Faber Andorra Residency Unveils 2026 Lineup: Six Creators from Six Countries Selected

The Faber Andorra residency programme has launched its eighth edition for 2026, welcoming six international creators and researchers from six countries—four women and two men—selected from 124 applications in 2024. British historian Jean-Michel Johnston, already in residence at the Massana facility since 7 April, leads the lineup with a project on the survival strategies of Europe's smallest states: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino. This brings the total number of residents to 45 since the programme began in 2019 through a partnership between the Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry and the Ramon Llull Institute, which has generated 72 public activities so far.

Johnston, fluent in Catalan from family ties, stays until 24 April. His research draws on national archives, including Casa de la Vall and the National Archive, plus meetings with local historians and prior visits to Liechtenstein. He plans a public talk at the University of Andorra on 23 April at 10:30, titled *Desafiar el destí* (Defying Destiny), exploring how these states evaded absorption by larger powers via diplomacy, adapted economies like border trade, medieval institutions, geographic isolation, and Andorra's co-principality. He sees them as successes challenging conventional European history narratives and expresses measured optimism for their future in a globalised world, pointing to models like Singapore, Dubai, and Hong Kong.

The programme continues with Canadian education researcher Robert Mizzi (4-18 May), examining LGBTQ+ inclusion in small communities and preparing an academic article on Andorra; German ikebana artist Han Le Han (26 May-19 June), creating floral installations from local materials and inspired by Teresa Colom's poetry; Spanish actress, dancer, and choreographer Inés Sarmiento from Ibiza (1-30 September), advancing the third part of her *Identitat* trilogy linking Ibiza and Andorra; Iranian-Barcelona interdisciplinary artist Pantea Armanfar (17-30 October), mapping the Valira River through sound walks and live streams; and Liechtenstein sculptor Lilian Hasler (6 November-14 December), presenting *Topografia de l’estat d’ànim* to map Andorra's emotional and social landscapes. Hasler's slot stems from an exchange with Liechtenstein's Turmhaus, which will host Andorran artists Òscar Fiter and Maria Caminal.

Meritxell Blanco, head of Cultural Action, and technician Sandra Colell presented the lineup, emphasising projects with local connections and community engagement alongside schools and the University of Andorra. Concurrently, the ministry opened its fourth round of outbound creation and training grants, with a €10,000 budget now restricted to in-person artistic and educational initiatives. The partnership with Faberllull in Olot offers four spots for Andorran creators in November 2026: Andrea Camp and Arnau Sánchez from 2025 applications, plus two more open to Andorran nationals or legal residents from 15 April to 13 July for 9-16 November stays. Blanco stressed these initiatives to promote artist mobility, internationalisation, and local talent development.