Short Description
The Luminary Residency Program is a nationally recognized, research-driven initiative supporting emerging and mid-career artists, curators, and critics in developing new work. It offers an intensive two-week residency designed to foster focused inquiry and meaningful engagement with the cultural landscape of St. Louis.
The program emphasizes a two-fold approach to research: providing artists dedicated time to pursue new lines of inquiry within their practice, while encouraging deep immersion in St. Louis’s vibrant arts community through exploration, dialogue, and relationship-building. Residents are supported with spacious housing, financial resources, and structured opportunities for public engagement, creating a collaborative environment where creative development and national artistic discourse intersect.
Sessions, Cohorts
Our open call residency is offered in three sessions: Winter/Spring, Summer, and Fall. Each session hosts a cohort of three residents, who will have opportunities to connect with one another and with The Luminary’s staff. Each session begins with a casual coffee orientation and concludes with a shared group dinner. Residents are encouraged to engage with the cohort as much or as little as they prefer.
Cohorts are assembled based on availability, shared interests, and project goals. Recognizing the residency as a space for creative exchange across geographies and disciplines, we intentionally design each cohort to foster dialogue, collaboration, and cross-cultural connection.
It is not required, but may be helpful, to consider the following research elements as they are engaged in our exhibitions calendar, if it aligns with your interests:
- Winter/Spring 2026 (February 18 – March 4): Exploring AI & Creative Ethics, with projects focused on data collection, algorithmic bias, and machine learning’s role in cultural production.
- Summer 2026 (July 8 – 22): Addressing Climate Futures, investigating how artists can imagine, document, and respond to ecological crises.
- Fall 2026 (November 4 – 18): Engaging with Free Speech & Artistic Expression, critically examining censorship, digital platforms, and the future of creative autonomy.
Eligibility
The Luminary is dedicated to creating a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational space.
Please note that we do not accept applications from currently enrolled students at any level (including MA, MFA, and Ph.D. programs) or from artists based in the St. Louis region. We encourage local artists to check out our Futures Fund regranting program, the Emerge professional development initiative, and a year-round calendar of exhibitions, public programs, and collaborations.
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
Each resident receives a weekly stipend and funded travel to The Luminary in St. Louis. Housing is provided in a three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment located above the gallery on Cherokee Street—a lively corridor filled with restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, and bars. The apartment includes a full kitchen, dining area, living room, free laundry, and Wi-Fi.
Please note that public transportation in St. Louis is limited, so we recommend making a plan for day-to-day travel around the city.
The Luminary team is available to help coordinate research-focused visits during your stay. This can include studio visits, conversations with local artists, researchers, and academics, as well as archive or site visits relevant to your project.
Entry Fee
There is an application fee of $15.
Location
St. Louis. United Staes
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 15 Sep 2025
Website Link: https://theluminaryarts.com/residency
