PlySpace is an artist-in-residence program in Muncie, Indiana, that is dedicated to offering visual artists, writers, performers, designers, and other creative individuals time and space to investigate and pursue their own practices. Additionally, it serves as a platform for experimentation and provocation by catalyzing conversation and collaboration with various Muncie communities. PlySpace facilitates opportunities for residents to engage with the public through partnership and programming that is tailored to their area of interest. PlySpace is funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Muncie Arts and Culture Council is the designated Arts Partner for the City of Muncie. As Arts Partner, they assist with municipal initiatives where art integration can benefit Economic Development and Quality of Place. As an arts alliance, they build community among artists and arts organizations and serve as a resource for professional growth and opportunity.

Eligibility
PlySpace is pleased to support practitioners in a variety of creative fields and facilitate access to a wide range of media-specific equipment and facility accommodations. They encourage applications from disciplines including, but not limited, to painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, glass, metals, ceramics, performance, photography, video/film, time-based media, writing, poetry, theatre, non-object based practice, and social practice.

PlySpace welcomes both emerging and established artists and creatives from a variety of disciplines. Applicants should be dedicated practitioners in their field and able to work safely and independently for the entire residency period to which they are assigned. Applicants should not be enrolled in a degree-granting program at the time of application and must be over 21 years of age. In order to expand and complement the creative resources available within the city of Muncie, Indiana, admission preference will be given to applicants who live and work outside of Delaware County, Indiana. Applicants can submit one application per term.

PlySpace encourages artists and creatives of all backgrounds to apply for admission. PlySpace does not discriminate in its programs and activities against anyone on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, disability, HIV status, or veteran status.

All residents will have provisional access to the Ball State University College of Fine Art facilities, with 24-hour access to personal studio spaces. While exploring their personal creative practice, each resident is also expected to work with a community collaborative partner and complete a community-based project while in residence. This experience is meant to benefit the resident as well as the community of Muncie. The community project proposal is part of the application process, and projects should take up 5-10 hours of time per week in residence, though some residents wish to focus on their community project while in residence. For detailed information about the community collaboration aspect of the program, please see the website (www.plyspace.org).

PlySpace Residents and PlySpace Resident Fellows
Selected residents will be offered one of two types of residency: a position as a PlySpace Resident or as a PlySpace Resident Fellow. The type of residency offered will be determined by the Admissions Panel and Final Selection Committee during the admissions process and will be based on the application quality and the proposed length of stay. All residencies include living space, studio space, a $1000 living and travel stipend. Resident Fellows are eligible for an additional $2000 supply and project funding, and will work directly with Ball State University as a community partner. Please refer to the website for more information about the residency types.

PlySpace can accommodate 3-5 artists per term. Residency terms are a minimum of 4 weeks to a maximum of 12, beginning on September 1, 2022 and ending on November 30, 2022. Residents are free to negotiate their length of stay, start dates, and end dates within this block of time. Resident Fellows must plan a stay of no fewer than 9 weeks.

Collective teams of 2-3 individuals can be accommodated and are encouraged to apply. Please submit a combined application and portfolio detailing work that you have produced as a team. PlySpace can admit one collective group for any single residency term. If you require anything other than separate living space and shared studio space, you should indicate this in your proposal. They will assume that collaborative groups will need separate spaces for living. Unfortunately, they can only offer one studio space per application, so collective groups will need to share a single studio.

There is no cost for lodging or studio space with the PlySpace Residency Program. Residents are expected to arrange their own travel and provide their own meals, supplies, and other personal expenses. PlySpace will arrange activities, dinners, and other events to complement the resident’s experience.

For detailed information about the PlySpace Residency Program, community collaborations, application instructions and guidelines, and frequently asked questions, please see the website at www.plyspace.org.