Project Proposal: Developing a Residency Program

Background

Developing a 3 to 4 week Art residencey program for tertiary students

- What will be your program's unique niche?

- What educational approaches will best suit this program?

- ‘Why?’ Knowing what this program wants to achieve by offering a residency will enable us
to establish clear expectations for artists and prepare assessment criteria.

- This program will provide professional development and networking opportunities for
both visiting students and the host community, with opportunities through exchange of
ideas and new ways of working - Studio facilities

Planning Structure

1. Defining its purpose: The purpose of the residency program is to prepare our young
creative minds to step into the next stage art education and supporting students at an
early stage of their art practise.

2. What is on offer? : Studio facilities, accommodation, financial support, non-financial

support, and practicalities.

3. Establishing a timeline: 3 to 4 weeks program

4. Financial consideration: Will it be sustainable? Costs to consider, Additional funding, Will

you offer user-pay residencies.

5. Expectations of the artist:

 Education - learning specific techniques or skills, working with particular artists,

curators or scholars, conducting research in a particular place or institution
 Production - working on an individual creative project, working with specific technical
tools or facilities, making work for exhibition or performance
 Sabbatical - taking time away from the everyday, immersion in a new environment
and culture, finding new inspiration, creatively exploring an idea
 Collaboration - building networks, meeting local artists and/or other residency artists
working as a group to develop a project
 Project Proposal: Developing a Residency Program

6. Expectation on the artist:

 Residencies that are process orientated, residencies that are production orientated.
Each one of these models has its own purpose in relation to the artist, the artwork,
the local art context and the public.
 What are the expectations for artists to work on the premises? For instance, if a
facility is open to the public should the artist be at work in a studio on particular
days/times?
 Will artists need to create new work for exhibition or performance at the conclusion
of the residency?
 Is a period of sabbatical enough?
 Is a written report required at the conclusion of the residency? This might include the
applicant’s assessment of the residency and any outcomes. Such an evaluation may
be useful for annual reports or when acquitting funding.
 What outcomes can we record and measure? This may be useful when looking to
leverage future sponsorship or funding.
 Are community engagement outcomes envisaged?
 Will the residency connect artists with the local community? Artist residency can
present exciting engagement opportunities for artists and local communities.

7. Criteria and artist selection:

 How do we know if an artist is the right one? A suitable artist should be able to:
communicate their ideas clearly, provide strong examples of their work
 Present a curriculum vitae outlining their education and experience; and - provide
references or referees
 Who can apply? - Is the residency open to local students? International students?
 What art form(s) is the residency opportunity suited to or targeted at?
 Can two or more students who want to collaborate apply together? If so, how many
student-artists can be accommodated?
 Is there provision for family members or a partner of the Resident Artist during the
residency term?
 Project Proposal: Developing a Residency Program

8. Marketing and promotion Evaluating the program:

 Establishing a point of difference. Identifying a point of difference will help us when

promoting the artist residency. Think about what our organisation can offer that is
out of the ordinary.
 What makes our residency facility / location / opportunity special or unique? If we can
offer specialist facilities, a distinctive environment, or easy access and introductions
to institutions, then we can make that a selling point

9. Evaluating the Program:

Communication

 Clearly define the relationship between host organisation and visiting student-artist.
Prepare a handbook about our organisation with contact details and relevant
guidelines or studio policies.
 Have an initial meeting to induct artists, and ensure a shared understanding of the
artist’s goals and our expectations.
 Help resident student artists to get to know our community, if appropriate. Provide
information about the local environment and introduce them to peers and relevant
institutions.
 Have one point of contact within our staff for resident student artists.

Collaboration

 Work together to negotiate community engagement outcomes, and provide the

assistance necessary to make activities a success.
 Work together to create a timeline for expected project outcomes.

Flexibility

 Help the artist become accustomed to their new environment, which may be very
different from where they normally create.
 Embrace spontaneity, and recognise that important work can happen when you
welcome the unknown.

Artist focused

 During the artist residency, emphasise the creative process and experience rather
than the final product.
 Project Proposal: Developing a Residency Program

*END NOTES

Areas that could be addressed:

 Critical thinking/analysis/reflection
 Decision-making skills
 Fear of failure

This could aid to craft a niche area

Reference Notes:

Curating Lab - NUS Museum with the support of the NAC, this 9-month programme will see
participants embarking on a curatorial-intensive designed as a workshop, an overseas field trip,
internship assignments to contemporary spaces in Singapore, while being guided by the
programme’s facilitators and their internship mentors towards a final exhibition project.

NAC-NTU English Creative Writing Residency - Since 2011, NAC has partnered with Nanyang
Technological University (NTU)'s English Division to offer several residencies each year to
Singapore and international writers.

NAC-NTU Chinese Creative Writing Residency - NAC's partnership with the NTU Chinese Divison
has led to the development of a creative writing programme dedicated to helping students hone
their craft in Chinese creative writing.

* https://www.nac.gov.sg/singaporeartsscene/literaryarts/Creative-Writing-Residencies.html