The Wassaic Project accepts 1 – 6 month proposals for our Summer Residency program and Family Residency program (May through October). The Wassaic Residency Program cultivates and supports community for emerging and professional contemporary artists, writers and other creatives. Housed in historic, landmark buildings, the residency program offers nine artists each month the opportunity to live and work in the heart of a rural community. The Wassaic Residency seeks artists working in a diverse range of media who want to produce, explore, challenge, and expand on their current art making practices, while participating in a grass-roots, community-based arts organization.
Residents are selected by a review committee composed of professionals in their field, the Wassaic Project Co-Directors and Residency Director. Artists and writers will be selected based on the quality of their work, commitment to their practice, and ability to interact positively with the community at large.
STUDIOS + FACILITIES + ACCOMMODATIONS
Residents will receive an adaptable raw studio space in a historic livestock barn. All studios are roughly 200-300 square feet. Artists will have 24 hour access to their studio and accommodations which include a private bedroom, shared living room / study, dining room, kitchen, and bath. Residents also have access to workshop facilities as well as the potential for expansion of workshop space and the possibility of working outside. The residency’s workshop facilities include a Wood Shop, Print Shop (silkscreen studio) and a kiln.
PROGRAMMING
Two to three times a month, artists-in-residence are invited to sign up for one-on-one studio visits with Visiting Artists/Critics. Our embedded critics - Ghost of a Dream - also make group studio visits each month, along with our Residency Director and additional WP staff. All residents are invited to participate in a monthly evening of artist’s talks and presentations, as well as Open Studios towards the end of their residency.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
We care about our community! Because the Wassaic Project is an artist-run organization focused on strengthening and supporting our community, all residents (besides Education Fellows and our Family residents) are required to work 8 hours per month for Community Service during their time in Wassaic. Residents will work alongside staff members on administrative and physical projects like preparing for exhibitions, installation, de-installation, office organization, etc., and sometimes out in the larger community. This is a cooperative community effort and deepens the connection between our artists and our community. It’s an expression of our values and our priority of community development: artists and the existing community in Wassaic interacting, collaborating, and working together.
FINANCIAL INFO + FELLOWSHIPS
In an effort to serve and support emerging artists, we are able to subsidize residencies for all individual artists who do not have other forms of support. Thanks to the generous support of donors and grants, the fee for an individual artist residency is $900 per month per resident, not including additional fees. We may provide up to $300 per month in additional financial assistance based on artist need.
Our intention is for financial assistance to be given to artists for whom it would be impossible to attend without financial support. If that is not the case for you, please do not apply for assistance. Financial assistance is provided to reduce financial hardship; our allocation is not based on merit. Each year the amount of financial assistance we are able to give is determined by our budget, which fluctuates annually.
EDUCATION FELLOWSHIP
Our expanded Education Fellowship program awards three free 2-3 month residencies in exchange for extensive participation in the Wassaic Project’s education programming, which connects the local community to contemporary artists and artistic practices. Recipients of Fall and Spring Education Fellowships will work primarily as Teaching Artists in our Wassaic X Webutuck program, which builds critical thinking and creative problem solving skills through collaborations between emerging artists and public high school students. Recipients of the Summer Education Fellowship will work as Teaching Artists and facilitators in many of our summer programs including Art Scouts, a free summer camp for K-6th graders, and Art Nest, our drop-in making space. All Education Fellows will gain extensive curriculum-building and teaching experience.
Wassaic Project
37 Furnace Bank Road
Wassaic, NY 12592