“A residency offers a chance to explore and contemplate in a different environment while meeting other creative people. It is also an opportunity for an artist to try things she might not otherwise have attempted back home. There was a real sense of community here.”
Christine Nguyen
2008 Visions from the New California artist
Frequently Asked Questions
How might I benefit from a residency?
Who is chosen for this award?
How does the selection process work?
What kind of worksamples should I include in my application?
What if the residency site does not have housing?
Who pays for materials and travel to and from the residency?
When do I find out if I have been selected?
When would the residency occur?
What if I can’t be away from work/family for an entire month?
How will the artists be promoted?
How might I benefit from a residency?
Artists’ residency programs have provided visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, and others with time and space to create new work for over a century in the US. Residencies offer artists an opportunity to explore new ideas, to experiment, and to take risks in their art-making process, by removing the distractions of everyday life and providing a supportive environment for personal and artistic growth. Residencies also offer a community of other artists who share in the challenges and successes of the creative process. Artists often find this intense time focused on their art-making to be transforming, and find the experience validating to their professional lives as artists. See the most recent Visions from the New California publication to read what past Visions artists say about their residencies.
Who is chosen for this award?
Each year six California visual artists are selected among several hundred applicants. Past award recipients have represented a wide variety of artistic disciplines, cultural backgrounds, education levels, career stages, and art-making approaches. See the past artists.
How does the selection process work?
Each application is reviewed based on the quality of the artwork, as well as the potential impact of a residency and the artist’s professional promise. Applications from artists who are determined to be ineligible will be eliminated. A jury of distinguished arts professionals then reviews each applicant and narrows the group down to a small selection, from which finalists and semi-finalists are then selected.
What kind of work samples should I include with my application?
We accept both JPG's and video files, up to a total of 7 work samples. Applicants should submit their strongest work within the last 2 years. (Please see the application checklist for details on file formats.)
When submitting JPG's, your images will be first viewed as a group and then individually. It is better to submit less than 7 images than to include images that do not represent your strongest work.
When submitting video, it is recommended that you edit your clips to begin with what you wish the jury to see. While you may submit clips of up to 5 minutes in length, jurors rarely view more than 60 seconds of video, so it is important to capture the jury's attention quickly.
What if the residency site does not have housing?
While 18th Street Arts Center, Djerassi, Headlands, and Montalvo all have on-site housing, artists selected for residencies at Exploratorium or Kala will be provided with housing off-site at no cost to the artist.
Who pays for materials and travel to and from the residency?
The artists are responsible for the cost of materials, travel, shipping of artwork, and other personal expenses during the residency. The $4,000 award can be used to offset these costs.
When do I find out if I am selected?
All artists will be notified by late August or early September.
When would the residency occur?
Residencies will be scheduled for one month in 2011, at a time that is agreed on between the artist and the residency program.
What if I can’t be away from work/family for an entire month?
The Visions from the New California award specifically includes a one-month residency. While we recognize that taking this much time away from other obligations is not an option for everyone, we ask that only artists who can commit to being in-residence for a consecutive month apply.
How will the artists be promoted?
Once the artists are selected, a press release will be issued announcing the 2011 Visions from the New California awards. During the residencies, the artists and their work will be documented by a professional photographer, and artists will be asked to share their experience. Once all the residencies are completed for the year, we will create a publication highlighting the six artists, the residency programs, and the overall project (see the latest publication). In addition, artists will be invited to participate in an exhibition in 2012. We may also ask you to serve as a nominator and/or juror for future applicants.