Organizer Information
Studios Inc is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization and gallery based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded to support the professional development of mid-career artists, Studios Inc operates a competitive three-year artist residency alongside exhibition, patron, and gallery programs. Its facilities are located in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District and include artist studios, exhibition spaces, and community-oriented programming. The organization’s broader mission is to provide artists with the physical space, professional visibility, and community connections needed to develop substantial bodies of work and advance their careers.
The residency is specifically designed for artists who have already established a sustained professional practice and are ready to move toward their next level of achievement. Studios Inc describes its program as providing free industrial studio and exhibition spaces while helping resident artists develop relationships with collectors, patrons, and other arts professionals. Residents also participate in the organization’s wider artistic community, including events connected to Kansas City’s First Friday arts programming.
Title & Description
Studios Inc 2027 Residency Program
Studios Inc is accepting applications for its 2027–2029 three-year Artist Residency Program, offering mid-career artists the opportunity to work in a dedicated, industrial-scale studio in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. The program is intended for artists with an established body of work who are seeking substantial space, time, professional exposure, and community engagement to develop a significant new body of work.
The residency is not simply a studio rental opportunity. Artists-in-Residence are expected to maintain a strong studio presence, actively use the facilities, participate in the Studios Inc community, and pursue a clearly articulated next stage in their professional development. The organization also connects residents with collectors and patrons through its Patron Program and provides exhibition opportunities during the residency.
The 2027 residency term is scheduled to begin in February 2027 and continue for three years, concluding in January 2030. Residents will receive access to industrial studio spaces ranging from approximately 500 to 3,000 square feet, as well as access to a woodshop and a fenced outdoor lot that can be used for installations or workspace.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Contemporary Art
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Installation
- Mixed Media
- Drawing
- Photography
- Textile Art
- Ceramics
- Printmaking
- Other multidisciplinary visual-art practices
The program is intended for visual artists and artists working across mixed disciplines, rather than being restricted to a single medium. Studios Inc describes its residency as supporting mid-career artists of mixed disciplines.
Eligibility
The opportunity is regional rather than fully international/open worldwide. Applicants must either:
- Currently reside in the Greater Kansas City area, or
- Be willing to relocate to the Greater Kansas City area and maintain residence there for the entire three-year residency.
The Greater Kansas City area is defined by Studios Inc as including Jackson, Platte, and Clay counties in Missouri, and Johnson, Wyandotte, and Douglas counties in Kansas. Applicants who are not currently residents must include a short statement explaining their intention to relocate. Applicants must also:
- Be a mid-career artist.
- Have at least seven years of experience following undergraduate studies or an equivalent professional experience.
- Have a well-developed body of work and an established artistic language or style.
- Demonstrate a solid professional track record and sustained artistic practice.
- Have a strong desire to use the residency to produce significant new work.
- Be prepared to maintain a strong studio and community presence.
- Contribute to a collegial creative environment and participate in studio-community activities.
Studios Inc emphasizes that “mid-career” is not determined solely by age. The organization considers both quantitative experience and qualitative professional development, including evidence of regional or national recognition through publications, exhibitions, or other forms of public presentation.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected artists receive a three-year residency, running from approximately February 2027 through January 2030. Benefits include:
- Dedicated industrial studio space ranging from 500 to 3,000 sq. ft.
- Access to a woodshop.
- Access to a fenced-in outdoor lot for installations or workspace.
- Opportunity to develop a substantial body of new work.
- Opportunity to create a solo exhibition in Studios Inc’s large exhibition hall.
- Inclusion of the resident artist’s work in the organization’s annual Spring exhibition.
- Participation in the Studios Patron Program, which facilitates deeper relationships between artists and patrons through studio visits, exhibitions, and other interactions.
- Increased public exposure and access to collectors.
- Professional networking with patrons, collectors, artists, and other arts professionals.
Studios Inc’s recent residency announcements confirm that residents participate in an annual group exhibition and receive a solo exhibition toward the culmination of their residency.
Important: The residency provides studio space and professional opportunities rather than a stated cash stipend. Applicants should not interpret the residency as a living-expense grant.
Application Fee
US$35 application fee.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 October 2026
- Jury review of eligible applications: October 2026
- Finalist presentations: November 2026
- Award notifications: Mid-December 2026
- Three-year residency begins: February 2027
- Residency concludes: January 2030
Location
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Additional Details
This is a highly selective, juried residency, and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee selection. Studios Inc states that applications are screened for eligibility before proceeding through the competitive selection process. Finalists participate in presentations before the final selections are made.
Artists should pay particular attention to the residency's relocation requirement. An artist living outside Kansas City can apply, but they must be genuinely prepared to relocate and remain resident in the area for the full three-year term.
Selected artists are responsible for several costs and obligations. They must sign a Temporary Art Space License Agreement, purchase and maintain Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance, and supply their own materials, equipment, furniture, and other studio necessities. Studios Inc does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to an artist’s personal property or artwork.
Applicants should therefore evaluate the opportunity as a long-term professional studio residency, rather than a short-term funded residency. Its strongest advantages are the substantial studio space, three-year duration, exhibition opportunities, collector and patron access, and integration into Kansas City’s contemporary arts community.
The program is particularly suitable for an established visual artist who has already developed a recognizable practice and wants the time and infrastructure to produce a substantial new body of work. Studios Inc's stated objective is to help artists reach their “next level” of professional achievement, making a clearly defined professional-development trajectory an important consideration for applicants.