How to Get to the Artist’s Residence
In August of last year, I briefly visited paradise. I woke up early and walked quickly down the flower-lined path and made my way across the river for breakfast. After the caffeine, I headed to my studio, a cozy room with a bookshelf, table and reading chair, with a window overlooking the river, whose murmurs highlighted several hours of writing. I went to lunch at 12 and then spent some time lounging in the Adirondack chair in the sun, reading. After that, maybe I went camping, took yoga classes, or returned to my studio. Then dinner, then another letter, then a reading or lecture by the artists, and then going out into the city for a drink.
It was my version of heaven: an uninterrupted chunk of time to work on my novel, read other people’s novels, wander the gorgeous countryside, think about writing, and hang out with people who have strange addictions like me. I called it an art camp, but it was actually an artists’ residence at the Vermont Studio Center (VSC), one of the largest such programs in the country.
According to the Alliance of Artists Communities , there are about 500 programs in the United States that offer writers, artist-painters, dancers, musicians, and other creative people to get away from the distractions and noise of everyday life in order to focus on their work. Check out the biographies of the most successful artists and you will find that they have paid a visit to at least one of them, which shows how effectively they can help you develop your project. So how do you achieve this? Read on for tips on how to find the place of residence that’s right for you, apply and get the most out of it.
Choosing the best place to live for you
With such a large selection of residences available, you’ll want to narrow the options down to a manageable list. Glendalize Camacho , a story writer and essayist who has visited several residences, invites you to start your search by reflecting on your real obligations.
“If there is a family you care about, how long can you be away? How long can you leave work, and will it be paid or unpaid time? “Camacho says. “Travel cost factor. Then you can start making a list. “
The Artist Communities Alliance should help you compile this list as it allows you to search for programs by discipline, location, and other factors. There’s also Aerogramme Writers Studio , which covers residencies, scholarships, and other opportunities specifically for writers, and ResArtists , a resource for residencies across all disciplines around the world.
Also ask other artists for advice. “I learned about residencies by word of mouth. Often you are so grateful that they accepted you that you are ready to be a mouthpiece to tell other people about it, ”says Camacho.
And during your research, consider the following criteria:
Costs
Erica Dreyfus , author of The Quiet Americans Storybook and The Practice of Writing blog, says among the many factors to consider when researching is “the question of admissions and scholarships to start with.”
Some hostels are free to attend and may even offer a scholarship, while others only offer partial scholarships; still others, such as the Virginia Creative Arts Center , ask residents to pay what they can.
In most cases, you will be responsible for your travel expenses, which may restrict you from staying in a particular region or close to major airports.
The size
At VSC, I lived with 50 other writers and artists and found that the social side of the program was a good counterbalance to the writer’s loneliness for me. On the other hand, I heard about a residence where such an interpersonal drama and debauchery took place among those in attendance that they called the place a “divorce camp.” Meanwhile, residences like Millay Colony only have six residents visiting at the same time, seemingly contributing to a more subdued – and possibly focused – experience.
Parameter
Aside from travel expenses, consider what environment will best spark your creativity, as well as what your day-to-day life needs are. “The location [is important], of course, both in terms of its attractiveness and the importance of transport and access to facilities. If you are in charge of your own food, how do you get your supplies? Do you need a car? “- indicates Dreyfus. “Time and length of residence can also be key – a number of residences require a minimum length of stay, which is not always compatible with day laborers who do not offer adequate vacation time.”
While living in New York, I found the VSC rural landscape a welcome change. Although I don’t have a car, everything I needed was within walking distance and there was easy access to several hiking trails and swimming pools. But the city was so tiny that it didn’t even have its own pharmacy. I only stayed at the residence for two weeks, but I believe that after a longer stay in this environment, a slight claustrophobia could begin.
Food
Some hostels provide meals; VSC had large kitchen staff preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and not having to go grocery or cook freed up a huge amount of time for me. Some programs offer food or free groceries, while others require residents to take care of themselves. Consider how preparing a meal or taking a break to share a meal will affect your creative process.
Application
Application deadlines vary by season of residence – and requirements often differ for each program – but generally, you will need to provide some biographical information, an artist statement, and, most importantly, a sample of work. Some residencies also require resumes, letters of recommendation, additional statements, and information about your finances. To keep track of, I’ve put together a spreadsheet that lists all of the residences I’m applying for, as well as the timelines and requirements.
When composing your app, think strategically as residences are very selective. During the summer season, the competition is usually very high because many writers and artists are also teachers who work the rest of the time. Prepare for some rejection, which Dreyfus says “gets easier over time.”
Camacho found it helpful to detail in his statement why you like a particular residence.
“Every artist and writer needs time, but you can get it anywhere. What can you gain from here, in particular from this? ” she said. “What is so special about this place that could potentially affect your writing? Does it somehow figure in your letter? “
If so, you will want to explain this in your artist’s statement. And try to avoid statements that any creative person can make, such as, “Since childhood, I wanted to be an artist” or “Dancing is my passion.” Instead, delve deeper into the themes and ideas you explore in your work, your particular approach to creating art, the project you plan to work on while in residence. Bob Keeling, who oversees the Kerouac Project residency, told Poets & Writers : “We are most interested in people who have a clear idea of what they will do over time.”
As such, your piece of work must match this perfectly, whether it is an excerpt from a manuscript that you plan to edit while in residency, or a finished piece that reflects your concern as an artist and indicates where you are going. After all, this is the part of your application that will get the most scrutiny, so make sure it best represents you as an artist.
And in general, as is the case with any other application, you need to follow the recommendations as closely as possible; residencies receive so many applications that if they can turn down a few that do not meet word count requirements or letter of recommendation formats, they will most likely do so.
Get the most out of your stay once you are enrolled
“Before leaving, have some idea of what you (ideally) would like to achieve during your residency. Just don’t be too hard on yourself if by the end of your residency you can’t cross off all the items, ”says Dreyfus.
Indeed, given how likely it is that your place of residence is different from your daily life, give yourself time to adjust. You may not be ready to dive into your project right away on the first morning, and you shouldn’t expect to work eight hours a day if it’s much more than you usually do. Remember that thinking, reading, walking, and interacting with other artists can help you in your craft and spark inspiration.
“I think it is very important to notice and work with your natural patterns. Very often, when we live in ordinary life, we work against our nature. We may not be early risers, but we have to get up in the morning to get work done, or vice versa, ”says Camacho. “Once in a place where your time is unstructured, notice when you are most productive. Be it morning or evening, do it. “
VSC is my first residence, so I set myself modest goals. Knowing that I feel most acute in the mornings (everything goes downhill when the first cup of coffee ends), I decided to spend the hours between breakfast and lunch in my studio and use the rest of the day as I felt was right. I ended up working a little more than just in the mornings, and in two weeks I wrote something that usually takes me a couple of months, but I was glad that I did not force myself to produce a certain amount in advance.
“It’s a huge challenge not to feel like you’re on time – I have 30 days, I have to do it – but try not to do it,” Camacho says. “Take time to study your process. Let things happen that no one knows about. Pay attention to your natural state and work with it, not against it. “
One more thing to prepare for: the inevitable frustration of returning to real life. You will also need a little time to adjust to this moment. “It’s hard to come back. I realized that every week you are away you need a day to adjust, ”says Camacho. “When I go to residency, I feel like this is how I have to live all the time. It’s just an amazing experience if an artist can do it for himself. “