Join our ‘Self Guided Artist Residencies’ where artists can spend some quality time with their medium or art form of choice in a mango farm in South India, isolated from hustle bustle of everyday life, immersed in your project, connecting with yourself and like minded artists in the space.

You could be a writer, a painter, photographer, a ceramic artist, an illustrator, a graphic designer or a movement artist, we have a space for you :)

The Residency

The Artist Residency is a joint effort by Velanga Orchard & Slow Pottery to create a space for artists to work and develop their art projects, in a space that inspires and connects them with themselves and like minded people. 

It might involve working on a specific project, diving into a new concept, dedicating time to complete a task, entirely your decision.

To have an immersive experience, perhaps to discover new inspiration or ignite your imagination and creativity, we believe our space can assist with all of these goals.

You don't need to be formal to apply for this residency, and there's no need to submit a proposal. Simply email us with your preferred art form and an honest artist statement detailing your goals.

About Us - Your Hosts

Before I expand on our offering, here's a little bit about us -

My name is Nikita and I'm a ceramic artist practicing & teaching studio pottery since 2015. My studio name is Slow Pottery.

My husband & I live along with our dogs and cat live in a mango farm which we call Velanga Orchard. We have built cottages both shared and private along with a community space for our guests and students, the facilities of which are detailed out below. All meals are prepared by our cooks, homemade, fresh and wholesome Indian meals and unlimited coffee and tea.

Together, we run our farm, stays and studio and are inviting artists from all over the world to develop work, spend some uninterrupted time with their craft.

Please know that we are a farm where we co exist with living beings around. So you will see house lizards, centipedes, frogs, insects and bugs around. They could by mistake get in your room too. We can help you clearing them away.

But the point is that please come here if you love nature. Its beauty, its gifts and also its inconveniences.

Facilities

Velanga Orchard

Velanga Orchard is located in Andhra Pradesh in a village known as Jambuneradipalli, a mango orchard, skirting a reserve forest at the foot of a hill with a couple of lakes nearby. Surrounded by shrub forests endowed with over a 100 species of birds and animals.

Here's a guide to staying at our farm.

The Stay

- We have individual cottages for single occupancy, a shared accommodation for double occupancy.

- The cottages are built using vernacular design, local material and vintage aesthetics. The space is surrounded by neem, coconut, teak trees, under the canopies of mango trees, with the hill at the back and lush green all around.

Here's a guide to staying at our farm.

Single Occupancy Private Cottage

Living space: Single bed with a side table, a study table and chair, Storage space for your belongings, with some décor elements. 

Kitchenette: Kettle, hot plate, basic utensils, mini fridge, a clay water dispenser, basic cutlery.

Private bath & small patio

No air conditioners

Our common space for students has a laundry room for DIY Laundry, a dining where all meals including evening snacks will be provided, all day coffee & tea stations, a hang out space, library/study.

*The design of furniture varies in all cottages. 

 

Double Occupancy Shared Cottage

Living space: Two Single beds with a side table, a study table and chair, two storage space for your belongings, with some décor elements. 

Kitchenette: Kettle, hot plate, basic utensils, mini fridge, a clay water dispenser, basic cutlery.

Attached bath & small patio for two.

No air conditioners

Our common space for students has a laundry room for DIY Laundry, a dining where all meals including evening snacks will be provided, all day coffee & tea stations, a hang out space, library/study.

Here's a guide to staying at our farm.

 

 

For Ceramic Artists - Slow Pottery Studio 

The Slow Pottery studio is situated in Velanga Orchard, surrounded by mango trees. Our focus on natural light and airflow creates a minimal, inspiring space for our students. The local Kerala tile roof and glass tiles provide shade and brightness, even in the hottest months.

Here's what our studio can provide you for your work -

An electric wheel for each artist

A shelf for each artist and some common shelves

Clay 100 kgs each week is free of cost. Chargeable for more than 100kgs a week.

All basic throwing and hand building tools.

Any special tools, please email us and we will let you know if we can provide the same or you need to bring it along. 

One electric kiln (Slow Pottery will be loading and firing the kiln)

A small kitchenette with unlimited freshly ground coffee

Wedging tables to spread wide with projects 

Stationary & printer

A restful chai spot to catch a break during long work hours

Hoping the studio nurtures a space where creativity, ideas, and positive energy flourish.

No teaching or guidance on making techniques will be provided. 

Artists Space or Studio

Different artists require different spaces to work on their project.

The terrace of our community space is a dedicated studio for most art forms like writing, painting, movement arts, illustration work etc

It has an open space with terracotta tiled flooring and a room.

There are desks inside the room and outside which will be available first come first serve basis. You can choose your corner and keep it for the duration of your residency.

