What is a talent passport?
It’s not a test. I didn’t know either. A Talent Passport is a form of a Carte Sejour, or in my case, an Artist Visa.
I found out about the Talent Passport somewhat backwards; at first I wanted to make Eco-Art projects in France, and then doing some internet research, found other blog posts about someone else’s adventure, and the spark was lit. I knew that if I wanted to propose contemporary art projects and work as an artist in France, I had to apply for a Talent Passport.
Your best source is the government’s website, and I can’t stress this enough, they constantly update it, make sure you stay current on the instructions, expectations, and requirements throughout your project.
The description on the government’s website:
“The multi-year “passeport talent” residence permit was created to help foreign employees and self-employed persons develop France’s economic attractiveness. Your employment contract and your stay in France must exceed three months. It will allow you to stay for a maximum of four years commencing on the date of your arrival in France.
Your family members may also accompany you and will be issued with multi-year residence permits. This permit will authorize your spouse and any children entering into their 18th year to work. In the three months following your arrival in France, you and your family must visit your local police station in France to request a multi-year residence permit corresponding to your situation.”
In short, a Passport Talent as listed by the French government is a form of ‘long visa’ that enables the holder to work and live in France. It’s open to innovators, specialists, writers, teachers and artists. As an Eco-Artist, I chose the art path. At the time, the Passport Talent was relatively unknown and I’ve met more people that want to know about it, than those who already do.
The “ART PATH”, from the Government’s site, 28/7/2023:
You are a performer or have created a literary or artistic work
Your situation
You are able to justify a production or performance engagement for a duration of at least three months in order to carry out your activity as a performer or creator of a literary or artistic work on French territory.
Your visa
You will be issued with a long-stay visa bearing the statement “passeport talent” “profession artistique et culturelle” (Skilled residence permit – artistic and cultural profession). In the two months following your arrival in France, you can apply for a multi-year residence permit. The period of validity will be based on the nature and duration of the engagements and/or employment contracts you present and will be valid for a maximum period of four years.
If the duration of your stay is less than twelve months, you will be issued with a long-stay visa, equivalent to a (VLS/TS) residence permit, bearing the statement “passeport talent” (with no other statement). You must validate it in the three months following your arrival in France.
Your supporting documentation
In addition to any supporting documents related to your personal and professional situation indicated in the visa wizard, along with your visa application, you must submit all documents attesting to your role as an artist or creator of a literary or artistic work, your engagements in France, and your financial resources.
You must provide proof of your financial resources, primarily originating from your activity, for the period of your planned stay i.e.an amount at least equivalent to 70% of the minimum legal wage in France for a full-time worker for every month you stay in France. Example: contract with a gallery, artistic commission, etc.
You have work to do!
French Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2017
Research, Plan, Propose…
Essentially, after research on the Talent Passport, I realized that my affection for Pont-Aven, and a strong desire to make an artist studio here, would be the core of my application. I wrote a formal plan; I proposed the creation of an artist studio and gallery, with budget(s), recommendation letters, and documentation of my International art standing (current CV, along with press clippings, and catalogs), I even took a criminal record test administerd by KHMER Police with the FBI in CAMBODIA, then I made my submission!!
I couldn’t be more thankful.
The Quimper Prefecture has been incredibly helpful throughout the entire Talent Passport process.
Read the Instructions,
Its very important to read the instructions and be patient with the French administration, if you decide to take on a passport talent project, bear in mind there will be a lot of costs, flying back and forth for interviews, etc. The first steps will be from your home country and you may have to surrender your national passport for a brief period. Later, you’ll be awarded a temporary visa that will cover your subsequent trips to France for your interviews and processing.
Be independent !
I cannot stress how much you need to be independent and capable of self-finance on this project, make no mistake, the passport talent isn’t a route to French grants. The Passport Talent is a route to you making something of your self that will benefit French Culture & Economy. I spent quite a few layovers in Paris at the airport as I had to come back for one hour interviews whilst I was working in other countries.
The Talent Passport is a great privilege, and one that considering the options, is more than worth it.
Charles de Gaulle, Paris, John K. Melvin, 2018
Be prepared for you Renewal!
When I made my renewal Talent Passport application 2021, in the midst of COVID, it was stressful for everyone, but still we managed.
