About the Open Call

Over two to eight weeks, the artist in residence will work alongside students in College of DuPage’s visual arts and design programs—from ceramics and sculpture to photography and fashion—to produce new work that bridges their professional practice with hands-on learning. The residency emphasizes sustained mentorship, giving students real experience participating in an artist’s creative process while providing the artist with time, space and funding to develop a personal project. Interdisciplinary connections across other fields of study are encouraged. Successful applicants will develop a concrete plan for meaningful student engagement—whether through collaborative making, skill-building workshops, or sustained mentorship—that gives students direct experience working within a professional artist’s practice. The residency includes an introductory artist lecture within the first week and concludes with a public event, exhibition or presentation of work created during the residency. Each residency lasts two to eight weeks and includes an introductory artist lecture within the first week and a public event, exhibition, or presentation of work at its conclusion. We don't provide private studio space or housing, but we do offer access to state-of-the-art facilities across our art and design studios and can work with you to accommodate project needs. Studio Highlights include: Painting and Drawing, Sculpture (Full woodshop, plaster room), FabLab (CNC router, 3D printers, laser engraver), Printmaking (intaglio, litho, screen, relief, papermaking), Ceramics (electric kilns, gas kilns, raw materials lab, outdoor kiln yard), Small Metals (jewelry, metalsmithing studio, casting, enameling, laser welder), Moving Image (Projectors, Immersive Visualization Lab, camera equipment), Photography (Photo Equipment, Digital Editing /Printing Lab, Digital Large Format printers, Silver Gelatin Darkroom, Alt Process Darkroom), Fashion (Industrial sewing machines, embroidery, quilting, table knitting, weaving looms, laser cutter, fabric printer), Interior Design (Material library, 3D Printer, lighting booths, Adobe and AutoDesk software), Architecture (studio spaces, drafting tables, Construction Lab shop with woodshop, laser engraver).

What is Offered

Up to $3,500 stipend, time, space, and funding to develop a personal project, sustained mentorship, and access to state-of-the-art facilities.

Requirements

The residency is open to individual artists and collectives of up to three members working in any medium. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S., as we are unable to sponsor visas. College of DuPage employees are not eligible to apply.

How to Apply

The application is released yearly in December. Applicants need to submit: Detailed project proposal explaining student engagement (minimum six hours) through workshops, studio visits, collaborations, or hands-on activities. Timeline and budget (up to $3,500). Specifics about which studio areas or classes align with the project. Portfolio (10-20 images or up to 5 minutes of video/sound work). CV, biography and artist statement. Apply via the provided Google Forms link.