Better Together Annual Residency

Pilchuck is proud to partner with Better Together and Hilltop Artists to provide this unique opportunity to artists of color working in glass. Better Together, founded by Cedric Mitchell and Corey Pemberton of Crafting the Future, is a dynamic event series aimed at supporting, empowering, and inspiring makers of color. These events come in various forms, from craft markets and performances to demonstrations and residencies, all centered around fostering community collaboration.

The Better Together Annual Residency is an 11 day artist concentration set to take place on Pilchuck’s campus from May 8 – 18, 2024. This residency is dedicated to supporting a cohort of 10 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists. The group will be comprised of six professional artists in residence that will apply through an open call for applications and four paid assistants from Hilltop Artists alumni chosen by Hilltop instructors.

This is a self-directed residency where artists are encouraged to create their own work, explore new directions in glassmaking or build upon existing bodies of work. Although formal instruction for new processes is not provided, studio coordinators are available to facilitate access to equipment and tools in selected studios. On the last day of the residency the six artists will take a day trip down to Tacoma to work with the Hilltop students in their studio in a community building event.

The Hilltop alumni will play a vital role as studio assistants helping the residence with artmaking and glassblowing tasks on a schedule of three on duty and one off every day. Hilltop assistance receive an honorarium of $160 per day along with meals and room and board.

This incredible opportunity includes travel reimbursement, a $1000 stipend, a $200 material budget (excluding clear glass) for each artist, as well as room and board for the entire 11-days of the residency.

The Better Together Annual Residency is not just an artistic opportunity; it’s a deliberate step towards nurturing a culture and community of inclusion that promotes, respects, and celebrates individuals within the BIPOC community. We invite artists who identify as BIPOC to apply.

Artists with prior experience will have access to Pilchuck’s Hot Glass Shop, Cold Shop, and will each be provided with a designated workspace throughout the residency.

For more information, please contact our Outreach & Education Supervisor, Raya Friday at rfriday@pilchuck.org.