This is where Spalding Gray always liked to stay, but really he mainly slept in a tent outside this window, because his girlfriend was always visiting,” the facilities manager told me as he swung open the closet door to my assigned room. Unsure of who Gray was, I nodded my head politely after a full day of travel and walked over to the window to see a small, sun-dappled patch of grass pressed against a dense tree line. “Look down and you’ll find your outdoor shower for the next month. Really, it’s the only shower here at the barn, since the plumbing is funny.” I glanced down from the second story to see a couple of deer grazing on the tall grass around the shower stall. “Do you think the deer get gas from the soapy runoff?” I ask. The manager laughed and told me that I’d get used to the deer. I confirmed that my package of art supplies had arrived, thanked the manager, and immediately passed out on my twin bed, concluding day one at “The Barn,” better known as the Edward F. Albee Foundation Residency in Montauk, New York.
My opinion of artist residencies changes often and is typically critical, because participants likely come from a place of privilege and are able to indulge in escapist fantasies. That said, I’ve also experienced artists and writers from all walks of life who are so completely dedicated to their work that they eschew any comfort of a “normal” life and string together a 1099 lifestyle in order to walk away from day jobs each time they’re accepted into a residency. It’s important to share that many residency programs do understand the risk and financial burden artists accept and offer travel stipends, living stipends, and in some cases, will provide assistance with your rent while away. I can easily say my opinion is complicated and that it changes with my constant wavering between socioeconomic brackets, but the benefits are real. You will come out the other end a changed person with new depth to your work and an inch closer to your waking life.
SOUTHWEST RESIDENCIES
BANDELIER NATIONAL PARK
New Mexico
The Artist-in-Residence program at Bandelier National Monument offers professional writers, composers, visual, and performing artists the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline in the park’s inspiring and stimulating environment. Artists are required to present two public programs during their residency.
FUNDING: Small, furnished pueblo-style home.
DURATION: 2- to 4-week periods from September 1 through mid-December.
FACILITIES: lodging.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2019.
CHINATI FOUNDATION
Marfa, Texas
Founded 1989. Located in far West Texas, this residency provides solitude and an exhibition opportunity at the end of the program. Notable alumni include: Rita Ackermann, Ellen Altfest, Jeff Elrod, Charline von Heyl, Joanne Greenbaum, John Wesley, and Christopher Wool. Funding: Housing, studio, access to Chinati’s archives, and travel stipend.
FUNDING: Stipend of $1000.
DURATION: 2 months.
FACILITIES: Housing onsite and studio in Marfa.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2019.
HELENE WURLITZER FOUNDATION
Taos, New Mexico
Founded in 1954, the HWF is one of the oldest residency programs in the nation with notable alumna Agnes Martin (’54, ’55). There are eleven artist casitas on a fifteen-acre campus in the heart of Taos. The program caters to visual artists, composers, and literary artists.
FUNDING: Furnished housing and studio.
DURATION: 10-12 weeks.
FACILITIES: Commons house with wi-fi, library, main house and laundry facilities.
DEADLINE: January 18, 2020.
IAIA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY NATIVE ARTS SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT ART RESIDENCY
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Founded in 2014, MoCNA hosts four Native artists annually to engage the Santa Fe community with Indigenous narratives to bring about social change.
FUNDING: Studio.
DURATION: 10 days.
FACILITIES: IAIA MoCNA’s permanent collection.
DEADLINE: Curated residency.
INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Santa Fe, New Mexico
This residency is an opportunity for Native and First Nations artists on campus at the Institute of American Indian Arts and hosts fifteen artists annually.
FUNDING: Housing, studio, travel, food, and material stipend.
DURATION: 2-8 weeks, depending on residency type.
FACILITIES: Campus studio, fabrication lab, photography lab, printmaking studio, and foundry.
DEADLINE: Late October for spring 2020 residencies.
MONTELLO FOUNDATION
Montello, Nevada
Founded 2008, residency 2015. Remote retreat for artists, musicians, and writers to work and enjoy the night sky, free of light pollution.
FUNDING: Housing and studio.
DURATION: 2 weeks.
FACILITIES: Library and kitchen.
DEADLINE: Late January.
PARSE SECO
Arroyo Seco, Taos, New Mexico
Founded 2016. Exhibition space for underrepresented creatives.
FUNDING: Access to exhibition space in exchange for community-focused workshops.
DURATION: 4-6 weeks.
FACILITIES: Exhibition space.
DEADLINE: Applications are accepted year round.