During the last 6 years of having my ‘artist visa’, I have participated with arts organizations, attended Board Meetings for CACTUS, proposed projects to local town councils, have been a paid commissioned artist, had expositions, shared my work with the public, and have had many conversations and introductions that I would not have been able to have without the Passport Talent.
Below, I’ve listed chronologically my activity in France since the visa was awarded to me. During the first Talent Passport, I spent a lot of time traveling and making my art in other countries due to concurrent project development with the visa application, however, I shared all I could with anyone I met. Since receiving the Talent Passport, I have also responded privately to many questions from other individuals starting their own administrative adventure. My own website is a testament of my artistic activity chronologically, but for this post, I’ve pulled out the most relevant data.
2018 –
Talent Passport, Carte Sejour, Prefecture de FINISTERE, FRANCE
2020 –
Artistes au Jardin, CACTUS, 2 salles, Quimper, FRANCE (a site specific installation on two sites, read more here.)
CONVERGENCE, Site-Specific Installation development with City of Quimper, France, 2020-2022 (narrative follows, or link)
2021 –
Established personal studio, Pont Aven, read more here,
Atelier Expo, Open Studio, Juillet-Août, Pont Aven, FRANCE ( a solo gallery project for the summer of 2021, read more here.)
Joined ALIVE for Climate, an association of climate activist artists based in Napoule, read more here,
2022 –
KER PONT-AVEN, installation, FRANCE;
CACTUS, 5ans DEJA, Oct-Nov, Quimper, FRANCE;
A4, Exposition Collective, Mars – Septembre, Pont Aven FRANCE, (a 9 month collective art gallery project, link)
CHANGWON BIENNALE, Water is Life, South Korea, link
CANCERUS, Wheatpasting projects, Pont-Aven, link
DEMAIN, Wheatpasting projects, Pont-Aven, link
2023–
DIVISION, INOX sculpture, permanent garden installation, FRENCHBERRY, Pont-Aven, link
LAND ART Symposium, The Other, Villa Cerniglaiaro, Italy, link
Ca Roule, Tire Pollution Public Awarenss project, Pont-Aven, France, 2023-2028, (narrative follows, or link)
2024–
PAPILLON, Site-Specific Installation, IDEES Pont-Aven, link
PONT AVEN SCHOOL OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Personal Collection of Caroline Boyle-Turner, Silent Auction benefiting FRANCE ALZHEIMER’s, IZART Galerie ANNEXE, Pont-Aven, link.
SOULEVEMENT, Private Commission, QUIMPER, France
Working hard for a Talent Passport!
A more detailed narrative of some of the larger projects I worked on during my second Talent Passport…
Having been awared by second Talent Passport in 2021 from the French Prefecture in Quimper, I set to work. From the end of 2020 until spring 2022, I worked with the City of Quimper. Specifically, the Direction of Culture, the Adjoint au maire, chargé de la culture, asked me in late 2020 to design a 3km project for the rivers of Quimper. I was asked to base it on my Aven Project from before. I’ve written about both projects at the links here, Quimper, and Pont Aven.
Conceptual art means a lot of meetings, presentations, techinal drawing, and writing. I needed something more to do in order to proove my Talent Passport worthy. So, I also took on a somewhat guerilla wheat-pasting project with an abandoned factory complex under development, more on that project here. I say somewhat guerilla, the town officials where aware, supported it unofficially, and without any financing. In the end it resulted in an ephemeral private commission !
The spirit of the Talent Passport is to be a self-starter. Continuing my self started projects, in early 2023, I proposed a upcycling tire project with the town of Pont Aven, and just recently, I have been given a green light to begin the project, and after successful crowdfunding, I have begun construction. I am honored and humbled to make this project about circularity, and you can read more about it here.
And on a larger horizon, I’ve initiated planning for an Eco-Art Association, who’s first task will be to curate, organize, and host an international art event bringing artists into the Pont-Aven region. Each artist will be tasked with making an Eco-Art installation in 10 days, and the projects will be open to the public until the projects are consumed by nature. Read more about it on this website.
In short, I’m forever thankful for the Talent Passport – Artist Visa, as it has opened doors and made me realize I can give back quite a lot. Of course, none of this would have been possible with out my friends, family, and loved ones.
Thank you all for the support.
