Since 2011, the Monira Foundation (formerly Mana Residencies) has awarded artists rent-free, non-living studio space for 12 months. Started by Karline Moeller and Ysabel Pinyol Blasi, this residency is a gift of time, space, and community. Their mission is to provide a stimulating, rigorous, and contemplative environment where talented and committed artists benefit from a large studio workspace and the support of a vital creative surrounding community. Studio space is still critical to the practices of the overwhelming majority of artists, but remains at a premium, especially in the New Jersey and New York tri-state area; a residency at Monira facilitates continued production and helps strengthen professional and intellectual bonds among diverse individuals.