About

The Mudhouse Residency is designed to provide a cultural immersion: living, working and dining in the mountain village of Agios Ioannis. The residency is inclusive to a number of artistic disciplines, with the facilities to accommodate studio artists, photographers, filmmakers, writers, choreographers and composers. Meals are served at the local taverna and excursions have been organized to tour the ancient Minoan ruins at Mochlos and Gournia, swim in the blue green waters of the Libyan sea and hike across the Thripti mountain range. Artists are invited to present a slideshow lecture or reading on their work for fellow residents, and participate in a closing exhibition at the Residency’s conclusion.

Local Information

The village of Agios Ioannis, located on the southern side of the Greek island of Crete, dates back to the 15th century. In the 1950’s, when irrigation systems brought fresh water from the mountains to the coast, the village became largely uninhabited and many of the stone and mud structures fell into ruin. The Mudhouse is one of the few renovated structures to utilize traditional Cretan construction methods. Agios Ioannis is 9km from the coast, up a twisting mountain road, and at 500m above sea level boasts an impressive view of the Libyan sea. To the east the road leads to the village of Schinokapsala and crosses Pshiro hamlet, with a natural spring that feeds into the largest waterfall on the island and the only pine tree forest on Crete. The western road passes through goat grazing lands and olive tree orchards, over the Thripti mountains where it is possible at the narrowest span to see both the East and West coastlines of Crete.

Network Affiliations

• Alliance of Artist Communities
• Res Artis