Organizer Information
The Watermill Center is a renowned interdisciplinary laboratory for the arts and humanities, founded in 1992 by the avant-garde visionary, theatre, and visual artist Robert Wilson. Situated on ten acres of ancestral territory on Long Island’s East End in Water Mill, New York, the Center is operated by the Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation. Its core mission is to foster new approaches to artistic creation, providing a supportive environment where artists can explore, collaborate, and transcend traditional boundaries of practice. The organization integrates contemporary artistic experimentation with resources from the humanities and research from the sciences, offering a global community of emerging and established artists the dedicated time, space, and intellectual freedom necessary to create and inspire. The Center also houses Robert Wilson’s extensive art collection and archive, which serve as sources of inspiration and scholarly research for residents.
Title & Description
The Watermill Center Artist Residency Program (ARP)
The Watermill Center's Artist Residency Program is a distinguished opportunity for collectives and individual artists to live and develop new or existing works in a unique, communal, and experimental environment. The program, which formally began in 2006, is fundamentally process-based, meaning there is no inherent expectation or promise of a final, public exhibition of the work developed. This critical feature allows artists the liberty to deeply focus on research, experimentation, and critical investigation, challenging and extending the existing norms of their artistic practice without the pressure of a product-driven outcome. The residency is highly focused on supporting the generative stage of creation.
The experience at Watermill is designed to be highly immersive and collaborative. The residency runs year-round, hosting multiple artists and groups concurrently (typically 2–4 residencies involving 3–15 artists on-site at any given time). This structure is integral to Watermill’s philosophy, which encourages artists to live and work alongside their peers, exchanging ideas, sharing practices, and collaborating in a supportive laboratory setting. The Center’s expansive facilities—encompassing 20,000 square feet of rehearsal/design spaces, outdoor stages, and ten acres of landscaped grounds and sculpture gardens—provide a flexible, multi-purpose landscape for creation across all mediums.
Artists-in-Residence are required to participate in the "In Process @ The Watermill Center" program. This involves sharing their creative journey with the broader community, which can take the form of open rehearsals, workshops, studio visits, lectures, or artist talks. This engagement is a vital component, connecting the artists’ intensive creative work with the public and facilitating dialogue around the development of contemporary art. The Center also emphasizes utilizing its extensive resources, including the Library of Inspiration, a theater production archive, and The Watermill Collection—a vast assortment of objects, textiles, and visual artworks—as catalysts for creative thought and interdisciplinary exploration. The goal is to provide an uninterrupted, resource-rich period for deep professional development and artistic breakthrough, fostering an environment where challenging and boundary-pushing work can truly flourish.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Video / Film / Media/New Genre
- Literature / Writing
- Architecture
- Performance / Theater / Dance
- Music Composition
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Textile Art (as part of Visual or Interdisciplinary Arts)
Eligibility
- National and International Artists are welcome to apply.
- Applicants must be 21 years of age or older.
- Watermill Alumni are allowed to reapply after a one-year hiatus from the program.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Stipend: A modest stipend is provided to offset living expenses (additional details provided upon acceptance).
- Housing & Accommodation: Housing is provided, typically in double-occupancy rooms with ensuite bathrooms, and includes access to communal kitchen and living spaces.
- Workspace: Access to 20,000 square feet of rehearsal/design spaces, outdoor stages, and various indoor/outdoor workspaces.
- Resources: Access to The Watermill Center Collection, the Library of Inspiration, a theater production archive, and ten acres of grounds.
- Local Transportation: Provided by The Watermill Center.
- Grant Support: The Center can supply signed letters of support for outside funding and, in some cases, offer advice on potential funders to underwrite or assist the residency.
Application Fee
A $12 USD application fee is required
Application Requirements
- Completed application submitted via the online portal (SlideRoom).
- Project Proposal: All artists are asked to submit a project proposal detailing the work or research to be conducted during the residency.
- CV/Resume (required, especially for alumni).
- Work Samples/Portfolio: Media uploads and attachments as guided by the SlideRoom portal.
- Personal Information (via application form).
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 14 January 2026
- Residency Period: Residencies generally last between 2 and 6 weeks.
Location
Water Mill (Long Island), NY, United States
Additional Details
The residency is a communal experience, requiring artists to live and work with others on-site. While the Center covers accommodation, artists are responsible for their own living expenses (such as food), travel costs to and from Watermill, and production expenses (art materials, supplies, equipment rentals) during the course of the residency. Participation in community engagement (e.g., open studios/talks) is mandatory.