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Cité internationale de la bande-dessinée

Application Closed

Residency brief

This residency offers a graphic novelist or a comic book author the opportunity to explore the artistic scenes of France. The selected resident will spend the residency in Angoulême where they will be able to discover the entire ecosystem of this city dedicated to images, in particular the resources of the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image. The resident will be hosted at the Maison des auteurs, the Cité's artists' residence, and will attend the prestigious Angoulême International Comics Festival during their residency.

Dedicated to comics, the Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image (International City of Comics and Image) holds the largest heritage collection of comics in Europe and brings together the museum of comics, exhibition galleries, a heritage library, a specialized public library, a documentation center, an international residence for authors (the Maison des auteurs), a reference bookstore, and an art-house cinema. The Cité actively supports contemporary creation through the Maison des Auteurs (The House of Authors). Since its opening in 2002, La Maison des auteurs has welcomed around five hundred artists - emerging and established authors - from France, Europe, and other continents to develop projects there. In addition to the residency program, it offers numerous professional support services. Through its commitment, it now plays an unparalleled role in the French graphic creation landscape. During their stay, the laureate will be able to discover all the resources of the Cité, meet many representatives of the artistic community of Angoulême (rich with more than 300 authors), and participate in the International Comics Festival.

  • Thematic focus Literature (graphic novels and comics)
  • Location Angoulême
  • Dates January - March 2027
  • Length of stay 4 weeks

Our Space

Angoulême is characterized by a national and international dynamic surrounding comic books for several decades, notably through its International Comic Strip Festival, its schools and businesses specializing in the field of images, and its public institution, the Cité Internationale de la bande dessinée et de l'image (International City of Comics and Images). Located in a character building of over 1000m², the Maison des auteurs is located in the heart of Angoulême. The interior features include an exhibition hall, a computer and reprography space, and thirteen individual and collective workshops equipped to accommodate twenty-five authors simultaneously.

Residency conditions

  • The resident will benefit from a studio equipped with graphic creation materials (drawing table, light table, scanner, and reprography equipment) within the Maison des auteurs.
  • The residents’ travel costs to and from their home address will be covered by the French Institute in India
  • The resident will be given a residency grant of INR 110 000.
  • The resident will be expected to participate in the International Comics Festival in Angoulême.
  • This is an exploratory residence, which means that there is no obligation of results at the end of the residency. However, the residency program needs to be acknowledged in any artistic production resulting from the residency.
  • The French Institute in India expects the selected resident to send them a short text (1000 - 2000 words) or comic strip testifying of their experience within 3 months of completion of the residency.

Eligibility criteria

  • Proficiency in English is required for the applicant, whereas fluency in French is not a prerequisite.
  • The applicants must have a minimum of one published comic book to apply. Applications from self-published writers will not be considered.

Past Laureates

Third Edition (2025 - 2026)
Julia Bourdet Author and illustrator
Third Edition (2025 - 2026)
Samarth (Roeqin) Graphic novelist