The Artist Residency Program is designed to offer time and space for craft artists to focus on their creative work and interact with the public. The program supports emerging, mid-career, and established artists working in all craft media, including but not limited to clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and mixed media.

Museum visitors have the unique opportunity to visit the artists’ studios and watch the artists at work. Interacting with the resident artists is a great way to learn about a range of craft processes and techniques. In turn, the artists receive a unique opportunity to gain exposure, make connections with the Houston community, and help educate the public about craft. A juried selection is held annually to award five artists a three-to-twelve-month residency.

Applicants must be able to fulfill a program requirement of working in their studios for two days per week during HCCC public hours. All resident artists are required to open their studios to public interaction on Saturdays and one other day of the week (TBD), as well as during exhibition openings and specific educational programs on the evenings and weekends. Applicants should consider the public-facing nature of the residencies and the fact that a major goal of the program is to provide visitors with an opportunity to explore contemporary craft through engaging with working artists.

Benefits of the residency include 24/7 access to studio space, cultural and professional development opportunities, a monthly stipend that includes a small housing/materials allowance, and the opportunity to give an artist talk. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public hours are currently Thursday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. By this fall, public hours are expected to be Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Juried selection is based on quality of creative work, ability to interact with the public, career direction, and program diversity. Accepted artists will be notified via e-mail in April.

• Five-to-10 residencies awarded
• Residencies available in three-, six-, nine-, and 12-month time periods
• Residency cycle begins in September and ends in August
• Residency start dates and length determined by program review panel
• $1000 monthly stipend that includes a housing/materials allowance
• 24/7 access to 200-square-foot studio equipped with sinks, telephones, and wireless Internet access
• Ceramic artists have access to an octagonal electric kiln located in an outdoor kiln shed.

Wide variety of resources and opportunities, including teaching opportunities through HCCC and collaborative works with fellow residents

• Ongoing professional development and enrichment opportunities with local museums, art professionals, and collectors
• During the residency, artists have the opportunity to participate in a joint artist talk and display work outside their studios in collaboration with the Windgate Foundation Curatorial Fellow.
• Upon completion of the residency, artists have the opportunity to show work in the annual In Residence exhibition at HCCC.
• Additional opportunities, such as discussions with curators and gallery owners, exposure at HCCC events, and interactions with visiting art professionals.

Interdisciplinary Craft + Photography Artist Residency offered by Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and Houston Center for Photography: The Interdisciplinary Craft + Photography (ICP) Artist Residency is designed for artists creating work at the intersection of contemporary craft and photography. This three-month residency supports artists with an experimental, multidisciplinary edge, who are testing the boundaries within both fields. ICP residents will be hosted in a studio space at HCCC and will receive all the benefits of regular HCCC resident artists. In addition, from HCP, they will receive printing credits and access to the digital lab. Artists will participate in a joint artist talk and will be included in HCCC’s annual In Residence exhibition, as well as receive a feature in HCP’s spot magazine.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate and address how their practice engages the fields of both craft and photography.