The climate crisis is an urgent global concern. Self as Universe: Mending Our Collective Ecosystem Residencies at A Studio in the Woods invite artists to explore the connections within our collective ecosystems and use the power of imagination to heal the wounds in the relationship between ourselves and our communities. Southeast Louisiana’s land and inhabitants are continually scarred by the effects of environmental degradation. These injuries – the historical to the present – affect our bodies, families, communities, and cultures, as well as the land and its other creatures.  We encourage artists to guide our collective response as the caretakers and caregivers to our universe while bringing wisdom, integrity, optimism, and even humor to intentional and timely projects seeking transformation for our species and planet. This new call reflects a desire to repair the disconnection and alienation between humankind and the planet that is hindering the climate movement.

Art, as a practice of restoration, is both the call and the response. 

It is mirror making and the mirror itself; reflecting the inner experience of an outward expanded consciousness of Climate and Environment.

Here is where the door is open to explore the wonder of Self and Ecosystem… of Self AS ecosystem…Forging paths through changing landscapes and changing times. 

A call for us all to recognize ourselves in Earth’s eyes, and envision a planet of partnership. One that is steeped in principles and practices that center cultural and community values; honoring one another and the land in which we live.

 – Sunni Patterson*

We are open to artists of all disciplines who have demonstrated an established dialogue with environmental and cultural issues. We ask artists to describe in detail how our unique region will affect their work, propose a public component to their residency, and suggest ways how they will engage with the local community.

*Self as Universe Residencies conceptualized in response to ongoing conversations with the inspirational poet Sunni Patterson. 

The 2023 Info Session (previously Rising: Climate in Crisis residencies) is available here. You can register for a webinar for this year’s residencies here.

Direct questions to Cammie Hill-Prewitt at [email protected].

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PLEASE REVIEW OUR FAQ BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS
Proposals are due April 3, 2024 and residencies will be awarded by May 29, 2024.

DATES
Residencies are 6 weeks and will take place between September 2024 and May 2025. Flexibility in your dates is appreciated as we try to accommodate everyone’s schedules. You may come over six consecutive weeks or come twice for three-week sessions.

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY
Local, national, and international visual, musician/composing, performance, literary, new media, and interdisciplinary artists are eligible to apply. Both established and emerging artists may apply, but a dedicated practice and demonstrated commitment to public engagement are expected. Artists of color are encouraged to apply and we are particularly interested in receiving applications from Indigenous artists. Students enrolled in degree-seeking programs are not eligible. Collaborative teams of up to two artists can be in residence. Please see our FAQ for more information on how to apply as a collaborative team.

SELECTION PROCESS A multidisciplinary jury comprised of artists, arts professionals, and environmental activists will review applications in two rounds. The first round will happen asynchronously, and jurors will review and rank all applications. Top contenders will be moved to a second round that happens live. We offer to share anonymized jury feedback to all applicants. The jury will judge proposals on the following criteria:

• The creativity and integrity of the proposal
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with colleagues and wider audiences
• Projects that are deeply respectful of the communities and individuals with whom they interact
• The proposal’s public component and its depth of engagement with the community

SUPPORT
Recipients will be provided $3000 as a stipend and $2000 towards materials**. We support each residency with a liberatory land orientation, a photography session, and an interview with a videographer. We additionally fund optional field trips such as boat rides and eco/history tours. Depending on the needs of the project, we may be able to assist artists in accessing Tulane University faculty consultants or research collections. We provide full room and board including food, utilities for living, and studio space to selected residents. Residents are expected to cover personal living expenses, additional materials and supplies, and any other expenses relating to the cost of producing work incurred while in the program. Travel and shipping expenses to and from A Studio in the Woods for the residency are also the responsibility of the artist. Please see our FAQ for more information about the studio and living experience. 

**Self as Universe Residencies are six weeks and include a total of $5000 in artist and supply stipends. This is based on our stipend scale of approximately $800 per week. This is in addition to other residency supports such as grocery reimbursements, documentation, and field trips. 

SUBMISSION  GUIDELINES 
Please review the following guidelines closely and direct any questions to Cammie Hill-Prewitt at [email protected].

1. Complete the application form below.
2. Submit the following on Dropbox:

• Proposal of work – no more than 2 pages in length. Topics to consider include:
  • Start the proposal with a 1-2 sentence synopsis of the proposed project.
  • What you envision as your ultimate creation/contribution and how you might introduce & present it.
  • How your project addresses the theme of Self as Universe.
  • Individuals, groups and/or resources in New Orleans and beyond whom you would like to engage.
  • How you and your work will interact with the local community.
  • How will you define “success” for this project and how will you measure it? What are your short-term and long-term goals? We recognize that 6 weeks may be only the beginning of a long-term project.
  • Provide a general timeline for the project.
  • What materials and/or equipment you require to be successful.
  • Give an example of a past project(s) that demonstrates your ability to execute this one. If engaging directly with communities, give examples of how you built trust and/or created reciprocity.
  • If applying as a collaborative team, please comment on your history working together and how this collaboration is integral to the project you are proposing.
  • Please note that A Studio in the Woods does not have capacity to maintain artists’ projects post residency
• Resume – A current resume that includes important or significant publications, awards, or reviews.
• Work Samples – 10 images, 10 pages or 10 minutes of audio/video, see further details below.
• Image list/description (optional)
• Application fee is $25. If this is a hardship, please contact [email protected] for a fee waiver.

Proposal, resume and work samples should be submitted via Dropbox. Please submit all materials as individual documents in a Dropbox folder. (Note: some people have had trouble accessing the free Dropbox level, it is called basic and can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/basic ) “Share” your folder with [email protected] and include link to Dropbox folder in the online application form. Click here for instructions on how to share your folder. Title all files and folders with your name (last name first), the item, and no extraneous spaces or punctuation. For example: LastnameFirstnameApp.doc, LastnameFirstnameResume.doc, LastnameFirstnameWorksample1.jpg. Please format all as PDF, JPG, DOC, or PPT files. Due to their large size, please send audio/video samples as links if possible or contact [email protected] for other submission options.

WORK SAMPLES – 10 images, 10 pages or 10 minutes of audio/video – if submitting a combination, please submit no more than 10 units (unit = 1 image/page/minute) of content. Image List/Sample Description optional.

• Visual Artists:
  • 10 images representative of your most recent work
  • Image list with title, date, size, media and brief description
• Musicians / Composers:
  • 2 sample recordings of your work not to exceed 5 minutes each (excerpts accepted, please identify the selection to be considered)
  • Scores that accompany the recordings
• Performing Artists:
  • 2 video clips of your performances not to exceed 5 minutes each (excerpts accepted, please identify the selection to be considered)
  • Script or short description describing your selections
• Literary Artists:
  • 10 page writing sample (excerpts accepted, please identify the selection to be considered)
• New Media and Interdisciplinary Artists:
  • Please review other categories to determine what materials to submit

If submitting a combination, please submit no more than 10 units (unit = 1 image/page/minute) of content.

PLEASE REVIEW OUR FAQ BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

Photo credit: Sunni Patterson by Alina Allen