazing opportunities for students and for artists out in the wide world for grants, residencies, competitions, exhibitions, etc, but often they were age limited: you had to be under twenty three, or thirty, or some other age which was lesser than my own.  Whilst I could understand how organisations wanted to help out those who were just starting out, it REALLY ANNOYED ME that I as 'too old' to be considered 'emerging' just because I had already had a career and was in my fourties. This very clear ageism really pi**ed me off!

At the time, all I could do was complain and occasionally write letters.  My lecturers who were around the same age as me (and mostly men) were supportive and understanding for the most part. After all, they wanted the best for all of their undergrads and graduates.  I never stopped shouting about the relative injustice of the situation, questioning why older women in particular should be penalised: after all, many of them were returning to education, or entering the art field after putting their own artistic and intellectual lives on hold to make and support families. Or, they had worked hard in a chosen career and now wanted to pivot... 

My greatest success was arguing with IdeasTap and Magnum that their brilliant Photographic Award should not be capped at individuals who were thirty-five.  After a rigorous debate with Fiona Rogers (Magnum's then Education Officer) and long emails to both organisations, they finally opened a new category - for the Over 35s.  WIN!  The first year that this ran, Abbie Traylor-Smith went on to win the Over 35 Award and the support that she was given helped her to develop The Big O.  I feel just a little bit satisfied that I was maybe a part of this!

The inital idea for TLB was to ensure that women a few years away from graduation had a space that was open to them. The decision not to charge anything for the residencies was to ensure that as long as artists could pull together their travel and food costs and cover their bills at home, they could come.

Ironically, the first two artists in residence turned out to be men.  (You can read about these individuals in the 'Artists in Residence' section, but the reality is that in the year I announced TLB was ready, only these two amazing fellas contacted me: it is not always as straightforward for the women in the family to pick up, pack up and move out for a few weeks...

Residencies - How they Work

Residencies at The Little Barn (which is in a small village in rural Haute Vienne, France) are for periods of two to  six weeks (depending on availability and who Denise chooses to invite.) 

They are self-directed and free. The only things asked of the artists is that they take care of the garden and that  they offer an event for the community in return for their stay.  This could be as simple as an artist's chat over a coffee.

The house has one bedroom, a well-equipped kitchen. a nice shower room and downstairs, a gallery/studio space.  In front of the house is a courtyard and five minutes walk away is 'The Secret Garden' - the outdoors extension of the accommodation.

Please note - there is no aircon, no WIFI, no dishwasher and no TV.  Getting to the village can be tricky, unless you have a car.  Additionally,  the house is not suitable for artists who have mobility issues and cannot manage stairs. Any one of these details could put you off, and if that is so - no worries.

Bond/Deposit

Due to the simple fact that it is a lot easier to cancel a commitment if you haven't spent any money on it, I have decided to take a bond/deposit of £250 for each residency slot.  In 2026, nine artists accepted residency places and in the end, five dropped out.  Everyone had a valid reason for doing so, but going forward I believe that a greater commitment to the process from the artists would be a good thing.  Should there be zero problems with the residency, the money would be returned after completion.

The selection process:

Artists who are interested are added to a mailing list.  Once the process is open, they must fill in a Google form.  I read all of the applications and choose who to invite. Part of the selection process is focused on the following things:

• Whether I feels that you would be a good fit with the project (very subjective).

• Whether you will offer something that could be of interest to the 'friends of TLB' and the local community (very subjective).

• Whether I like/believe in your work.

• If you seem like a nice person...

As you can tell, it's a very subjective process.  However, a certain objectivity exists as I try to ensure a balance of artistic genres and make sure that I do not just invite European Documentary Photographers...