Organizer Information:

The LUX Center for the Arts has been the heart of creativity in Lincoln, NE, since 1977. Dedicated to transforming lives through art, LUX provides an inclusive, community-focused environment through education, gallery exhibitions, and community building.

Title & Description:

Applications are open for the 2026–2027 Artist-in-Residence program.

This is a year-long residency for artists who want to practice, grow, and engage their skills in a dynamic community. It is a highly interactive program where residents are expected to teach classes regularly (1 to 3 per week) and help develop new curriculum. Residents will also engage in placemaking projects, community events, and gallery work.

Category:

Manual & Physical Arts.

(Open to ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting, fibers, paper-crafting, metals, mixed media, etc. Digital artists are not eligible).

Eligibility:

  • Who: Artists working in physical media with a strong desire to teach. An MFA is common but not required (equivalent experience like apprenticeships or other residencies is considered).
  • Teaching Experience: Applicants should demonstrate a passion for teaching, previous teaching experience, and enthusiasm for teaching both adults and K-12 students.
  • International Applicants: May apply only if they already hold a visa that allows them to work in the US. Artists are hired as employees, and LUX cannot sponsor visa applications.

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Stipends (Unrestricted): A $400/month housing stipend and a $120/month materials stipend.
  • Hourly Wages: Residents earn $20/hour for teaching, gallery work, and event support, and $25/hour for after-school outreach classes. (LUX guarantees at least 15 paid hours per week if requested, allowing artists to earn around $21,240 annually before taxes when combining stipends and 15 hours/week).
  • Workspace: A free private studio space (90 – 140 sq. ft.) with 24-hour building access, plus access to extensive shared facilities (e.g., a ceramics center with 5 electric kilns, a gas reduction kiln, and a throwing studio).
  • Exhibition & Sales: A solo exhibition during the residency, plus the opportunity to sell work in the LUX Gallery Shop (earning a 60% commission).
  • Professional Development: Financial support to attend one conference per year (like NCECA for ceramists), plus discounts on artwork (30%) and classes (50%).

Application Fee & Program Costs:

  • Application Fee: Free.
  • Housing: Not provided. Residents are responsible for finding their own living arrangements (affordable options are available in the surrounding neighborhood).
  • Benefits: Medical insurance is not provided. Paid time off is accrued according to Nebraska state law.

Application Requirements:

Submit the following documents via the online form (max 5 MB per item):

  1. Resume / CV.
  2. Letter of Intent: Must address your professional goals and how LUX will help achieve them, interests you hope to explore, what aspects of the residency excite you most, and how LUX's community mission aligns with your future.
  3. Artist Statement: Must address the focus of your practice, what you hope to gain artistically at LUX, specific techniques/materials you use, and any specialized equipment you require.
  4. 10 Images: (Accepted formats: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, tif, pdf, doc, docx, avi, mov, mp3, wav).

How to Apply?

Submit your application via the official online form linked on the LUX Center website.

Key Dates:

  • Application Deadline: April 6, 2026. * Residency Term: Early August 2026 – End of July 2027 (1 year, with the possibility of extending for a second year).

Location:

Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Contact Information:

Email: andy@luxcenter.org (Andy, for AIR program questions)