Governors Island Residency Open Call

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Longwood @ Governors Island Residency Program, a BCA/Longwood Arts Project effort that makes free studio space available to under-represented and under-resourced Bronx visual artists. This residency program will run from May 10, 2024 – October 30, 2024.

Longwood @ Governors Island furthers BCA’s mission to create connections between local artists and others outside The Bronx, while addressing the need for affordable studio space. The program will serve a cohort of five to six visual artists by providing them with dedicated workspace from May to October. There will be two Open Studio Weekends—tentatively July 19 – 21 and October 18 – 20 —allowing artists to engage with the public and showcase their work. The Residency Program’s culminating weekend will also feature a celebratory performance by Bronx performing artists, bringing together BCA’s unique cross-disciplinary constituency of artists and audiences. Resident artists will receive a monthly stipend plus a one-time transportation fee for materials.

This Residency Program will provide selected artists with an incredible opportunity for exposure, and the time and space to explore, create, and develop new work. Aside from the several thousand visitors to Governors Island during this period, BCA will invite curators and other arts professionals out to the Island during Open Studio Weekends. Additionally, artists will benefit from the Island’s year-round tenant organizations, many of whom work on issues that intersect with resident artists’ artistic focus (i.e., climate, architecture, technology).

Longwood @ Governors Island 2024 Timeline

Application Period

January 17, 2024 – February 18, 2024

Notification of Selection

March 6, 2024

Residency Dates:

May 10, 2024 – October 30, 2024

2024 Program Guidelines

Eligibility 

• 18+ years of age
• Artists of all visual arts disciplines will be considered
• Artists must be current Bronx residents
• Artists will commit to actively participating in the program during the residency: May 10, 2024 – October 30, 2024
• Artists must not have existing external studio space at the time of the residency

Evaluation Criteria

Artists will be selected by BCA staff, led by the Longwood Gallery Director, and the Longwood Advisory Committee, composed of professional artists and cultural workers.

Selection will be based on a balance of the following criteria:

• Clarity of the proposal
• Demonstration of need 
• A professional standard of mastery of the chosen medium, originality, and progression of expression

Residency Participants Will Be Offered:

• Access to free, temporary, semi-private studio on Governors Island for six months: from May 10, 2024 – October 30, 2024
• A stipend of $600 from May through October (paid $100 monthly) and $100 for material transportation (paid at the start of the residency)
• Opportunities to build a cohort of peers and engage in peer critique
• Opportunities for connecting with Governors Island tenant organizations and artists
• Opportunities to share work in-person with curators, arts professionals, and the public during Longwood @ Governors Island Open Studios 2024
• Free ferry pass during the six-month residency 
• Residents are welcome to use the studios Mondays through Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Residency Requirements:

Residents are expected to:

• be in their studios from Fridays to Sundays, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• welcome and engage visitors from Fridays to Sundays during visits to the studios.
• present their work during the Open Studios in July and October.
• keep studios and common spaces clean. Garbage must be disposed of in stipulated bins by the end of the day.
• follow directives from BCA and Governors Island personnel.
• develop and/or create new work while at the residency.
• In addition to the above-mentioned requirements, each resident must commit to being a “house monitor” on rotating weekends (Friday – Sunday, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM) during the length of the residency. 

Exhibition and Working Space Conditions:

• The houses do not have running water or working plumbing. 
• Public restrooms are a few minutes’ walk from the residency house.
• All oil paint residue must be removed from the island in a container.
• Free public Wi-Fi is available on Governors Island, although the connection is unstable.

How to Apply:

Applications will be received via Submittable ONLY. The application must include:

• Proposed work plan for the residency and demonstration of need (max. 500 words)
• Artist statement (max. 250 words)
• CV (pdf)
• Up to 10 jpg files (no larger than 3MB) of recent work or up to 5 links to video works related to your proposal
• Image list with title, year, media, dimensions (length, for video), and a brief description of each submitted work 

Deadline 18 February 2024

Website link: https://www.bronxarts.org/

Apply link: https://bronxcouncilonthearts.submittable.com/submit/285425/2024-governors-island-open-call