UMS Flint Artist in Residence Program

Call for Flint-based Artists

Ash Arder, 2021-2023 UMS Flint Artist in Residence. Photo Credit: My Proulx

UMS in collaboration with the UM-Flint Arts + Culture Research Cluster, is seeking a Flint-area artist to engage in a residency on the campus of U-M Flint and throughout Southeastern Michigan during the 2023-2024 academic year.

This residency seeks to bring artists to UM-Flint to center the creation of art in the campus experience. Through this residency, UMS and UMF seek to:

• Support an artist in developing new work in Flint
• Share the artistic creative practice with UM-Flint students, faculty, and staff
• Forge interdisciplinary connections between the artist’s practice and various academic units on campus
• Provide opportunities for interaction and exchange between UM-Flint and the wider community of Flint-area artists and residents

What will an artist get out of this experience?

The selected artist will receive money and resources to create. They will be compensated $10,000 for this residency and have an additional budget of up to $10,000 to spend on artistic materials, collaborators, or other expenses necessary to execute the work. Through the University of Michigan and UMS, the artist will have access to a variety of resources to support the development of their work. View a list of potential resources you could take advantage of during this residency (all resources are pending availability, University staff will work with you to see what is possible)

What does it mean to be in residence?

It changes every year depending on what the artist’s work and interests are. The program is continually shaped in conversation with the artist.

The selected artist will come to campus several times throughout the academic year to create new work and share it with people on campus and in the area. The residency will culminate in a public sharing of the work. This could be a performance, art show, screening, etc. The sharing event need not be of a complete or finished work. We will work with the artist to figure out how this process can best be shared with the public.

The artist will also participate in campus and community engagement activities. These engagements will be developed in conversation with the artist to ensure they are mutually beneficial. These could take the form of classroom visits, performances, open studio sessions, working with a student group or club, etc.

Tunde Olaniran, 2019-2020 UMS Research Residency Artist. Photo Credit: Steven Piper

Eligibility

• In order to apply you must be an artist from, previously, or currently residing in Genesee County
• You must be available to visit U-M Flint at various periods throughout the academic year
• Past U-M students, faculty, and staff are welcome to apply, however, in an effort to share our resources with those who have limited access, the program will not consider applications from those currently in the U-M System (student, faculty, or staff)
• Artists from a variety of disciplines are welcome to apply, including: Art, Dance, Design, Film/Video, Multimedia Arts, Music, Poetry, Photography, Street Art, Spoken Word, Theater, etc.
• Click “apply now” to access the application, which involves short answer questions about your artistic practice and asks for 1-3 examples of artistic works.

Timeline

The academic year runs from August 28th, 2023 to April 17th, 2024. The artist in residence will commit to at least one period of residency in the Fall 2023 semester (1-3 days) and one period in the Winter 2024 semester (1-2 weeks) for the creation of the work and accompanying engagement activities. Additionally, the artist will participate in planning meetings with UMS and U-M Flint staff. More campus visits can be scheduled to best support the artist in the development of their work, and achieve campus engagement goals. We are flexible in the frequency and length of visits depending onthe artist’s needs.

After completing the first year of residency, the artist may renew for a second year in residence, if deemed mutually beneficial for all parties.

What’s the history of this residency?

This residency program began in 2016 (previously under the name “Research Residency” which was centered on the Ann Arbor campus.) This is our first year collaborating with UM-Flint. You can learn more about previous resident artists here:

• 21/22-22/23: Ash Arder with mid-residency exhibition
• 20/21: Sacramento Knoxx
• 19/20: Tunde Olaniran with mid-residency update
• 18/19: Omar Offendum
• 17/18: Jillian Walker
• 16/17: Applied Mechanics

Questions on the program or the application?

Maddy Wildman, UMS University Programs Manager, is happy to answer questions. She is also available for individual consultation on your application. You can reach her at mwildman@umich.edu.

Funded in part by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.