The Studios of Key West, the premier arts organization at the Southernmost Point of the United States, offers a residency program for emerging and established artists and writers from around the world. They provide residencies to visual artists, writers, composers, musicians, media artists, performers, and interdisciplinary artists. The Studios of Key West’s mission is to support artists, inspire creativity and build community.

The Peyton Evans Artist Residency (PEAR) program grants nearly 40 artists each year the time and space to imagine new artistic work, engage in valuable dialogue and explore island connections. The PEAR Program is community-based and built upon the hope that visiting artists will take inspiration from Key West’s rich artistic past and present, and will engage with — and be inspired by — the remarkable people and culture that surrounds them. Key West’s official motto, “One Human Family” reflects their commitment to living together as caring, sharing neighbors dedicated to making their home as close to paradise as they can. To that end, they encourage artists of all races, nationalities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities to apply.

The Studios of Key West was founded in 2006 with the initial inspiration of simply providing space for artists to live and work, thereby drawing creative people to our island and enriching the lives of all who live here. In those earliest days, our founder Peyton Evans gathered fourteen of Key West’s most successful artists and writers and arranged for them to participate in artist residency programs throughout the country, then return to help them craft own program combining the best of what they’d seen and learned. Hundreds of writers and artists have since come to Key West through the PEAR Program, many returning and several relocating permanently. Each has benefited from the island’s unique character, and left something of themselves behind. The PEAR Program celebrates the spirit of exploration with which it was founded, the artists it was established to serve, and the vision, wisdom and generosity of the woman for whom it’s named.

Residencies run from the 2nd day of the month to the last day of the month. For example: if you are awarded a residency in June, you would plan to arrive on June 2, and would plan to depart by June 30.

Arrival: The Studios asks incoming residents to time their arrival between 1pm and 8pm. If you arrival is earlier in the day, they will help store your luggage until you get settled in.

Departure: You should be packed and ready to leave by 10am on the last day of the month, which is the time the cleaning service arrives to prepare your space for the next artist. If your departure is later in the day, they can store your luggage until your departure.