There are also few outdoor spots where we can setup chairs and tables, painting ezel etc if you need further isolation or inspiration. 

The Community Space

We have built a community space for our guests to come together.

Dining space with all three meals provided. Our cooks make homemade wholesome Indian food.

We have a small library with books on a variety of topics

A lounge,

A small study

DIY laundry room

Terrace space for workouts or just to see the sunrises, sunsets or stargazing

The terrace is also the art studio which has a studio for indoor and outdoor use.

There’s a cozy bonfire spot for conversations around the fire where guests usually spend their evenings.

Dates Available

JULY 2026 - Hot Monsoon Mango Month

Dates available - 1st to 25th July 2026

*HEAT DISCOUNT - We are giving a 20% discount during July as it's a hot month. Please note there are no air conditioners in the rooms but they are built under canopies of trees and with local terracotta tiles to keep the cottages cool. We will compensate by providing lots of mangoes, natural cooling beverages :)

Weather - Very hot 26-35 degrees celsius, moderate to heavy rainfall, overcast skies.

Mango season at the farm! You will get all you can eat and drink mangoes!

 

AUGUST 2026 - Monsoon continues

Dates available - 17th to 28th August

Weather - 24 - 35 degrees celsius, heavy rainfall, warm mornings, pleasant evenings

 

SEPTEMBER 2026 - Monsoon tapering

Dates available - 16th to 27th September

Weather - 24-33 degrees celsius, skies are clear, cooler evenings and nights

 

October - Rainy and Pleasant

Dates available - 16th to 27th October

Weather - 22- 31 degrees celsius, heavy rainfall, pleasant nights

 

November to December - Cool tropical winters

Dates available - 10th November to 8th December

Weather - 18-28 degrees celsius 

Tariff

• Artists practicing art forms other than pottery 

Minimum duration - one week or 6 nights 7 days, Maximum 2 months

For duration more than four weeks, we'd require further project details on email.

Single Occupancy Cottages - Rs.31,500/- per week or 6 nights 7 days

Double Occupancy Cottages - Rs.22,050/- per week or 6 nights 7 days

This tariff is inclusive of your stay, all meals, snacks, tea, coffee, access to a shared studio space, community space, any group farm activities.

*We are giving a 20% discount during July as it's a hot month. Please note there are no air conditioners in the rooms but they are built under canopies of trees and with local terracotta tiles to keep the cottages cool. We will compensate by providing lots of mangoes, natural cooling beverages :)

 

• Ceramic artists or studio potters who require the pottery studio

Minimum duration 6 nights 7 days, Maximum 2 months

For duration more than four weeks, we'd require further project details on email.

Single Occupancy Cottages - Rs.45,660/- per week or 6 nights 7 days

Double Occupancy Cottages - Rs.36,210/- per night or 6 nights 7 days

How to Book

Please email us at hello@slowpottery.com with the following details -

Name

Age & Nationality

Art or craft you'd like to apply for

Dates and duration

What equipment would you require from our space. We cannot promise the availability but can help with arranging if possible.

Artist Statement (Short crisp statements appreciated) - Honest statement letting us know a bit about yourself in simple human language, what are your goals with this artist residency, what are your expectations and anything else you'd like us to know. 

We will get back to you within one working day with the payment details.

 

Manual Instalment Payment Option

We give an option of payment in two instalments, 50% to book now and 50% to be paid two months before the residency starts.

 

Things to consider

• If you have any health (physical or mental) issues, please let us know. Due to the remoteness of our farm, medical facilities are far off and immediate help is difficult. Please be responsible in informing us or choosing a space closer to city amenities.
• The farm is surrounded by nature, and guests may encounter insects, bugs, lizards, frogs, or other small creatures. While rooms are protected and precautions are taken, the host is not responsible if any guest feels discomfort from the natural surroundings.
• No verbal, physical, or emotional abuse tolerated. Inappropriate behaviour towards staff, hosts, students, or animals may lead to immediate dismissal without refund. Personal and professional boundaries must respected.

   

Cancellation Policy

- If you cancel 2 months or 60 days before the residency starts, we will provide you with a 100% refund.

- If you cancel one month or 30 days before the residency starts, we deduct 50% of the total fees as cancellation fees and refund you the remaining paid amount.

- Less than one month or less than 30 days, we will not be providing any refund. 

- In case of International payment refunds, the customer bears the transfer fee. It will get automatically deducted by the payment gateway.

- If your case of medical emergency informed at-least a week in advance, we can consider rescheduling the residency (upon providing proof) Refund is not possible. Less than a week, we will not be able to help you.

- Due to any reason, you have to leave during the residency, we won't be able to give you a refund or reschedule.

- We follow this policy without any exceptions. 

- We take three to four weeks to process the refund. 

Hope to see you soon!