Emerging Program Institute

Emerging Program Institute (EPI), an annual training program hosted by Artist Communities Alliance (ACA), supports people and organizations in the early stages of creating a residency program.

This multi-day intensive includes faculty-led sessions, artist presentations, interactive exercises and group discussions to provide attendees with the strategies, tools and networks to develop and strengthen all elements of their program utilizing ACA’s Five Pillars of Healthy Residency Framework: Identity, Program Design, Operational Excellence, Resource Development, and Stewardship.

Accessibility: All virtual Emerging Programs Institutes are live-captioned and ASL interpreted. ACA is committed to providing full access to all. Please send accessibility inquiries and requests to ACA Programs Coordinator, Crystal Sasaki, at programs [at] artistcommunities.org.

Questions about EPI? Please contact programs [at] artistcommunities.org


2024 Emerging Program Institute 

EPI will be held in October. More information coming soon.


2023 Emerging Program Institute

Wednesday, October 18 + Thursday, October 19, 2023
Wednesday, October 25 + Thursday, October 26, 2023

This four-day virtual intensive included faculty-led sessions, artist presentations, interactive exercises and group discussions to provide attendees with the strategies, tools and networks to develop and strengthen all elements of their programs utilizing ACA’s Five Pillars of Healthy Residency Framework: Identity, Program Design, Operations, Resource Development, and Stewardship. 

The EPI workshops allowed participants to:

  • Activate tangible resources to develop, launch, and expand the initial stages of their residency program. 
  • Learn artist-centered practices for building effective programs,
  • Use inclusive, practical frameworks to identify and understand barriers
  • Connect with colleagues across the field; 
  • Leave with actionable next steps to accomplish organizational goals.

Presenters, Panelists + Faculty: 

Spotlight Artists: 


2022 Emerging Program Institute

Virtually, across two weeks in October, ACA hosted the Emerging Program Institute (EPI), an annual intensive that supports people and organizations in the early stages of creating a residency program. Since 2011, this yearly networking and learning opportunity has welcomed emerging leaders at all residency development phases — from the initial ideation stage to residencies preparing to launch. 

Topics explored during EPI sessions include:

  • Community engagement and relevance of place;
  • Resource-building to sustain residency programs;
  • Equity and access in artist outreach and selection; and
  • Business planning and ongoing assessment

Guest Faculty 

  • Chyla Graham, CPA, President, CNRG Accounting Advisory
  • Brea M. Heidelberg, PhD, ISO Arts Consulting  
  • Amanda Kik, Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, Co-founder & Co-director 
  • Faythe Levine, Arts Consultant
  • Mollie Quinlan-Hayes, Arts Consultant
  • Jennifer Shropshire, Shropshire Nonprofit Consulting, LLC, Principal 
  • Thaddeus Squire, Social Impact Commons, Chief Commons Steward
  • Aisha N. White, Nailah Studio, Arts Organizer

Spotlight Artists

  • Jordan/Martin Hell, Artist, Writer + Scholar 
  • Haus of Glitter, Dance Company + Performance Lab + Preservation Society
  • Adam Chau, Artist
A group of six people around a table, talking.
Cohort critique at the Steel Yard. Photo credit: The Steel Yard Staff.