Ongoing Call for Applications: 18th Street Arts Center Artist Residencies, Santa Monica

Alexandra Croitoru, Resident Artist (Romania), ‘TRUTH asks for two things: somebody to voice it and… somebody to hear it / from RE- project’, 2009

Residency Program Overview

18th Street Arts Center values art making as an essential component of a vibrant, just, and healthy society. Its mission is “to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making.” Founded in 1988, 18th Street Arts Center has fostered and supported the work of many of Los Angeles’ most engaging artists, and has built bridges to artist communities around the globe.

18th Street Arts Center’s residency program helps to build and to strengthen the creative community by working with local, national and international artists and curators. There are three types of residencies, including long-term “anchor tenants,” who have helped to define the character and scope of the organization; mid-term residencies open to local artists that occupy either live/work or work studios for 1 year or more; and a visiting artist program that hosts international and national artists and curators from between 1 to 3 months.

18th Street Arts Center’s visiting artist residency program has hosted more than 300 artists from dozens of countries around the world since it first began in 1992. Their presence at the center has enlivened the multicultural dialogue of Los Angeles. Over the past seventeen years, more than 700 diverse visual and performing artists have participated in programs at 18th Street Arts Center ranging from group and individual exhibitions, to special events and presentations at the center’s popular Art Nights.

For more information about 18th Street Arts Center’s residency program, please refer to our frequently asked questions.

Visiting Artist Residency Program

Am I eligible for the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

The Visiting Artist Residency Program accepts applications from working, professional artists who demonstrate a deep commitment to their practice. The program emphasizes support for emerging and mid-career artists, but is open to established artists as well. 18th Street Arts Center works with artists of all disciplines. Intermittently, we work with art curators, writers, performance artists, and musicians, although we primarily support visual artists.

What countries do you accept artists from?

 18th Street Arts Center’s Visiting Artist Residency Program is open to artists from all nations.

How are artists funded for the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

 18th Street Arts Center works with a variety of national and international partners to fund the visiting artists. These include private foundations supporting the arts, as well as government entities such as foreign consulates, national and state organizations. Each resident must be funded in order to participate in the program. If funding is not identified through partner organizations, artists may also be self-funded meaning that they cover the basic costs of the residency.

Do you pay for travel costs or provide artist stipends?

Visiting artists travel costs and stipends are provided by the foundation or government agency funding their residency. Self-funded artists do not receive travel costs or a stipend from 18th Street Arts Center.

Can I apply for a grant to participate in the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

Yes, in fact 18th Street Arts Center can work collaboratively with artists to find funding to support their residencies. Once sources are identified, we can apply as an organization to specific funding entities to facilitate the costs of your residency.

How do I apply to the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

To apply for the Visiting Artist Residency Program, please submit the following materials via email toapply(at)18thstreet(dot)org. 

1. Letter of interest
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Work samples (digital files, pdfs, and website links are appropriate)
4. Statement about funding support (for example, identification of funding entity that can be approached to support your residency, or statement of fiscal responsibility by the artist)

Additional materials may also be considered including an artist statement, press materials, letters of recommendation, and pdfs of catalogs or publications.

How long are artists at the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

The studios are available for stays of 1 to 3 months.

How many artists come to the Visiting Artist Residency Program each year?

On average, there are between 16 to 20 visiting artists per year.

How far in advance do I need to apply?

Generally, the studios are booked 1 year to 18 months in advance of an artist’s arrival. However, opportunities may arise within a period of months if there is a sudden vacancy.

What is the selection process for the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

 Artists are frequently nominated for the program by the entity supporting their residency. The nominations as well as the open applications submitted through our website are reviewed by the Director of Residency Programs and 18th Street Arts Center’s Program Committee.

What is provided in the Visiting Artist Residency Program?

Residents are provided with a fully furnished live/work studio apartment at our center, with cable TV, wireless internet, bikes, full kitchen and full bath We are located blocks away from the beach in sunny Santa Monica, and in midst of the exciting, vigorous Los Angeles arts community. While each studio is a different configuration, they are all close to 1,000 square feet lofts and spacious enough to hold events such as presentations of your work, studio visits. Residents are given access to office, computer, and audio/visual equipment, as well as meeting space. Artists are fully represented on our website and event postings and annual print catalogue. Additionally, 18th Street Arts Center offers fiscal receivership services.

Do you provide visas for international artists?

No, 18th Street Arts Center does not provide visas, however, we will provide international artists with an official letter of invitation that may be used to obtain a visa or other necessary documents.

Who are the artists that have been in residence before?

Please find a link to an archive of our previous visiting artists in residence here.
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