Organizer Information
A.I.R. Gallery (Artists in Residence, Inc.) was founded in 1972 to provide a professional, permanent exhibition space for women artists at a time when work shown at commercial New York galleries was almost exclusively by male artists, offering an alternative venue built on feminist principles of economic cooperation and consensus-based decision-making. A.I.R. is a not-for-profit, self-underwritten arts organization governed by a board of directors made up of its New York-based artists. Originally located at 97 Wooster Street in SoHo, the gallery has since moved several times and is now located at 155 Plymouth Street in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. Today, A.I.R. continues to build on this history, bridging art and activism by providing space for artists across a spectrum of intersectional identities and cultural perspectives, and advocating for a multiplicity of voices in the arts. The National Artists Program, founded in 1981, extends A.I.R.'s feminist mission beyond New York City to a national network of member artists.
Title & Description
A.I.R. Gallery National Artists Program 2026–2029
This is a three-year national membership program for women and non-binary artists living in the United States outside New York City. The National Artists Program was founded in 1981 to expand A.I.R.'s feminist mission to communities outside New York City, and forms a network of care, support, and opportunity through collaboration and the forging of alliances among member artists. During the program, members exhibit annually in a curated group show and can apply without fees to open call exhibitions hosted at A.I.R. All National Artists are represented on the gallery's website and can take part in artist-led events, including group virtual studio visits.
Categories
- All Discipline
- Visual Arts
- Multiple Disciplines
- Art Management
Eligibility
- Must be a woman or non-binary artist
- Must reside outside New York City but within the United States
- Must not have previously participated in the A.I.R. National Artists Program
- Must be willing to commit to the program for three years (September 2026–August 2029)
Program Benefits & Awards
- Annual Exhibition: every member exhibits together annually in a curated group show at A.I.R. Gallery
- Ability to apply without fee to open call exhibitions at A.I.R., including the A.I.R. Biennial and Currents
- Representation on the A.I.R. Gallery website
- Opportunities to participate in artist-led programming, including group virtual studio visits
- Ability to submit professional activities outside of A.I.R. for promotion on A.I.R.'s social media
- Community with the A.I.R. network of current and past National Artists members
- Access to fiscal sponsorship for artist grants requiring 501(c)(3) status, on a case-by-case basis with approval from the Executive Director
Application Fee
No application fee is stated. Accepted members pay annual membership dues of $1,440 per year (payable in two $720 installments, due September 1 and January 1 each year) as a program responsibility, and share in exhibition expenses (curator fee, art handlers, photography, and opening reception costs) for the annual curated National Artists Exhibition.
Application Requirements
- Completed application form, with all fields filled in
- 7 image submissions (all required for a complete application)
- Images: 72ppi, JPG, RGB files only; must not exceed 5 MB; must be properly oriented (top of image is up)
- Image file names must include Title, Year, Medium, and Dimensions (H x W x D) — e.g., "Untitled 2, 2019, Acrylic on canvas, 14x14 inches.jpg"
- Optional video submission: original, time-based artwork (e.g., a clip from a video/film or performance documentation, not "behind the scenes" or personal-statement footage); maximum 1 minute in length and 100 MB in size; .MOV or MP4 format; file names must include Title, Year, Medium, and Duration
- Resume, in PDF format only
- Artist statement, in PDF format only
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 21 July 2026
- Application Review: late July 2026
- Selection Announcement: late August 2026
- First Year of Membership: September 2026–August 2027
- Full Membership Term: September 2026–August 2029
Location
New York (Brooklyn), United States
Additional Details
- Membership dues and shared exhibition expenses are ongoing responsibilities throughout the three-year term, not one-time costs
- Applicants should answer all application questions to the best of their ability