​​1. What Is the ArtWRKD AIR Program?

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ArtWRKD’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program provides emerging and established visual and multidisciplinary artists with focused time, space, and community support to develop a defined creative project. The residency culminates in a public presentation of new work—most often an exhibition, but formats may also include installations, performative activations, or participatory community experiences. The program is designed to be flexible enough to meet artists where they are while grounded in ArtWRKD’s mission of connecting artists and patrons through process, storytelling, and engagement. 

 

 

2. Who Should Apply / Be Nominated

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The AiR is ideal for:

• Artists with a clearly framed project or body of work in development that would benefit from concentrated time and mentorship.

• Creators interested in sharing artistic process—through open studios, workshops, or artist talks.

• Artists who value community connection and are willing to engage local audiences, students, or partner organizations.

• Local, regional, or invited guest artists whose work aligns with ArtWRKD’s commitment to meaningful storytelling, social context, or cultural dialogue.
  
   

 

3. What the Residency Provides 

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• Studio Access: Dedicated or shared workspace at ArtWRKD 

• Mentorship & Curatorial Support: Regular check-ins with ArtWRKD Founder Ashara Shapiro, guest curators, advisors and/or seasoned artist mentors.

• Professional Development Touchpoints: Guidance on project framing, documentation, presentation, and audience engagement strategies.

• Public Engagement Opportunities: Option to lead a workshop, demo, open studio, or community conversation. 

• Culminating Public Presentation: Exhibition, open studio series, or project showcase promoted through ArtWRKD channels and partner networks.

• Visibility & Promotion: Inclusion in ArtWRKD’s outreach, newsletter, and social media features; co-promotion with partner organizations.

Note: Specific benefits are defined for each residency cycle in collaboration with funders and partner organizations.

 

 

4. Artist Commitments / Deliverables 

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• Maintain an active studio presence during the residency period (minimum on-site TBD).

• Participate in scheduled mentor/curator check-ins (biweekly).

• Offer at least one public engagement (workshop, talk, open studio, demo, community collaboration, or virtual program). Preference is two-three a month. (Typical engagements consist of an open Art Cafe-working alongside the artist/Open Studio/Artist Dialogue)

• Provide short written or recorded reflections for documentation and promotion.

• Deliver work suitable for the culminating public presentation.
  
   

 

5. Sample Residency Timeline Framework 

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Residency Duration: Commonly 6–8 weeks of focused project time (other lengths possible).
Check-Ins: Weekly touchpoints with mentor/curator; milestone reviews at the midpoint and end of studio phase.
Public Engagement: Scheduled within residency window or shortly after.
Culminating Presentation: Typically within 1–12 months following the residency, depending on project scale, fabrication needs, and partner exhibition calendars.

 

 

6. Selection Considerations

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Applications and nominations are reviewed on the strength of:

• Clarity and feasibility of the proposed project.

• Artistic merit and alignment with ArtWRKD values.

• Potential for community engagement and educational impact.

• Appropriateness of available studio resources.

• Diversity of voices, media, lived experience, and cultural perspectives across the AiR cohort.
  
   

 

7. How Partner Organizations Can Participate

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We welcome partnerships of many sizes:

• Artist Nominations: Recommend artists from your network, school, collective, or community program.

• Space Collaboration: Host public programming at your facility.

• Audience Engagement: Co-promote talks, demos, or youth workshops.

• Advisory & Mentorship: Provide subject specialists, curators, or educators for structured critiques.

• Co-presented Programming: Align residency projects with festivals, cultural heritage months, academic courses, or community history initiatives.
  
   

 

8. Application / Nomination Materials (Suggested Packet)

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To keep it simple and equitable, we recommend the following materials from interested artists:

1. Project Statement (500 words max): What do you plan to work on and why now?

2. Artist Bio (150 words) & short CV/resume.

3. Work Samples (5–10 images or media links; include captions + dates).

4. Community Engagement Interest: Brief note on how you’d like to connect with the public (workshop idea, talk topic, collaboration concept, etc.).

5. Space & Technical Needs: Any special equipment, install requirements, or accessibility considerations.

6. Preferred Timing Window: Indicate months/seasons of availability.

Partner organizations nominating an artist may submit a brief letter of support describing alignment with mission and community relevance.

 

PLEASE EMAIL THIS TO ARTCURATOR@ARTWRKD.COM
 

9. Contact & Next Steps

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Interested in partnering, nominating an artist, or learning about upcoming residency cycles? Contact ArtWRKD at artcurator@artwrkd.com. Please include “AiR Inquiry” in the subject line and let us know whether you are an artist, organization, educator, or potential funder.

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This document is the sole property of ArtWRKD LLC