“Cretan culture, community-driven street art and the Lakkos mural project in Heraklion's Old Town”
About the Residency
The Lakkos Artist Residency is a space for all creatives to come and explore Cretan culture on Greece's largest island. The house hosts up to three artists at a time and is located in the centre of Heraklion cities Old Town. Please see the website for more details.
Artist Run
The Lakkos Artist Residency is a multidisciplinary space for all creative activities. It opened in 2016. The residency has relocated to a new house and location still within Heraklion City's Old Town walls, just a five-minute walk from the previous venue and Lakkos area. Its new location is closer to the city centre and is just a short walk away from all the shops you would expect to find in a small city. The mural project, which began in 2016 in the Lakkos area, continues to this day.
The residency is artist-run and survives solely on the fees artists contribute to keep the project running.
There is no dedicated exhibition space, but when the downstairs apartment is booked a one-night pop-up show is possible in the original living room space.
The residency doesn't provide any equipment for ceramic artists, but there is a wonderful ceramics studio and workshop nearby. The lady who runs it often opens her studio for ceramicists to use her equipment or take lessons. There is a charge to use her space, which can be explained via her on application.
After many years of living with the artists at the residency, Mathew Halpin, who runs it, has stepped back to focus also on his own visual art career. Mathew normally pops in a couple of times a week to get to know the guests and to offer help with projects if needed. Guests get a more hands-off place to create, research, and explore Heraklion city and the island. Generally, the residency is a lovely place to meet other artists. There is no expectation to leave work behind or put on an exhibition.
LGBTQ+ friendly.
In 2019, the residency also acquired a second location in a beautiful Cretan village only 30-minutes from Heraklion city.
The House
The house was built in the 1930s in a Modernist style. It was previously one big family home, but it has now been split into two apartments. It has two artists' bedrooms upstairs that share a kitchen and bathroom on the same level. Downstairs is an independent apartment with its own kitchen, bathroom, studio space, bedroom, and little private courtyard. The house has been freshly painted, but its bathrooms and kitchens have not been updated in many years. Please do not expect hotel-style accommodation. This is more like staying in a friend's home rather than typical tourist accommodation.
Downstairs off the street is a shared courtyard. In the courtyard lives a cheeky kitty who came with the house.
There are no shared bedrooms unless a partner comes.
The residency is located inside the edge of Heraklion's Old Town. Four buildings down an exit to and from the city via the Venetian walls is located. As the nearby street is a busy shopping one, the location is not quiet during shopping hours. This is offset by the fact that there are many places to eat or grab a drink or coffee minutes away. There is a free bicycle hire place 50 metres from the front door!
There is no studio space upstairs, but after running a residency since 2016 we find that most guests are happy to work from their bedrooms, which have desks and nice natural light. The single bedroom is a good space for visual artists as there is plenty of room to set up a provided easel. The double room is good for writers or artists who just need a regular desk. Upstairs, there is a sunny kitchen that could be used for painting, provided that the other guest is fine with that. The downstairs apartment has a private studio space, which was once the original living room.
When is best to come?
Spring (April to June) is an amazing time to come. The island is covered in wild flowers and the weather is perfect! The sea is starting to warm up if you are brave. Tourists are few.
Summer (July to September) in Heraklion sits at around 30/33 degrees Celsius. There is a powerful air-conditioner in the hallway upstairs that can cool the full house if doors are left open enough for the cool air to entre. Every bedroom has it's own fan for those who don't like air-conditioning. There is a rocky beach to walk to in fifteen minutes or half an hour to the sandy one. We have water restrictions in summer so guests need to not waste it.
Autumn (October to December) like spring is perfect! The sea is still nice to take a swim. The temperature is pleasant and the tourists are few.
Winter (January to March) the weather can be sunny one day and raining the next. There are electric blankets on the beds and electric heaters in the bedrooms. Swimming in the sea is still possible for those who don't mind a cold dip.
Fees
Suggested donations go towards keeping the residency running, art projects and maintenance costs. To keep costs down food is not included. The kitchens are fully stocked with all of the cooking utensils needed. There are supermarkets and a huge fresh fruit and veg market close by.
After you agree to an amount of time to stay and a cost this must be followed. If artists decide to do trips inside of the agreement you must still pay for the time booked. Before booking please think about the fact that this is an artists residency not a tourists hotel. Deposits are non-refundable or exchangeable.
The residency doesn't offer free stays in return for work. The artist fee is way below the average Airbnb but more than a hostel. Please email to enquire about the current fee.
Residency conditions/facts
- Minimum of two weeks stay.
- Long stays are a very enjoyable experience but last minute cancelations put on a huge stress to the residency budget and other artists miss out on the opportunity.
- Partners are possible in the private downstairs apartment.
- There is no expectation to leave an artwork behind or make an exhibition.
- Working language is English.
- Murals. The residency helps with the cost of one mural which is generally done in the Lakkos area. Spray paint not included but it's often left via previous artists.
- Bedsheets and towels are provided.
- The house is normally cleaned between guests but while staying guests must keep the communal spaces tidy.