Creative Residency 2020

2020/21 Creative Residency Artists 

Katya Popova

Katya Popova is multidisciplinary artist, working at the intersection of physical texture, shadow, and sound. Her works explore what could have been by tracing the physical gestures and material qualities of everyday things. She often works in collaboration with sound artists.
Her installations have been exhibited locally and internationally.
Katya is a graduate from Rhode Island School of Design with BFA and received MA at Boston University. Presently she teaches courses on Visual Art at the New England Conservatory.
https://popova.space/
 

Georden West

Georden West (pronouns: they, them) is a time-based artist. They approach material and sartorial culture as inherently queer, using media and installation to evolve visualization of erased LGBTQ+ histories as they relate to the symbolic dimension of social objects.
Georden’s thesis premiered at Outfest and won gold in the Alternative/Experimental category at the 2019 Student Academy Awards, qualifying for an Oscar for Live Action Short. Their films featuring the designs of Jamall Osterholm have screened in museums and at festivals around the world.
Georden was an Emerson Fellow, receiving their MFA from Emerson College where they now teach cinematography in the Visual & Media Arts department. Since November 2020, Georden has served as director of BLAA (Boston LGBTQIA+ Artist Alliance).
https://geordenewest.com/

Darnell “Snoopy” Brown

Angela Cole and Ellen Oliver

 

Creative Residency Program Details

Studio@550 is proud to announce Creative Residency 2020.  550’s Creative Residency is a three-month artistic residency in which selected artists are awarded space, resources, and guidance at the Studio to develop their work.  The aim of the Creative Residency is to meet working artists where they are, and to help support them with the resources they need to develop their work further.  The space usage included in the residencies could include: rehearsal, classes, performances/events, community engagements, or something else.

Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply.  Studio@550 is dedicated to individual disciplines and spaces where those disciplines intersect. 

Examples for the use of the residency:

This residency aims to meet artists where they are in the development of their work and provide space support as the artists see fit.  The objective of the residency is to reduce the financial burden of space rental so that the artists can spend more time in the development of their work. Examples of possible creative residency options include: A dance group or company who has a 2 hour open company class followed by a 2 hour rehearsal every week; A burgeoning curator runs 2-4 curated performances; A visual artist could use the space to hold figure drawing sessions in collaboration with a theatre, movement, or somatic artist; An artist who works with social engagement can use the space to hold community meetings to discuss issues in their community and how art can have impact.  At the end of each residency round of 3 months (2 of the 4 artists having completed), there will be a celebration where all artists will be invited to show the work they are doing.  Date TBA

Awarded artists will receive:

  • $900 worth of space rental (which is approximately 52 hours of rehearsal, 3 of performances (in 5 hour blocks), 26 hours of classes or workshops)
  • A yearly membership to Studio@550 (a $55 value)
  • Resource sharing with the Studio in forms of mentorship, networking, and/or professional development components.
  • Use of the Studio’s publicity platforms to showcase their work in process, during their residency, and at the completion of their residency
  • Performance or showcase of the resident artists


Criteria

Artists will be selected by a discipline-diverse panel of professional working artists.  In their review, they will be asked to look at the following:

  • Artistic quality
  • Discipline (we aim to make sure that the three selected artists will be of different disciplines)
  • How the work will effectively use the Studio and/or its network / feasibility
  • How the artists work reflects on the mission of Studio@550 in a positive and uplifting way
  • How the artists and their work pushes boundaries within the context of the ever shifting art scene in the greater Boston area (and beyond)
  • Community engagement

 

Eligibility

  • Artists must be a practicing working artist residing within 100 miles of Cambridge, MA and able to secure housing/transportation to the Studio.
  • Artist must be able to use at a minimum $700/$900 of the space credit within the 3 month time period
  • Artists’ work must be compatible with Studio@550’s space (if you have questions, please write: callie@studioat550.org). 
  • Although current teachers may apply, work within the residency must be outside of already scheduled class time.
  • Artists must be able to schedule their time within the confines of the existing schedule (there are a few ‘held’ spots in the morning marked as ‘550 program’ which can be used for the residency). Check the calendar here: https://studioat550.org/book-space/
  • All artists of various disciplines are encouraged to apply (just because we have a dance floor, does not mean you need to be a dance artist).


Residency dates are as follows:

April 1 – June 30
July 1 – September 30
October 1 – December 31

Dates

Application will be available February 1, 2020 and due March 3, 2020.  Awarded artists will be notified March 9, 2020.

Apply

 

This program is supported in part by a grant from Cambridge Arts, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.