The Dougherty Arts Center is now accepting applications for both established and emerging artists in ceramics for the Ceramic Artist Residency Program. 

The deadline to apply is Friday, September 5, 2025 at 11:59pm. 

The Dougherty Arts Center’s Ceramic Artist Residency Program strives to provide visual artists with the space, facilities, time, and professional interaction that will foster their ideas, skills, abilities, and focus as practicing artists. This is a work exchange program where resident artists are expected to create outreach opportunities within the community such as teaching workshops, giving public presentations, critiques, and monitoring the DAC independent study program and open studio hours. 

Program Goals: 

• Support ceramic artists in developing their body of artwork as well as a career in the arts through opportunities for education, exhibition, and leadership. 
• Support the visual arts as an integral component of a vibrant community and thriving economy. 
• Forge and sustain partnerships and creative collaborations within the community. 
• Foster sustainable growth and development of the creative community. 
• Enhance the presentation of, and diversity within, emerging and established ceramic artists in Austin. 

Applications are submitted online, through the DAC’s submittable platform. Applicants are also required to submit the following:

• Artist Résumé (maximum of two pages, formatted as a PDF) 
• Ten Digital Images of your work including the title, medium, size, and date 
• Two Letters of Recommendation (Your references’ email addresses are all that is needed for your application. Submittable will send them a link to upload a reference letter) 

There are two levels of the Ceramic Artist Residency: Emerging Artist and Established Artist. 

Emerging Artist - Emerging Artist Residencies are available to promising artists in their foundational years that are committed to advancing their own work and exploring a potential professional career. We encourage applicants who would like to make art and creativity a continuing part of their lives, even if they have not pursued it in a post-secondary institutional setting. 

Emerging Artist Eligibility: 

• Applicants must be visual artists over 18 years old who live in the Austin area (within Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis or Williamson counties). 
• Applicants may not be a current City of Austin employee, contractor, or vendor; or become one during the residency. 
• Applicant should understand general ceramic processes and terminology. 
• Applicant should have some experience working in a ceramic studio setting. 

A college degree is not required to apply as an emerging artist.

Established Artist- Established Artist Residencies are those who have already proven their abilities and are at a career stage that is beyond emerging. Ideal applicants have experience with studio operations, have developed a body of work and need the time and space to further develop as a professional artist, and have a desire to share their knowledge with the community. 

In addition to the Emerging Artist eligibility requirements, the following are the preferred qualifications for an Established Artist Residency: 

• Applicant has received a college degree within the field of application. 
• Applicant has experience with studio operations within field of application (loading/firing kilns, etc.). 
• Applicant has previous experience with leading workshops or classes. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Applications will be reviewed according to the below criteria. Each of the submitted items will be reviewed and used to score the criteria on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = lowest score, 10 = highest score). The following four criteria points total a maximum of 100 points. 

• Artist Need 
• Community Involvement and Impact 
• Relevant Experience 
• Artistic Merit 

Review Process 

Applications are reviewed by a community panel of professional artists, administrators, educators and community members. Panelists will score applications individually in accordance with the established evaluation criteria. Following the panel recommendation, DAC staff will make the final applicant selection. This process includes a virtual interview with DAC Supervisor and the applicant. 

Implementation 

Following the applicant selection and approval from DAC Management, the selected applicant will be notified via email and will have 5 days to respond. If the applicant has accepted the residency, staff will move forward with the onboarding process and schedule an orientation. 

Terms of Residency 

A Ceramic Artist Residency term is six months, renewable up to a total of two years. Residents will be evaluated midway through, and at the end of each term. As part of the term end evaluation, Residents will be given the opportunity to request a renewal of their residency. If DAC staff approve the request, residents will sign a new residency agreement at the beginning of a new term. 

This evaluation process will be repeated for each additional six-month term. The Artist Residency Program is not a funding program. The Dougherty Arts Center does not provide financial or domestic support including transportation, food/meals, or living quarters. 

Artist Commitment and Responsibilities 

The DAC Ceramic Artist Residency is a work exchange program. Residents agree to work approximately 6-10 hours per week at regularly scheduled times. Duties include: 

• Monitoring Independent Study or Open Studio hours 
• Assisting Instructors or DAC staff as needed 
• Loading and unloading kilns with reasonable accommodations 
• General studio upkeep as assigned 
• Assisting with workshops 

Additionally, Established Artists are required to offer an outreach opportunity to the public. Examples include facilitating a workshop, mentoring emerging artists, or leading critiques with students during open studio. 

Applicants should be comfortable: 

• Lifting, walking, carrying, or using a force equal to lifting to fifty (50) pounds
• Working in an open studio setting where the public can interact with the artist during public hours 
• Working independently yet cooperatively in a professional studio setting while maintaining self-motivation

Resident Benefits

• Shared studio space, accessible during building hours with designated storage. Working during scheduled classes is allowed, provided that registered students have priority for space and equipment. 
• Representation on the DAC website and marketing including newsletters and social media 
• Participation in the DAC’s annual artists in residence exhibition. 
• Studio glazes and firing are covered under the residency. Dedicated firing schedules allow for consistent firing of resident’s work. 

Studio Space

The DAC Ceramics Studio is 1400 sq. ft. providing 12 Brent wheels (including standup and reverse options), 8 Shimpo Aspire wheels, slab roller, extruder, molds, cone 6 and raku studio glazes, two electric kilns, a raku kiln, and a gas kiln.
 

Accessibility
  The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance please contact the City of Austin ADA Coordinator, David Ondich, at ada@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-3256.