Photography & Collage Virtual Artist Residency

About the Open Call

For the past 18 months, Kolaj Institute has investigated the intersection of photography and collage through a series of exhibitions and artist residencies in partnership with the New Orleans Photo Alliance. This research has been guided by the idea, “The mediums of collage and photography are bound together in an ongoing dialogue. The photographer makes pictures of the world. The collagist remixes those pictures to tell a story about the world we live in. What happens when the photographer begins collaging their own work? What happens when the collage artist picks up the camera?” We found artists engaged in a variety of techniques and approaches: collage as process; making art with family archives and found photographs; using alternative processes like cyanotypes and Gelli print transfers; and challenging how we think about images in a world flooded with them. In doing this, the artists invited viewers to consider questions of identity and gender; family and memory; the materiality of photography; and history and artist process. The Photography & Collage Virtual Artist Residency will invite photographers and collage artists to come together in dialogue, learn from one another, and make artwork for a series of exhibitions that explore the intersection of collage and photography. Unfolding in two tracks over the course of a month, we will ask, What happens when a collagist picks up the camera? What happens when a photographer collages their pictures? Presentations will explore collage in theory, artist practice, the ecosystem of art, the state of photography, and the history of photography and collage. Artists will shoot with their own camera, in whatever process they choose (film & develop or digital & print), and then make collage with the photographs they make.

What is Offered

Artists will make an artwork to be exhibited at Kolaj Institute’s Gallery in December 2025 as part of PhotoNOLA 2025. This opportunity includes dialogue, learning, and making artwork. Limited grants are available to offset the residency cost for those in need.

Requirements

Intended for artists with a practice of collage and/or photography who want to explore the intersections of the two mediums. Open to any artist over the age of 21 from anywhere in the world. Artists are expected to attend all scheduled sessions and complete assignments.

How to Apply

Submit your application HERE. The submission process asks applicants for: Contact information, Artist Bio (50-250 words), Statement of Artist Practice (50-300 words), 5-7 images of artwork, Statement of expectations, and questions about your work and needs.