“Being outside my natural environment provided challenges that I believe added to my work. It improved my ability to change my creative process and adapt. Being able to work off-site with other artists improved my sense of community in a profession known for its solitude.”
Artur Silva
2007-2008 Midwestern Voices and Visions artist
Frequently Asked Questions
How might I benefit from a residency?
Who is chosen for this award?
How does the selection process work?
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?
Are the sites wheelchair-accessible?
How might I benefit from a residency?
Artists’ residency programs have provided visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, performance artists, 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 Midwestern Voices and Visions publication to read what past Visions artists say about their residencies.
Who is chosen for this award?
Seven Midwest artists of any discipline will be 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.
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?
Artists will be selected in October, and all artists will be notified by early November.
When would the residency occur?
Residencies will be scheduled for one month in 2010, 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 Midwestern Voices and Visions 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 2010 Midwestern Voices and Visions 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 seven artists, the residency programs, and the overall project (see the latest publication). In addition, artists will be invited to participate in an exhibition/performance in 2011. We may also ask you to serve as a nominator and/or juror for future applicants.
Are the sites wheelchair-accessible?
Anderson Center, Prairie Center, Ox-Bow, and Ragdale are all accessible to artists in wheelchairs; however, the terrain at Ox-Bow makes it difficult for artists in wheelchairs to fully experience the site.
ArtFarm, Bemis Center, and John Michael Kohler Arts Center are not wheelchair-accessible. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact the Alliance.