Organizer Information
Founded in 1969 by physicist and teacher Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium is San Francisco's museum of science, art, and human perception. Operating at Pier 15 on The Embarcadero, the institution explores natural phenomena and scientific frameworks through the lens of human perception. Since its inception in 1974, the Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) has embedded hundreds of creators and performers within the unique culture of the museum to promote interdisciplinary cross-pollination.
Title & Description
The Exploratorium Artist-in-Residence Program (2026–2028 Cycle).
Applications are officially open for this storied biennial residency. Built on curiosity, research, and experimentation, the AIR initiative supports individuals and artist groups who wish to work in a co-creative manner with the institution. Rather than arriving with a fully formed project proposal, residents begin with open inquiry, allowing their ideas to evolve through collaboration with a distinct staff and a diverse public audience.
Categories
All Disciplines, including performance-based practices, writing, multimedia installations, film, and online projects.
Eligibility
- Open to domestic and international artists at all stages of their careers working in any artistic discipline.
- Applicants must have a demonstrated track record of successful projects and the time commitment necessary to sustain a two-year long residency.
Program Benefits and Awards
The residency spans two consecutive years, divided into a Year 1 exploratory phase and a Year 2 project development phase:
- Annual Financial Stipend: A total of $15,000 USD paid annually in four distinct installments.
- Travel & Lodging Logistics: Financial support for travel to and accommodation in San Francisco for non-local artists. Non-locals must make time for virtual check-ins and travel to the Bay Area for focused work sessions.
- Institutional Resources: Direct project management, tailored technical research support, and dedicated access to Exploratorium staff scientists and engineers.
- Workshop Staging: Materials for prototyping on a per-project basis alongside temporary workstations inside the Exploratorium Exhibit Development Workshop.
- Public Presentations: Opportunities to present research, prototypes, or finished projects to the public through dedicated artist talks and exhibition programs. Finalists advanced to the studio visit interview round receive a $250 USD honorarium.
Fees
- Early-Bird Window: Free submission tier was accessible from May 20 until June 10, 2026.
- Standard Entry Fee: A non-refundable $35 USD regular application fee applies to all dossiers processed on or after June 11, 2026.
Application Requirements
Applications must be submitted digitally and require a selection of up to 10 media items (images, audio, video, PDFs). The intake system requires structured responses to six specialized essay fields:
- Interest Statement: Framing your specific interest in the Exploratorium residency and its long-term impact on your studio practice (1,250 character limit).
- Scientific Engagement: Describing your existing practice relationship to science, technology, biology, climate change, or natural phenomena like light and sound (1,250 character limit).
- Inquiry Breakdown: Outlining one detailed historical example of how research, curiosity, and raw experimentation function inside your creative process (750 character limit).
- Audience Approach: Articulating your operational strategy for engaging intergenerational audiences and public communities (750 character limit).
- Project Overview (Optional): Sharing initial project thoughts if you have a specific idea you hope to prototype, despite the open-ended nature of the call (750 character limit).
- Timeline Viability: Detailing why this exact two-year block represents the right milestone for you to commit to the program (750 character limit).
How to Apply?
Access the online entry platform via the digital gateway, populate your personal CV, artist bio, and website coordinates, answer the six essay prompts within the specified character limits, attach up to 10 media assets, and complete the registration.
Apply to the Exploratorium Artist-in-Residence Program 2026–2028.
Key Dates
- Application Intake Opened: May 20, 2026
- Application Submission Deadline: Monday, June 29, 2026
- Finalist Interview Notification: September 2026
- General Notifications Dispatched: November 2026
- Residency Term Windows:
- Year 1 (Incubation & Prototyping): November 2026 – November 2027
- Year 2 (Refinement & Production): November 2027 – November 2028
Location
United States, San Francisco, California (Pier 15, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111).