WE-CHE was the existing name of this place, it means “young” in Mapuche language.
We decided to keep it and make it our’s. Then we started the metamorphosis of this place in an artist residency and in some way this name reflects an essential part of our motivation: give artist a place to rest and rejuvenate.

We-Che art Residency is an artist run project, founded by the artistic duo Raom&Loba. In line with our experience and our own vision of the world, we humbly wish to offer others what we have received from our peers at different points in our artistic careers: an inspiring place, a warm and quiet workspace conducive to constructive exchanges with artists from every parts of the world…

Our project is young and will keep growing with you…

We-Che is situated in Patagonia Argentina. Located close to the historic village of Trevelin (10km) founded by Welsh immigrants. It is the most austral Art Residency, in a beautiful natural nest, in the heart of a valley facing the pre-Andean mountains, backing onto a protected natural area of ​​over 250 hectares, crossed by a river and its waterfalls. Facing the 16th of October Valley, its vineyards, its famous and vast 5million tulip field, and the majestic mountains in the background. Its beautiful changing skies and clear nights without light pollution, invite to sky gazing.
Come here to decompress, rejuvenate gathering new inspiration alongside like-minded artists and writers and devote space and time to your creativity in the middle of mythic Patagonia in a stunning, nature-filled place..

Quiet, natural, rural but not totally remote and with human activity around… so you may hear sometimes some normal outdoor sound (road, chainsaws, dogs, cows…)

Contrasting with the rapidly changing weather, sometimes cold, sometimes windy.. you will find in We-Che a warm place you can feel at home, relaxed and inspired. Perhaps you wont find here everything you are used to, but we hope you will discover new ones that you will longer when back at home !

The artist residency is located in Patagonia, in the Chubut province, in a both rural and Natural context. Bordering the Cascadas de Nant Y Fall Protected Natural Area and just a few kilometers from the southern entrance of Los Alerces National Park. Along the 259 Road, approximately 10km from the small town of Trevelín and 15km from Futaleufú and the Chilean border.

What is the best season to come to Patagonia?

It is possible to come to We-Che at any time of the year and application are accepted year-round on a rolling basis; however, Patagonia’s climate is changeable and sometimes extreme, and we guess that the “good season” is preferable, especially for a visual artist residency aiming production, in order to fully enjoy nature and outdoor spaces.

Keep in mind that in Patagonia, perhaps more than anywhere else, the seasons are very distinct, and the climate at the foot of the Andes can change abruptly (frost in summer, strong winds, sudden rain).

Thus, mid-December, January, and February are generally considered the austral summer months, with warm temperatures and a very dry and windy climate. The months from mid-March to mid-June correspond to autumn, June, July, and August are the months of the southern winter (short days and cold, snowy, and/or very rainy weather), and those from mid-October to mid-December to a vibrant spring.

For creative and production residencies, to take advantage of outdoor spaces, the surrounding natural areas and flora at his best, we ideally recommend choosing the period between late October and May. And if you plan to dive in and stay focused on your research or writing with no distraction, late autumn and winter have its enchantement. With magnificent sunrise and some crisp sunny days to refresh your mind and stretch your legs around.

You can download a general map with the main points of interest around We-Che

How do I get to We-che ?

From world, to Patagonia…

Depending where you are travelling from, generally you will take an airplane from your country to Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport, and then depending on the day and hour of your arrival, you may have to stay one night in Buenos Aires.
Then the faster way is to take an airplane (2h30 flight) from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Esquel Airport.
Check Aerolineas Argentinas to combine your international and domestic flight tickets.
Aerolineas prices can vary considerably; as always, the earlier you book, the better the price. You can also check dates over several days to find a better fare.
Upon arrival at Esquel Airport, we will be waiting to pick you up. A 40-minute drive will take you to We-Che.

We-Che is our home, and when we decided to create in this place an artist residency, we just wanted to share this inspiring place, creating a quiet workspace conducive to constructive exchanges… but also let place for a small, human-scale adventure. In line with our experience and our own vision of the world, we prioritize concious practices that respect the Nature and life who inhabit it.

The We-Che artist residency welcomes emerging and established writers, creators, artists from all countries to spend time and space away from their usual environment. Our proposal is to experiment how feels your creativity in our inspiring place. And also to take time to retreat and reflect, to create, and rest in front of an imposing landscape in a peaceful rural environment.
In We-Che you wont feel any kind of pressure for you to achieve something, to produce, to concrete, unless you want it…
Come here to escape the frenzy and decompress, rejuvenate gathering new inspiration alongside like-minded artists and writers and devote space and time to your creativity. Enjoy art life in the middle of mythic Patagonia a stunning, nature-filled place…

Bringing artists together in Patagonia

We think bringing artists together allow them to exchange professional and emotive approaches towards new experiences and aesthetic realities and help to focus on the importance of meaningful and multi-layered cultural exchanges through meditative nature observation and conscious artistic practices. We also encourage projects searching to connect to Patagonia as a natural historical and cultural environnemment (fauna and wild life, flora, landscape, and History) and promoting the interaction and respectful relationships between Art and Nature.

