Organizer Information
Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency is a nonprofit residency program founded in 2012 and organized as a 501(c)(3) in 2017, based at 100 West — a vast, three-story former Odd Fellows lodge in downtown Corsicana, Texas, virtually unaltered since its 1890s construction. Corsicana, fifty miles south of Dallas, is known as the birthplace of the Texas oil industry; the residency's founders see the town's complex history of rural and small-town America, including its early-20th-century oil booms and later decline and revival, as generative context that enriches the contemporary art and literature made there. Since 2012, the residency has hosted 179 artists and writers from across the United States and 18 countries. Its programs run across a collection of sites, including 100 West (studio and living space), an Anteroom for exhibitions, a Bookstore featuring residents' published work, and partnerships with Dallas-area universities. Supporters include the Eugene McDermott Foundation, the Corsicana Visitors' Bureau, and several regional charitable trusts, and the program partners with organizations including Deep Vellum Publishing and Southern Methodist University's Meadows School of the Arts.
Title & Description
Corsicana Artist & Writer Residency — 2027 Residencies
Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency offers fully-funded, two-month studio residencies for artists and writers to produce work "in rare scale and focus," supported by generous provisions and immersive historic space. Each term hosts two artists and one writer at 100 West, with private furnished studios, shared living space, and access to a wood shop, printing press, and other studio equipment. Studio work is prioritized above social or public programming, and is complemented by introductions to the professional networks and cultural institutions of North Texas, including studio visits, presentations, and connections to Corsicana's own community of support.
Categories
- Residency
- Visual Arts
- Writing
- Sculpture
- Painting
- Filmmaking
- Installation
- Textile Art
- Performance
- Poetry
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Translation
- Sound/Music
Eligibility
- Open to artists and writers of international, national (United States), and Texas-based origin
- Applications limited to one person per studio (no collaborative or group applications)
- Ceramic, fiberglass, and aerosol-based work cannot be accommodated
- Sound-based, performance, or composition-based applicants are generally not hosted, and are asked to inquire with the residency director before applying to confirm the residency can support their practice
- Applicants should note that 100 West is accessible only by a steep staircase, with no elevator; those with mobility concerns are asked to contact the residency director
Program Benefits & Awards
- Fully-funded, private, furnished studio with lodging at 100 West for the full two-month term
- Professional documentation of resident work in photo, video, and writing
- Engagement with the Dallas/Fort Worth cultural network through events and special visits
- Engagement with Corsicana's local community of support
- A mid-term studio visit from a regional arts professional
- Access to equipment including digital projectors, an intaglio printing press, construction tools, and a wood shop
- Staff support for studio and logistical needs
- Complimentary transportation to and from Dallas/Fort Worth airports at the start and end of the residency term, plus bicycles provided in Corsicana
- Optional paid opportunity: a studio visit with MFA students at a Dallas university, followed by a 40-minute presentation, for a $500 honorarium
Application Fee
$30, due at the time of application. Note: this is separate from a one-time, non-refundable $200 Administration Fee that accepted applicants who confirm a residency term must pay by November 1, 2026 — this is a post-acceptance cost, not a cost of applying.
How to Apply?
- Artist Application
- Writer Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 September 2026
- Notification of Acceptance, Waitlist, or Decline: By October 1, 2026
- Accepted applicants confirm their 2027 residency dates in the first week of October 2026
- Administration Fee Due (accepted applicants only): By November 1, 2026
- 2027 Residency Terms (2-month terms, 2 artists and 1 writer hosted per term):
- Winter: January 4 – February 23, 2027
- Spring: March 1 – April 27, 2027
- Fall: October 11 – December 7, 2027
Location
Texas, United States
Additional Details
- 6 artists and 3 writers will be accepted for residency in 2027
- Residents are expected to prioritize self-directed studio focus and productivity over social programming, and to be self-sufficient without needing studio production help (occasional support is available)
- Required residency activities: a 20-minute presentation on the second Thursday of the residency (artists present images/video/slideshow of past work; writers give a reading), and an Open Studios event on the last Saturday of the residency, 12–4 PM
- Families and pets are not accommodated at 100 West; visitors may book brief stays at nearby accommodations in the Carriage District, ten blocks away
- No central air-conditioning; the residency observes an annual summer hiatus due to Texas heat, and Fall/Winter terms are heated with 1940s gas heaters
- Corsicana's downtown is walkable, with grocery stores, cafés, restaurants, and other services within a five-block radius of 100 West
- The residency describes Corsicana as a small town with a predominantly Christian, socially and politically conservative population, and states that it welcomes residents of all nationalities, races, gender identities, and sexual orientations, while asking residents to respect the range of values, beliefs, and politics they may encounter locally
- Residents are financially responsible for their own travel (beyond the covered airport transfers), meals, materials, and research expenses
- The residency is affiliated with Res Artis and the Alliance of Artists Communities