Organizer Information
High Desert Test Sites (HDTS) is a nonprofit arts organization co-founded in 2002 by Andrea Zittel, Andy Stillpass, John Connelly, Shaun Regen, and Lisa Anne Auerbach, based at A-Z West, Zittel's roughly eighty-acre compound and artwork in Joshua Tree, California. The organization brings together artists, writers, and thinkers to create projects that engage the desert and its communities. Since its founding, HDTS has hosted more than 460 artists, staged 12 expansive site-specific programs, and produced 25 solo projects, and it took over stewardship of the A-Z West compound, including Zittel's former home and studio, guest cabins, and site-specific artworks, in the early 2020s. HDTS is known for its roving events featuring artworks installed across diverse desert locations, alongside performances, workshops, film screenings, publications, residencies, and community programs.
Title & Description
Work-Trade Residency — Spring 2027
The Work-Trade Residency is a program allowing participants to live at and become part of the A-Z West community in exchange for labor. Over 2–4 weeks, residents work 10–15 hours per week around the compound — assisting with grounds maintenance, general upkeep, and production in the ceramics studio, where A-Z West Containers (a key source of income for the site) are made. Residents are encouraged to continue their own individual projects during their stay and are provided small shipping-container studios for this purpose. With advance permission, all residents may also access the A-Z West weaving, wood, and ceramics studios.
Categories
- Residency
- Craft
- Ceramic
- Fiber/Textile Art
- Sculpture
- Site-specific
- Environment
Eligibility
- Open to individual applicants; collaborators may apply together if comfortable sharing a micro-apartment with one full-sized bed, and must complete one application form together, answering questions both collectively and individually
- No nationality restriction stated in the source
- Preferred qualifications: high competency in ceramics, weaving, groundskeeping/maintenance, photography, graphic design, carpentry, or light fabrication; comfort with manual labor; camping experience or comfort "roughing it"; cleanliness, organization, and attention to detail; ability to work both independently and with others
- Applicants must secure their own transportation; public transportation is not viable, and a car is required
Program Benefits & Awards
- Lodging in a micro-apartment (bed, desk, mini fridge, electric kettle) with access to a shared outdoor kitchen and outdoor shower
- Access to a small shipping-container studio near the micro-apartments for personal projects
- Access, with advance notice, to the ceramics, woodshop, and weaving studios (materials such as clay, yarn, or wood must be provided by the resident)
- No monetary stipend; compensation is in the form of lodging and studio access in exchange for 10–15 hours of work per week
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 September 2026
- Notification of Status: 15 October 2026
- Spring 2027 Residency Period: January 18 – May 29, 2027
- Fall Season (general window, future cycles): Applications due May 1, notification June 15; residency runs September 14 – December 14
Location
A-Z West, Joshua Tree, California, United States
Additional Details
- The organization does not accept late applications and does not accept or defer applications to future seasons — interested artists must apply during the open call for their desired season
- Weather at the site can be extreme: temperatures ranging from around 110°F to the 30s°F, with wind, occasional flooding, and snow
- Residents are typically grouped 2–3 at a time and will likely share work duties with another resident, with HDTS staff present, primarily on Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Source discrepancy: the residency's own FAQ document lists the Fall season application deadline as May 15, while the current webpage for this program lists the Fall deadline as May 1. Applicants should confirm the correct Fall deadline directly with HDTS before relying on either date.