One question that I struggle with is how do artists who don’t teach but aren’t at a professional stage of their career – make it in the real world?  Residencies are a fantastic place for them to go to focus on their work but what happens when the residency is over?  At HUB-BUB, we aim to connect artists with people in our community who may be able to provide them with a work opportunity when the residency ends.  Collaborations with schools, colleges, non-profits, and businesses have led to jobs.  There’s a social element to our residency – artists must work up to 20 hours a week for us and some of that time is spent carrying on conversations at cocktail parties and bookclubs.  While this idea may make some artists cringe; our residents have made valuable connections/friendships in these scenarios.  Valuable in that it has led to reduced rent on post-residency housing for some, created new donors/supporters for our organization, and forged friendships in unsuspected places.  So what are some other ways to integrate artists into our communities?  On the little survey that I sent out, the popular answer to “Is there a way that artists (musicians, visual artists, etc.) could work with your business to make it a more interesting place to work?  If so, how?”  Most answered that original artwork on the walls would be nice.  Or artists could help pick out paint colors.  But what about local musicians playing when a caller is put on hold?  Or live concerts/performances in staff dining halls?  Or artist workshops for employees to help them think differently?  (And gain an appreciation for the arts).  Can the left brain and the right brain work together?  How can a broadened sense of collaboration with the arts benefit everyone?  Ideas?

How can community based residencies enable the critical conversations that serious artists need to challenge their work and keep them up to speed on contemporary issues in the arts? Can we provide both a forum where the serious contemporary artist can transform while making their art or their services accessible to the general public? Are these two practices worlds apart or do they coexist? Does this apply to location too? Is an artist at a disadvantage if they arent living somewhere that has direct access to a contemporary art scene; or does technology provide enough access to the information they need?

What do you think?

So…what does this have to do with the field of residency programs?  In this train of thought, I think it has to do with purpose.  Why do we exist?  Why are we important?  In our local communities we have to remember that we’re part of the bigger picture.  Residency programs are vehicles for our values and that’s why you’ll find one for every “type” of artist out there (academics, recluses, community activists, etc.) and for every type of community out there (urban, rural, environmental, community-minded…)  There is great purpose in not just the art that gets produced in the studio spaces but also in the relationships that form and the conversations that happen; the lifestyle that exists and the impact we have on our surroundings.  A big part of every arts organization out there is funding – keeping the doors open and the lights on.  How do we do it?  I think I heard the answer last night: “get involved, on any level.  Show up.  Treat your neighbors with respect.”  To be sustainable: be relevant and meaningful and make a positive difference.

Fast forward to 2010 when there are over 400 residencies in the US alone.  Like the towns, cities, and woods that they exist in and the people who run their programs and sit on their boards – they are all different. Many residencies do not offer retreat but instead require some type of a more public community outreach or work exchange. Looking out – community outreach can have a great impact on the locals who are involved and can also attract funding. Looking in – meaningful community service can have a tremendous impact on the direction of one’s work, on the direction one takes in their art career, and in the actions one takes in the communities that they settle in. The goal then is to make sure that community service and work requirements enhance the residency experience and that the AiRs take ownership of the good work that they do outside of their studio space. In other words – the goal is to provide experiences that are specific and meaningful to that individual.  

Residency programs are vital not only to the arts/artists in America but also to the local communities that they exist in. We live in a time when there are literally thousands of artists/writers/performers in this country – many with MFAs and PhD’s (and the student loan debt that goes along with their education). Residencies are in a fantastic position to place these talented people in various spots in their local community in ways that will truly enrich the fabric of their local cultures and continue to advance a different way of life.

It’s not without stress though and the current task at hand is gigantic: the AiR decision process.  By my desk sit 156 applications from some of the most talented emerging young artists/writers from across the country.  Each year HUB-BUB invites 3 emerging young visual artists and 1 creative writer between the ages of 20 and 35 to “live free and create” for 11months in their own individual SWEET apartments above our gallery space.  In exchange for a free place to live and a small stipend, AiRs spend up to 20 hours a week working for HUB-BUB and getting involved in community based art projects that suit their interests.  Like our staff – our AiRs wear a lot of hats and so choosing the right people for the job means a lot more than choosing the “best” artists.  Residents must be self-motivated “makers”, have a sincere interest in community, and must be a “team player”.  The goal is that after a year in residence that they have transformed as artists and made an impact on our organization and in our community.  The goal for while they are here is that they feel like they are a part of something – that they take ownership in it – and make it better. 

Thank you for the opportunity to write and share my ideas.  I look forward to the conversations ahead and will leave you with a link to this youtube video of the sweet apartments of the HUB-BUB artists-in-residence…