Located on the sixth floor of the Museum and open to the public, the Artist Studios at MAD is a community engagement and professional development program for contemporary artists and designers. The first program of its kind, the Artist Studios opportunity is designed to encourage visitors to meet artists-in-residence as they expand their creative practice while working on site at MAD. Three artists (two Artist Studios residents and one Artist Fellow) are selected per six-month session, for which they receive access to studio space in the Museum and a stipend. Visitors are welcome to visit MAD’s Artist Studios three days each week to view works in progress and converse with the artists and designers.
The artists chosen for MAD’s Artist Studios program represent a wide range of creative practices within the fields of art, craft, and design. Established in 2008, the program has served as an important platform for more than 200 artists and designers to advance their careers and is widely recognized as an innovative model for Museum education. The MAD Artist Fellowship was introduced in 2016 to support the practice of emerging NYC-based artists from historically underrepresented communities. Alumni of the program have gone on to highly regarded careers, and after their time at MAD have proceeded to exhibit work at MAD and other major institutions, including the Queens Museum, Whitney Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and Studio Museum, among others.
Program Structure
The Artist Studios program offers one full-time MAD Artist Fellowship and two part-time Artist Studios residencies per six-month session (February–July and August–January).
The full-time MAD Artist Fellow receives a $15,000 stipend and dedicated studio space in the Museum. Fellows must commit to a weekly schedule of 21 public open studio hours each week on 3 set days in which the Museum public can visit. The Fellow’s weekly schedule remains set throughout the six-month residency. In addition to their 21 public open studio hours, Fellows are encouraged to utilize the studio space throughout the week for private studio hours. The Artist Fellow also receives a one-time unrestricted $1000 materials and mentorship stipend at the start of their residency.
The two Artist Studios residents receive a $5,200 stipend and share a studio space in the Museum. Residents commit to 7 public open studio hours per week. The residents’ weekly schedule will be established in conjunction with MAD’s Education Department and will remain set throughout the six-month residency. In addition to their 7 public open studio hours during each assigned week in the Museum, residents are encouraged to utilize the studio space for private studio hours. Residents benefit from a $200/week stipend when in the studios ($5,200 total over the six-month span of the residency). Each resident also receives a one-time unrestricted $500 materials and mentorship stipend at the start of their residency.
During their weekly open studio hours, all Artist Studios residents also welcome occasional visits from K-12 school groups (facilitated in-person and virtually by paid artist-educators) and public tour groups (facilitated in-person by volunteer docents).
Program Benefits
Artist Studios residents benefit from studio space and a stipend, as well as:
- Paid public programming opportunities
- Professional development and studio visits with museum staff
- Interaction with Museum visitors, generating exposure and reaching new audiences
- Continued engagement through the community of Artist Studios alumni
- Access to the Museum galleries, public programs, and exhibition openings
Program Eligibility
Successful candidates possess a mature body of work that reveals a mastery of techniques and processes within a developed conceptual framework.
Successful applicants will also display a readiness to engage with the public, work in an open studio environment, and be an integral part of the Museum experience for visitors.
At the time of application, all Artist Studios applicants:
- Must be at least twenty-one years old
- Must be a US citizen or legal resident of the US with a valid SSN or EIN
- Cannot be enrolled in a full-time degree-granting program or its equivalent
Fellowship Eligibility
The MAD Artist Fellowship is designed to support emerging artists and designers from historically underrepresented communities. Candidates for the MAD Artist Fellowship must meet the criteria above, and also:
- Be an emerging artist or designer with an active practice (see the FAQ section below for details). Mid-career or established artists are eligible for the Artist Studios residencies, but not for the Artist Fellowship.
- Identify as an artist from a historically underrepresented community as determined by (for example) race/ethnicity, ability, and gender.
- Be a resident of the New York metro area.
Applications are now available for the September 4, 2024- February 14, 2025 (Cycle 41) and February 19, 2025- August 15, 2025 (Cycle 42) sessions of the Artist Studios. Apply by January 7, 2024.
Contact education@madmuseum.org with additional questions regarding eligibility.
Website link: https://madmuseum.org/opportunities
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