You Can Become a Creative Ambassador: Artist-in-Residence Programs
Between the years of 2009-2013, I had an unlimited combination of Wanderlust and Heimweg- always wanting to explore more of the world. I discovered at the beginning of my art career the institution of Residency Programs, allowing me to combine my this energy with my creative ambitions. Today on Steemit, I 'd like to offer what I've learned as it seems there are many aspiring artists on the platform!
What is a Artist-in-Residency Program (AiR)??
Residency programs are one of the primary methods that creative professionals use to work internationally for periods of time. Organizations provide a list of supportive resources and artists, architects, poets, designers, writers, choreographers, musicians, etc. have the opportunity to work in a new place without the personal hassle of relocating their foundation for a period of time.
For me residencies were the perfect way to combine my two greatest passions – travel and design. Personally, working in foreign contexts was the most potent stimulus for creative action. I was a complete alien in these places – Scotland, Germany, Italy, China, Bolivia – and each experience was extremely rich with new languages, new friends/colleagues, new environments, new resources, new creative material, new everything. It has been and continues to be the primary way I engage and learn about culture all around the world.
So enough talk about myself, how about options that YOU can take?
How to Dive into a Residency
Residencies are surprisingly accessible and there is an incredible range of diversity in the types of programs to meet specific needs and preferences. Some focus completely on poetry in natural environments while others are centered around urban intervention in inner cities. Host institutions can be full-blown museums, foundation arms for companies, or collective studios among other options. AiRs essentially they work in this way-
1- Creatives apply for and are selected to partake in a residency program
2- The program gives some mixture of benefits including housing, meals, materials, stipends, studio space, and various other resources and venues
3- Creatives work for a period of time within these accommodations and typically finish their residency with an exhibition, lecture, workshop, and/or project
Here are some resources for finding a residency that might meet your needs-
ResArtis
Trans Artists
Berlinerpool
What's Possible at a Residency?
Each residency is an incredible adventure and usually host institutions will incorporate lots of diverse events to make the most out of your unique stay including tours, studio visits, artist meetings, and public lectures. The most exciting part is the usual insecurity of what you will produce by the end since your stay will have such an ongoing impact on you. The following pictures are snapshots of many different adventures that will expanded upon in further posts -
Installing Rice-Paper Drawings in Hangzhou’s newest Design Center
Presenting Studio work at the Blue Roof Museum in Chengdu, China
Mural Planning in Johannesburg, South Africa
In a post next week, I'll go into the most effective ways to prepare for a residency application and the best strategies to make the most out of them. Hopefully this has made your feet a bit itchy for travel!
This is going to be a really interesting series. I bet it will help some folks here on Steemit. I've always been impressed whenever I've seen artists working within a residency program. The new setting really does seem to spark creativity and a new interpretation of an area.
Thank you and I'll do my best to be as helpful as possible on this topic! Residency programs have recently seen a sudden surge in popularity and finally some proper institutionalization. That being said, there is so much untouched opportunity that artists-in-residence can explore as these programs develop. I encourage any artists on here with experience to throw in their 2 cents!
Very nice!
Fascinating, what an adventure you have had.
Thanks! Yes, most of these adventures were squished in between my time with Hither Yon in Berlin and graduate school so I've actually had very little opportunity to decompress and share them with many people. Now is better than never!