Organizer Information
Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is a non-profit educational retreat center located in Rhinebeck, New York. Founded in 1977 by Eastern scholar Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, holistic medical doctor Stephan Rechtschaffen, and educator Elizabeth Lesser, Omega was conceived as a university for lifelong learning. The institute now offers classes to over 25,000 people a year at its campus in Rhinebeck. Its curriculum spans body, mind, and spirit; health and healing; creative expression; relationships and family; leadership and work; and sustainable living, and it is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Omega has recently expanded its arts programming through new residencies, exhibitions, and permanent campus installations, supported by a grant from Towanda Foundation matched by the Women Moving Millions Art Catalyst Matching Fund. The Art Catalyst Matching Fund is a Women Moving Millions initiative at the intersection of art, gender equality, and democracy, made possible by a $10 million investment from WMM member Maja Kristin, intended to match new philanthropic commitments and unlock a total of $20 million for women artists across disciplines.
Title & Description
Women in Healing Arts Residency — 2026 Invitation to Apply
This is Omega Institute's first Women in Healing Arts Residency, an individual artist's retreat offered in 2-week or 4-week sessions on Omega's Rhinebeck campus. The program is aimed at emerging and mid-career visual artists who identify as women, combining dedicated creative time with financial support and visibility. The residency is structured around rest, reflection, and artistic exploration, pairing studio time with Omega's broader offerings in movement, meditation, and community life. This is the inaugural year of the program, and selected artists will help shape its future editions.
Categories
- Residency
- Visual Arts
Eligibility
- Open to emerging and mid-career visual artists
- Applicants must identify as women
- Individual artist retreat (not open to groups or organizations)
- No nationality or country-of-residence restriction is stated in the source
Program Benefits & Awards
- Artist's stipend, inclusive of travel: $5,000 (2-week residency) or $10,000 (4-week residency)
- Allowance for art materials: $1,000 (2-week residency) or $2,000 (4-week residency)
- Private residential room in a shared cabin with an adjacent private studio
- Three farm-to-table meals per day
- Daily open classes in movement and meditation
- Access to gardens, nature trails, and waterfront across Omega's 250-acre campus
- Access to the Omega Café, Bookstore, Sanctuary, Ram Dass Library, and Omega Center for Sustainable Living
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 16 August 2026
- Notification of Status: 31 August 2026
- 2-week residency: September 27 – October 11, 2026
- 2-week residency (alternate session): October 11 – 25, 2026
- 4-week residency: September 27 – October 25, 2026
Location
Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York, United States
Additional Details
This is the inaugural year of the program. Applicants who are not selected are welcome to apply to future cycles, including 2027. Selected artists are described as participating in a foundational moment for the residency and are invited to help shape its future direction. Omega may photograph or film artists and works in progress for documentation and promotional purposes, and residents are invited, where appropriate to their practice, to engage informally with the Omega community.