ROSWELL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE FOUNDATION
Roswell, New Mexico
Founded in 1967, the RAiR has been serving artists for over fifty years with what they describe as “the gift of time.” Notable alumni include Robert Colescott, Kumi Yamashita, Luis Jiménez, David Reed, Milton Resnick, and Ali- son Saar. There are six homes and ten studios on forty acres surrounded by alfalfa fields on the outskirts of Roswell. The program caters to visual artists.
FUNDING: Furnished home, studio, monthly stipend, and additional funding for spouse/partner and children.
DURATION: 12 months.
FACILITIES: Ceramics studio, printmaking studio, media room, and wood shop.
DEADLINE: March 15, 2019.
SANTA FE ART INSTITUTE
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Founded 1986. Rotating annual thematic residency program with an emphasis on community- based programming and social justice issues. Notable alumni include Larry Bell, Judy Chicago, Richard Diebenkorn, and Helen Frankenthaler.
FUNDING: Furnished private room and semi- private studio.
DURATION: 1 month.
FACILITIES: Library and communal working area.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2019.
WHITE LEAVES ARTIST RESIDENCY
El Rito, New Mexico
Founded in 2015, White Leaves Artist Residency (WLAR) is an artist-run, not-for-profit program that is free to attend. WLAR annually awards three to five artists the unique opportunity to concentrate on their work in an isolated, rural environment near El Rito, New Mexico. Residency terms run non-simultaneously with one another and are open to all artists, musicians, and writers who wish to develop or complete a project of their choosing. Opportunities are available to host workshops, screenings, or artist talks while in residence (however, artists are under no obligation to do so). Each year’s residents receive an edition of prints through Frontier Fine Art Printing and are invited to participate in a group show of work created in-residence.
FUNDING: Free to attend, $10 to apply.
DURATION: 10-21 days.
FACILITIES: Private cabin with solar power and potable water, shared kitchen, shower, library, and additional outbuildings/workspaces available based upon the needs of the artists.
DEADLINE: April 1, 2019. (Applications accepted January 1 through April 1, annually.)
WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL STUDY CENTER
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Founded in 2013. Two residences neighboring the historic Acequia Madre House integrate creative disciplines into a broader conversation with science, technology, business, philanthropy, and cultural preservation. Notable alumni include Jenny Price, Chad Alligood, Jennifer Brewerse, and Karina Puente.
FUNDING: Housing and stipend.
DURATION: 4 weeks.
FACILITIES: Acequia Madre House Archives, printer, optional studio.
DEADLINE: Applications are accepted year round.
TIPS AND ADVICE—TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Travel.
When I’m weighing the value of a residency program, I am often considering its location. This is a question I really hope you will spend time considering as well. In the past, I lived in the center of a sprawling city, so the idea of remoteness, solitude, and isolation in a natural setting was very appealing to me.
- Ignore the eye rolls and comments about “vacation.” Remember to stay serious with your intent even when those around you scoff at the idea. You’re an artist and you know the value, even if you are unable to adequately describe it.
- I recommend bookending your residency with a day on either end of your trip. Remember, the goal is to get work done, and if you can arrive with a clear head on day one, all the better. Your additional day at the end of the program should be spent mailing out materials and works completed and catching a show in whichever hub you’re flying out from. Going somewhere new and unfamiliar has intangible benefits. You are putting yourself in an environment where your sense of self is renewed through interactions with strangers.
- If possible, ship art supplies in advance of your trip.
Etiquette.
In your search for programs to apply for, you will find varying degrees of support from the residencies, ranging from a bare-bones space to an all-expenses-paid, meals-delivered-to-your- door kind of program. In any case, never forget that you are, first and foremost, a guest.
- Do your dishes. Be a good roommate and always clean up after yourself.
- Time away from residency is frowned upon. I understand that it’s tempting to see friends or shows in the city, but it can wait. Most residencies are fragile manifestations of a single person’s dream to support creative endeavors, and this needs to be honored. You’re there to work.
- Be mindful of shared studios and open work space. Phone calls and loud music should be kept to a minimum while others are around.
- Be present with the staff. The staff are most often working artists, too. Take the time to hang out and share studio visits. Where else are you going to get all of your local recommendations?
- Be accessible, or not. Aside from art school, this is one of the few times that you’ll have engaged creatives around to bounce ideas off of, and hopefully they’ll challenge you too. Yes, you can ignore the other residents, but you’ll miss out on enduring friendship and support.
