10 reasons why you should apply for an artist residency

Studio view, Vashon Island artist residency, Seattle

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to escape from the day to day juggling act that is ordinary life, and stay in a place where the only thing that matters is your creative practice?

I am recently returned from a residency at Vashon Island, near Seattle, where I had just such an experience for a whole three and a half weeks. To say that I had a wonderful time would be an understatement. It was refreshing and revitalising in so many ways.

Many people wonder what an artist residency actually is. I would describe it as time spent in a new place, focussing on your art, in a supportive environment without the day to day distractions of normal daily life. It might just be for a week, or it could be much longer. Some residencies are free, and others are paid, often with the option to apply for a grant to support the time away.

So why should you do this? Is it worth your time and money?

I will give you 10 reasons why you will find it worthwhile. If not more......

​

The garden, Vashon Island artist residency.

• It is a chance to go somewhere completely new in which to work on your art practice. Being in a new environment, often surrounded by nature, can allow a period of emotional recharging and energising. While at Vashon I had the opportunity to walk, swim, cycle and kayak; all of which allowed me to explore the area and appreciate the wildlife and the ocean around the area.
•  The absence of distractions creates the opportunity to work really effectively on your art practice​. I settled into a routine of writing a daily diary on a wonderful old typewriter, and then settling down to explore different mediums and experiment with the wet cyanotype process in a place where I had space to make a mess, and sinks outdoors to wash my prints. 

A Royal typewriter, on which I made my daily record of my activities and thoughts.

• it is an opportunity to try new things and get out of a creative rut. In a residency you are free to reinvent yourself as you choose; I never for a moment imagined that I would end up making prints with supermarket paper bags. In this supportive environment I felt able to experiment without judgement. Using materials that I found around me felt liberating and fun.
• you may have a project that you are struggling to start or complete. The uninterrupted time away is a great opportunity to focus. I was at Vashon with a writer who wrote the whole first draft of a novel; something she felt she could not have achieved in such a a short time at home.
• you will meet and exchange ideas with other artists, often in different fields of art. This is a chance to connect with like minded individuals with whom it is possible to make great bonds. The generosity of the hosts at Vashon was quite overwhelming. Nothing was too much trouble. 

cyanotype print on a paper bag

• some residencies ask for involvement with the local community. This is your chance to share your work with a new audience, and maybe to offer a workshop that shares your skills. 
• you can eat whatever you choose whilst away! No one else's dietary wants or needs are being catered for...... although you may also enjoy some tasty shared meals, and some residencies even provide meals. 
• you have very few chores to do. I was on compost bin and sun-umbrella duty; not exactly onerous!
• you will be amazed how much you can achieve in the time available. I gradually filled the walls of my studio space with all of my ideas. Starting with blank walls and an empty space made me really appreciate how much of my studio in Rye is taken up with storage, and how much more adventurous I could be with a larger space. 

room to move in my studio at Vashon Island artist residency

• the facilities are often better that back at home. I had a walk of just 10 yards from the house to my studio, two large tables and lots of floor space.
• you will come home full of new ideas and plans. I explored barnacles on the shore, dandelion seed heads, cyanotype, printing with inks, writing and video, sewing on paper and making small books with some of my rejects. Each of these has the potential to be developed further  on my return.
• you will find out quite a lot about yourself! ​There was a lot of time to reflect on how I spend my time, and what I wanted to achieve on my return. Keeping a record of my thoughts and activities will be invaluable when I return home. 

dandelion seed head© caroline fraser 2023

​That feels like enough reasons for now.
Here's a little book that I made in my first few days when I was still finding my feet.

​

Do's and Don'ts of being an artist in residence

If you are tempted, then here are some good websites to get you started.

Res Artis- worldwide network of artist residencies

Artjobs - search for residencies here 

Transartists 

And don't forget to follow the hashtags #artistresidency and #artistresidencies on Instagram.

​Feel free to contact me if you would like to know more or if you have any good tips.