10 000 EUROS AWARDED TO A YOUNG ARTIST WHO WORKS ON PAPER.
Call for applications
April 1 to May 4, 2026: Registration
May 2026: Shortlisting
July 2026: Selection
JEAN-CLAUDE REYNAL GRANT
The Jean-Claude Reynal Foundation, named after the French printmaker, awards a grant enabling a young visual artist working on paper to undertake a study trip abroad.
Following Jean-Claude Reynal’s death in 1988, and in accordance with his wishes, his father, Georges Reynal, approached the Fondation de France to establish a foundation in his name. The foundation awards a grant to a young artist to finance a study trip abroad and the realization of a project on paper.
Jean-Claude Reynal, who distinguished himself in the field of original colour printmaking, had himself had the opportunity to undertake study trips, first to San Francisco and then to Oslo. His creative journey was subsequently enriched by numerous other stays abroad. As a teacher, he also regularly organized creative workshops and retreats bringing together teachers and students. The foundation that bears his name pays tribute to him by perpetuating this spirit of exchange.
The Jean-Claude Reynal Grant, under the auspices of the Fondation de France and in collaboration with the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux (ebabx), where Jean-Claude Reynal studied, is launching an international call for applications and will award a €10,000 grant to a young artist working on paper*, regardless of their training or country of origin.
* Drawing, illustration, collage, watercolor, print, poster, charcoal, pastel, ink, graphite, pencil, engraving…
In keeping with the vision of its founder, Jean-Claude Reynal, the grant aims to support:
- une mobilité à l’étranger pour les artistes résidents en France
- une venue en France pour les artistes étrangers.
The duration of the stay abroad must be between 3 and 6 months.
The grant amount is €10,000.
Conditions
Candidates must be between 20 and 30 years of age and have had an artistic practice on paper for at least two years. All artists are eligible regardless of educational background or nationality.
Grant payment :
70% of the grant payment when the candidate is selected and awarded the prize, then 30% upon completion of the project : mandatory report. A publication, a restitution or even an exhibition could reflect this experience.
The prize winner authorizes the Jean-Claude Reynal Foundation and the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux to use a work of his/her choice on the media announcements for the upcoming grant competition.
How to apply
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT VIA THE ONLINE FORM ON THIS WEBSITE:
1 ) Fill out the application sheet
2 ) Provide the following supporting documents in digital format:
- Curriculum Vitae,
- ID,
- portfolio
- and an intent note.
The statement of intent must clearly present your project in relation to your overall artistic practice and include a proposed timeline for its implementation.
Calendar
April 1, 2026: Applications open
May 4, 2026 at midnight: Application deadline (Paris time, UTC+01:00).
Week of May 11, 2026: Shortlisted artists will be notified by email.
Between May 15 and June 15, 2026: Shortlisted artists must submit three original works on paper (drawings or
prints), with dimensions not exceeding 40 × 60 cm.
Between July 1st and July 15th: Final selection results announced.
The works must be submitted or posted at the latest between May 15 and June 15, 2026 (postmark taken as proof) to:
HÉLÈNE SQUARCIONI
Bourse Jean-Claude Reynal
École supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux
7 rue des Beaux-Arts
CS 72010
33088 Bordeaux cedex
France
Original artworks will be returned by mail as soon as possible to artists who are not selected.
Your postal address must remain valid until October 2026.
Jury
Applications will be examined by a jury composed of the following members:
- A representative of the Jean-Claude Reynal Foundation
- A representative of the Fondation de France
- Director of the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux (ebabx)
- Director of Studies at the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux (ebabx)
- A faculty member from the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux (ebabx)
- Other qualified individuals
JEAN-CLAUDE REYNAL
crédit photo © jean-claudereynal.com
Born in Bordeaux in 1938, Jean-Claude Reynal studied at the Fine Arts School of Bordeaux while working at the newspaper Sud-Ouest, in the photomechanical department, a field then undergoing rapid development. This dual artistic and technical training profoundly influenced his career.
After settling in Paris, he became a friend and later an assistant to Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17. Their collaboration, which lasted several years, helped renew approaches to printmaking and expand its possibilities. At Atelier 17, he was in regular contact with foreign artists, which strengthened his interest in international exchange. Two grants the Fulbright and the Greenshields enabled him to undertake a residency at the San Francisco Art Institute, a pivotal experience in his career.
His work has been exhibited in France and abroad, notably in Canada, Rome, London and Osaka.
Despite his illness, he continued to work until the end of his life. After his death in March 1988, at the initiative of his father, Georges Reynal, and under the auspices of the Fondation de France, a foundation was created to support young artists in their projects and encourage them to pursue study abroad.