Find the better mix of emerging and established artists and creators

We welcome creators from all discipline if their project fits to We-Che, thats to say we also evaluate if our structure is able or not to give all necessary space to what they want to achieve. Thats why we will also pay attention during selection process, to mix artists in order they form a good « team » and manage to make an harmonious balanced blend that promote the better experience to each one.

As we have a special love for books, and a long experience as graphic designers, artists and author in editing and making books of any kind, at any diffusion scale, we also designed a special format residency for book projects.

A I R programs

The general Art Residency program is fully self directed and autonomous. Artists are free in their practice and how they use their time at We-Che. If needed obviously we may punctually give a hand and normal help and support. The duration can be modulated from 1 week to 2 month.

Disciplines

A special BOOK project residency
This format is an half guided residency with a minimum duration of 1 month (extra weeks can be added to ajust to the final project) with gradual mentorship and individual support focused to achieve a personal book project or Art book project in a 1 month residency from A to Z. You bring an idea, a project, and you leave with your book. The final book can be in digital format for online publishing, or as a few hand-published crafted art books.
For more ambitious book projects, aiming to a final professional HD printing (including professional print on demand solutions) , an additional complete professional graphic design and production support may be added with extra cost, (price based on time and on complexity) and you leave with a ready to print, as well as a digital version (for online reading, selling on your website, etc.).
It can be any kind of book: a catalog of your work, a novel, an essay, a graphic novel, a photo book with your poems, a travel journal, a cookbook…

We-Che is the place we chose to live and work.
Raom was born in Buenos Aires and Loba in Paris. We are also artists, and as an artistic duo, we lived and worked together in France for 30 years (in Paris and the Champagne region). In 2023, we decided to cross the ocean and settle in Argentina. We made our home in this inspiring place in Patagonia and decided to create our own artist residency program, designed by artists for artists. We have always greatly enjoyed participating in artist residency programs and nature-based art projects. In fact, throughout our careers, we have participated in numerous forms of self-organized collective projects with other artists: large annual exhibitions, community galleries, artist book publications, residencies, land art or sculpture symposiums, art in nature, and site-specific art projects. Today, it is important for us to share our experience, to support and host artists from around the world. This is our way of thanking and perpetuating the immense contribution of all the residency programs in which we participate.

Jeanne Borensztajn
Writer and Visual book artist.
Born in Paris, graduated of Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris with special mention of jurors. She founded Dynastes Editions in Paris. Her work mixes drawing and writing. She also usually coaches writers and artists in their writing or research projects. She focuses on book or writing/drawing related projects.

jeanne Borensztajn

Pola Martinez
Born in Paris, Pola is a Franco Argentine textil designer graduated at HEAR – Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin (Mulhouse, France) and visual artist she lives and works in Cherbourg, France. She specifically focuses on textile art and natural fiber oriented projects.

Pola Martinez

Cornelia Luz Martinez
Born in Paris, Cornelia is a multi-talented Franco-Argentine artist who has been fascinated by mythology, art, and cinema since childhood. After her very firsts short films (writing the screenplay, directing the actors, and cinematography) and briefly exploring documentary filmmaking, she devoted herself exclusively to fiction. She also actively practices digital drawing, comics, animation, 3D modeling, character design, storyboarding, sound design, and dubbing, and has notably created the sound design for several independent short films.

Cornelia Luz Martinez

Applications for our A I R Program are accepted year-round on a rolling basis,
for both BOOK project and general art residency.

For any doubt or interrogations before applying, feel free to write us, we try to answer everyone within 3-5 business days, but this may not always be possible due to the large number of submissions.

A I R Program Capacity

We can welcome 1 to 3 (max 4) residents at the same time
for a duration of 1 week to 2 month
We cannot support public workshops or exhibitions for the moment.

Autumn 2026 residencies (March, April, May)
Winter 2026 residencies (June, July, August)
Spring 2026 residencies (September, October, November)
Austral Summer 2026/2027 residencies (December, January, February)

Email hola@wecheartresidency.ovh for detailed information

We-Che art Residency is an independent artist run project and is currently unable to provide financial support for visiting artists. For artists applying for grants and scholarships in their home country We-Che can provide official documents and letters of invitation as necessary.

Residency Fee

350 USD $ per week / 1250 USD $ per month /per resident. For fully autonomous project (with normal moderate support)
Including accommodation, fresh bed linen and towels, electricity, heating, water, gas and local support.

For a special book project residencies, the minimum duration is 1 month. This format is an half guided residency with gradual mentorship and individual support focused to achieve a personal book project or Art book project. General Art residency can be modulated from one week to 2 month.

Download and fill the A I R Program application form, for book project or general art residency submission and email it at: hola@wecheartresidency.ovh
You may also send us a pdf with a brief description of your project or what you want to achieve in We-Che along with some pictures of related works and any information that can help us understand.

Last step

After the selection process, selected artists will be invited to a Whatsapp video Call to coordinate options and details. To complete the reservation of a 1 month residency, a 500$ USD deposit (non refundable) will be asked (by wire transfer or paypal), And then, 1 month before your stay, a copy of your plane ticket, copy of your passeport and copy of your travel insurance.