Open Call for Artist in Residence Program
The Artist in Residence program offers artists the unique opportunity to become immersed in an non-profit arts organization through presentation, teaching, curating and a gallery exhibition. The Artist in Residence is designed for reflection and growth through interaction with an engaged membership. The selected artist will have the ability to share their work with West Windsor Arts’ passionate audience and to participate in a meaningful exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experience. In addition, the Artist in Residence program at West Windsor Arts will provide our artist community with access to an artist who can expand their perspective and provide learning opportunities by introducing their unique experience and the many aspects of being an artist such as using imagery to express concepts, choice of medium, and defining a purpose.
Now in our second year, we hope to build on this successful program to grow and expand our reach. The proposals we received last year were outstanding and we are excited to see what comes in this year. Unselected artists are eligible to reapply, and should submit a new proposal.
About West Windsor Arts
As a non-profit organization, West Windsor Arts’ mission is to cultivate the artist within us all, while inspiring a creative community that is engaged, inclusive and equitable. We present a range of arts programs for all ages including 175 arts and cultural events. This includes 7 free art exhibitions in our beautiful gallery, 3 free community arts and music festivals, 130 arts workshops and classes in visual, performing, and literary arts, 18 full day camps, as well as concerts, literary events, social service opportunities, and more. In addition, West Windsor Arts offers arts scholarships based on need and partners with local service organizations to break down the barriers to arts education and participation. We have a staff of 5 very dedicated people, an 11-member Board of Trustees and over 200 volunteers who work closely in all aspects of the organization.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
To support an enriched life for all, West Windsor Arts commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, and equitable region. We believe that equity is crucial to the long-term viability of both the arts and culture sector and communities-at-large.
Location:
West Windsor Arts is located in Princeton Junction, NJ, within walking distance of the Princeton Junction train station. Our main service area includes people from central New Jersey including Princeton and Trenton, but we attract audiences from all of NJ, including the Jersey shore, northern New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania and New York City. Our community includes a diverse group of people from varying backgrounds and experiences, reflective of the people living and working in the region. We have an engaged membership, including artists and donors, who are passionate about working with us to provide and participate in arts programming locally.
Located in a renovated firehouse building, we have a 2028 square foot, multi-use gallery, a lobby with tall ceilings, a bright and clean studio, and an outdoor space setup with picnic tables. The gallery is perfect for art shows of 30 to 35 works. We also have wall-mounted shelves for small sculptures and other works that cannot be hung on the walls, plus TV monitors that can be hung to display digital work. The gallery also has a projection system, speaker system and microphone. The lobby is where our art shows start. We use this space to hang a sampling of art from the current show, and any really large art. The studio is equipped with floor standing and table top easels, and drying racks and shelves. We accept, store and organize materials that can be up-cycled into art projects and are available to the Artist in Residence if applicable to their work.
REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS FOR THE PROGRAM
The Artist in Residence program will run from December 2024 to April, 2025, with 5 specific components:
- Studio space during the residency from January to April 2025, including a small area to store supplies. Hours will be determined by mutually agreed upon dates and times.
- Artist Talk during our Artist Meetup Collab tentatively scheduled on January 28, 2025, 7:30 to 9pm. The Artist Meetup Collab brings together a lively and thought-provoking group of artists, sharing ideas and recent work, often discussing current trends and the power of art. The Artist in Residence will provide an in person presentation covering topics such as their background and training, their inspirations, significant work, materials, and goals for the future. The exact material being presented is determined by the Artist in Residence.
- Workshop for the public presented in February.
- The date will be determined by aligning the artist’s schedule with West Windsor Arts upcoming schedule to find a mutually agreeable time.
- The workshop will be inspired by the Artist’s body of work and will be determined in collaboration with our staff. The Artist in Residence will meet with the Executive Director and Outreach Programs Manager to determine what will work best for the workshop. The workshop proposed may need to be altered to meet the needs of West Windsor Arts.
- The Artist will work with us to create a material list which will then be provided by WWA and/or by the participants of the workshop. Equipment and tools are limited to West Windsor Arts’ current inventory.
- Jury the Member Show. The Artist in Residence will develop the theme, serve as the juror, and their work will be featured in the art center lobby as part of this show. This will involve:
- Attending one meeting with the Exhibition Committee to determine the theme. The in person meeting will be December 11, 2024 at 7pm.
- Jury of the submissions between February 27 and March 2, 2025. This is done online, on your own time.
- Attend the opening for the Member Show, tentatively set for Friday, April 11, 2025 in the evening. The Artist in Residence will speak for a few minutes about the theme and selection process for the show and will share their experiences as our Artist in Residence.
THE DETAILS:
– Proposals will be reviewed by staff and the Exhibition Committee.
– Meetings will be set up for select candidates, from which 1 artist will be selected for the 2024-2025 program.
– Once accepted, the Artist will sign the contract for this agreement.
– Honorarium: $1000 total for the Artist in Residence program, with $250 of this paid at the signing of the contract.
– Studio, gallery and all public areas are wheelchair accessible. If you have an accessibility need, please let us know in the application.
CALENDAR
Deadline to send your proposal is Tuesday, Oct 1, 2024.
Artists will be notified by Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
- Resides in the New Jersey – Eastern Pennsylvania – or New York City area.
- Artists working in most media, including 2D and 3D art, can apply, however artists using toxic materials will not be considered due to building limitations.
- Interested in sharing their experience and open to people learning from them
- Willing to share their art and processes, engaging with the community and our members.
- Willing to work with staff and volunteers at the arts center to put forward a great program for the community
TO APPLY
Please send your proposal to Kimberly@westwindsorarts.org
Please include:
- Contact information including phone and address
- Bio, including education and training
- Exhibition highlights
- Website or social media
- Attach a few samples of your work
- Proposed topic for the Artist Talk
- Proposed topic for workshop (topic, materials and any special equipment needed, length of time)
- Proposal for theme of Member Show
- Proposal for what artwork you would want to display for the member show. This does not have to be the exact pieces. It can be a description of your intentions with some samples of what it might look like.
- Proposed days of week and time you would like studio space and any specific needs you are seeking.
