Art Students League of Denver
Art Students League of Denver
The Art Students League of Denver is a nonprofit visual arts organization that empowers people to experience the joy of art in their own way. Through visual arts education, exhibits, events, and visiting artist/artist residency programs, we connect our local community to a global network of creativity.
The Color Scheme Residency is a facet of ASLD's Visiting Artist Series, born of the recognition that many artists have historically been excluded from formal art spaces, including artist residencies. Building on this knowledge, ASLD’s Color Scheme Residency seeks to take an active role in creating a Colorado arts community that uplifts and engages with historically underrepresented communities. Selected artists will be reflective of the arts community at large and open to participating in activities (workshops, exhibits, community conversations) that address specific themes and issues affecting historically underrepresented artists and communities. Each 7-month-long residency offers the artist access to dedicated studio space at ASLD; the opportunity to lead workshops, lectures, and community engagement programs; a monthly stipend; and culminates with an exhibition of work created throughout the residency (this may be a solo or group exhibition, as determined by the artist).
Each residency is tailored to the artist’s expertise and discipline.
ASLD expects the resident artist to engage with the ASLD community throughout their residency by offering open studio hours, workshops, and community engagement programming (roughly 6 programs total throughout the 7 month residency), and to create a body of work that can be displayed during the solo exhibition at the end of their residency.
As far as resident outcomes, ASLD hopes that this provides the artist ample time and resources to create while also engaging with the Denver arts community. Previous resident artists have suggested that the 7-month-long residency allowed them to complete work that otherwise would've taken them years to complete. Our hope is to offer artists what they need (space, paid time) in exchange for interacting with the Denver arts community.
While artists of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, the residency focuses on artists who've been historically excluded from opportunities in the art world (such as residencies).
Selected artists are responsible for securing their own housing, although ASLD staff is happy to help with neighborhood suggestions etc. ASLD provides a stipend intended to cover housing and art supplies for the duration of the residency.
Studio is a private studio at ASLD, approximately 900 square feet and includes a sink and large working table - artists are invited to fill it with other items of their choice as needed, and stipend can be used for supplies/equipment. Resident artists have 24 hour access to the building, which is a historic former elementary school in the Speer neighborhood of Denver.
ASLD offers a broad range of visual art media and is therefore well-equipped to welcome many different kinds of artists. The main media of past residents include ceramics, photography, oil painting, papel picado (cut paper), and multimedia sculpture. ASLD has electric, gas, and raku kilns; several printing presses; painting easels, drawing horses, etc. that residents have access to.