Salem Art Association Studio 2027 Artist-in-Residence Program

About this call

The Salem Art Association offers two 2027 Artist-in-Residence slots in the SAA Studio, in the Annex of the Bush Barn Art Center in Bush's Pasture Park just outside downtown Salem, Oregon: a month in the studio in March with an exhibition in April, or a month in the studio in September with an exhibition in October. The studio is about 348 square feet, with a Dick Blick Master Etch press, a ventilation booth, sinks and Wi-Fi, and is generally viewable by the public during open hours. It favours experimental work, new ideas in artmaking even if new only to the artist, and residents offer a community engagement component. There is no stipend; artists provide their own housing, materials, meals and transportation. Shorter residencies of one to three weeks are possible by proposal in January, May, November and December, depending on calendar availability.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Printmaking / Painting / Drawing / Sculpture / Installation / Mixed Media
• Entry fee: See official site
• Open to artists of any medium and at any career stage, individuals and collaborations; BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Veteran and other underrepresented communities are strongly urged to apply. Two slots: studio in March with exhibition in April, or studio in September with exhibition in October; apply for each month separately. No stipend or financial support: artists provide their own housing, materials, meals and transportation. Residents agree to offer a community engagement component (such as a brown bag lunch, slide show, lecture or youth workshop), work 15 to 20 or more hours a week in the studio (with a key and access code to use it at any time), read the Art Safety Manual and follow safe studio practices, sign an agreement with SAA on professional goals, personal conduct and safe practices (inappropriate behaviour ends the agreement), leave the space and equipment undamaged, and produce completed work for the Focus Gallery exhibition (not required for residencies outside the two slots). SAA prefers a non-toxic environment. The studio has no darkroom and no glass or ceramic facility, and sound must be considered as others work nearby. The AIR Committee (SAA staff and previous AIR participants) considers, among other criteria, how SAA can support area artists and how meaningful the residency could be for the artist, artistic quality and the merit of the proposal, the risk or experimental nature of the work, and the ability to engage with the community. Application materials (any combination that shares your ideas; you do not need to provide all of them): residency month, artist biography, a proposal of intent stating project and artistic goals, medium, community engagement component, your practice and why this is a good fit now, an answer to how this residency will support the making of new work, two references, work samples with website or social media links, CV if applicable, and a list of tools, chemicals or hazardous materials you may use and how you will store and dispose of them. Send by email to Kathleen@SalemArt.org or by mail to Salem Art Association, Attn: Kathleen Dinges Rice, 600 Mission Street SE, Salem, OR 97302. Proposals for one to three week residencies in January, May, November or December go to kathleen@salemart.org.