{"id":12711,"date":"2018-01-02T13:00:12","date_gmt":"2018-01-02T18:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/museumhack.com\/?p=12711"},"modified":"2022-11-20T00:12:47","modified_gmt":"2022-11-20T05:12:47","slug":"artist-in-residence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/museumhack.com\/artist-in-residence\/","title":{"rendered":"What Exactly is an Artist-in-Residence (and Should Your Museum Have One)?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Artist residencies are a growing trend in museums around the world, but what is an artist in residence?<\/b><\/p>\n

An artist-in-residence is when a museum recruits a person (or group of people) with a specific skill or attribute to produce work, provide advice, and\/or promote the museum for a defined period of time, from just a few days to a year or more<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When done right, everyone can benefit from an artist residency: the museum gains new knowledge, ideas, products, and audiences, the artist-in-residence gets special access to the museum\u2019s collections, spaces, and expertise to inform their own work, and the museum\u2019s visitors can enjoy the new displays, experiences, and approaches that are produced by the artist-in-residence. As artsy.net<\/a> says, residencies are incubators for productivity, funding, forging relationships, and finding inspiration<\/a> – but there\u2019s no \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 approach. Read on to explore how to run a successful artist residency at your museum.<\/p>\n

Artist Residencies in Atypical Museums<\/h2>\n

Even if you\u2019re constrained by budget or space, an artist in residence could still work for your museum with a little creative thinking.<\/p>\n

Side Street Studios<\/a> in Cape Town isn\u2019t your standard art museum – it\u2019s a complex of studios, workshops, and galleries spread across three once-abandoned buildings. Since 2015 they\u2019ve leveraged their unique spaces to host three-week residencies<\/a> with a particular focus on street art, urban exploration, and community engagement. Resident artists live in the complex for free, and in return create a piece of artwork for the museum. By basing their residencies on in-kind exchange of creativity instead of cash payment, Side Street Studios has created a more affordable (and maybe even more productive) model that can be sustained long-term.<\/p>\n

Artists in residence don\u2019t even need to take up physical space in your museum. Take inspiration from LACMA<\/a>, which recently launched its first Instagram residency<\/a> by recruiting a local artist to take over the museum\u2019s Instagram account. Like all successful residencies, this one benefits everyone involved: the artist gets a boost to their profile and work, while LACMA gets fresh content for their social media feeds, and the opportunity to connect with new digital audiences.<\/p>\n

Can you only have resident artists?<\/h2>\n

Many museums host visual artists in residence, but others have taken a less traditional approach. The Delaware Art Museum hosts entire family-in-residences who work together to create art installations<\/a> in the museum\u2019s family space. On the other side of the Atlantic, the Victoria & Albert Museum currently hosts opera residents<\/a> to compose a new opera based on the museum\u2019s exhibitions.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: With a little imagination and perspiration, you can create an artist in residence programme that works for your unique museum.<\/p>\n

OK, I\u2019m convinced about the whole artist residency thing. Now what do I do?<\/h2>\n

Deciding to host an artist in residence is the most important step; now, it\u2019s time to put your idea into action. The following steps will help you create a successful residency program for your museum.<\/p>\n