The Dougherty Arts Center is now accepting applications for both established and emerging artists in ceramics for our Visual Artist Residency - Volunteer Work Exchange Program. 

The deadline to apply is Sunday September 15, 2024 at 11:59pm.  

The Dougherty Arts Center  
The Dougherty Arts Center (DAC) is an award-winning cultural arts center that offers a variety of visual, performing, and digital arts experiences for a broad audience through its four programs - the Dougherty Arts Center Theater, the Julia C. Butridge Gallery, Artist Professional Development, and the Dougherty Arts School.  

The Visual Artist Residency Mission  
The Visual Artist Residency Program strives to provide visual artists with the space, facilities, time, and professional interaction that will foster and further develop 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 our community such as teaching workshops, giving public presentations, critiques, and monitoring our independent study program and open studio hours. Residency term is six months, renewable up to a total of two years.  

Goals of the Visual Artist Residency Program  

• Support visual 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 visual artists in Austin. 

Eligibility
There are two levels of the Visual Artist Residency: Emerging Artist and Established Artist. 
Emerging Artist  
Emerging Visual 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 Visual Artist Residency. 
• Applicants must agree to and clear a Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) if selected as the top candidate. 
• A college degree is NOT required to apply for this Visual Artist Residency. 
• Documentation of experience within the field of application must be provided through the Artist’s Résumé and/or Letters of Recommendation. 
• Current Visual Artist Residency recipients may not apply again until two years after the end date of their award. 

Established Artist  
Established Visual Artist Residencies recognize and support artists whose work demonstrates exceptional artistic merit, 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.  

Established Artist eligibility includes the above Emerging Artist requirements, with the below preferred qualifications:  

• 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. 
• Applicant has current representation through galleries, publications, etc. 

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 Dougherty’s 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
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, a Skutt 1227 electric kiln, raku kiln, and a gas kiln.  

Artist Commitment and Responsibilities  
The Dougherty Visual 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 required 
• Physical ability to complete tasks including loading and unloading kilns with reasonable accommodations 
• General studio upkeep as assigned 
• Assisting with workshops 
• Work in an open studio setting where the public is able to interact with the artist during public hours 
• Work independently yet cooperatively in a professional studio setting while maintaining self-motivation

Established Artist Responsibilities include the above list and:  

• Teach one three-hour workshop per six-month residency term 
• Mentor DAC Emerging Artist Residents 
• Offer time to lead critiques during open studio 

Terms of Residency  
The Visual Artist Residency term is six months, renewable up to a total of two years. An evaluation will be performed at three months to ensure residency requirements are being met, and another evaluation will occur at five months to determine if the residency is renewable for an additional six-month 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.  

Schedule and Application Process  
Applications Open: Monday, August 12, 2024 at 10:00am (CST)
Applications Due: Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 11:59pm (CST)
Residency Start Date: October 2024 (tentative)

To apply, submit the following:  

• Artist Résumé (maximum of two pages, formatted as a PDF) 
• Artist Statement summarizing your practice including medium(s), themes, techniques, and influences (maximum of one page, formatted as a PDF) 
• Artist Bio (2-10 sentences, formatted as a PDF) 
• Workshop Proposal (if applying for Established Artist Residency only) including a description and student goals and objectives (maximum of one page, formatted as a PDF) 
• 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) 
• Ten Digital Images of your work including the title, medium, size, and date 
• Letter of Interest describing your need, how you plan to use the time and space to further your work, and how a residency will affect your practice (long answer) 
• Community Engagement Intent describing your readiness to engage with the DAC community and how you believe your involvement can impact the Austin community (long answer) 

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 
• Experience 
• Artistic Merit 

Review Process  
Applications are reviewed by an anonymous panel of judges each residency term. Judges are composed of objective and knowledgeable arts professionals, arts 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 may include an in-person interview between DAC staff and the applicant. 

Implementation  
Following the applicant selection and approval from DAC Management, the selected applicant will be notified via email, and will have 10 days to respond. If the applicant has accepted the residency, staff will move forward with the onboarding process and schedule an orientation.  

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 (512) 974-3914 or Relay Texas 7-1-1.