I'm excited to see more residency programs working to connect art making with community, ecology and a sense of place. Unlike the older "retreat" model, which serves artists (often from urban areas) by allowing them to "get away" and commune with something vaguely referred to as "nature," a true sense of place helps artists comprehend that they have arrived somewhere with a rich history. This history is not just the names and stories of artists who have come before or the biography of the founder, but a complex interweaving of ecology, economy and community.
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This residency took me away from the familiar, the known, and my usual “habits”. It also delivered me to a safe place to dwell, to find a more authentic involvement, a deeper level of engagement…. It’s not just about time, and it’s not just about the community of artists, rather it’s the historical weight and energy that makes this place what it is. The residency has provided the safe harbor to think and reflect, the space to conduct my research and execute work, and the positivity and support of an incredible staff to fuel my future.
— John Fraser
Creativity in Context
Sense of Place: 10 ways to connect artists to a residency program
Posted august 1, 2011 by hillhouse
Extra! Americans losing sense of place!
Posted november 20, 2009 by madrono
One of the things that we hope will characterize Madroño Ranch: A Center for Writing and the Environment is a strong sense of place. It's right there, implicitly and explicitly, in our mission and vision statements.
But how does one develop a sense of place?
A Somewhat Unsettling Tour of Artists' Residencies in the South
Posted august 28, 2008 by sacatar
A TRIP TO THE HEARTLAND
A report from Taylor Van Horne, Director of the Instituto Sacatar
It's All Connected: The Context of Place
Posted may 12, 2008 by island
How often has an artist at a residency felt that their work was deeply informed by and related to the ecology of that place? How about the local economy (such as it is)? How about the local cultural community (such as it is)?
Beyond that, how many artists have felt that they are bringing their home community (if they call one home) with them to inform their work or to relate to the work of the residency?
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