Organize a Residency

Our summer residency sessions are focused on process over product, uniquely designed to build a space for new ideas, directions, community connections and lifelong networks. Residency cohorts are made up of a mixture of artists, those invited by the organizer and those from an open call. Groups are made up of 1 or 2 organizers, 4 – 6  invited artists, and 9 – 12 public applicants, for a group of 16 – 18 total artists.
Spending 11 days at Watershed, artists live with each other in comfortable cabins, eat meals together in the spacious Commons building, and work together in the open concept Windgate Studio. Artists are encouraged to explore Watershed’s 54-acre campus, as well as the beauty of the surrounding area.

The organizer role is centrally important to the Watershed residency experience, as they act as collaborators between the organization and the residency cohort. Up to two artists may collaborate in the Organizer role. The ideal organizer is community-minded and willing to interact and create cohesion and inclusivity amongst a diverse group of session artists. An organizer is one who can facilitate a space that allows for community connection and exploration to be realized.

Organizers partner with Watershed over the year prior to the residency, and during their time on campus.

Organizers are involved and contribute to:

• Orientation and information meetings prior to the session with residents
• Acting as a connector for information and communication amongst the invited artist group, the residents and Watershed staff 
• Helping to facilitate kiln firings and collaborative projects
• Promoting inclusion and a healthy community for all residents 
• Helping to organize group activities like daily walks, critiques, discussions, and trips off campus

STEP 1: The organizer must first conceive of a theme that relates to their practice, interests, or issues in the field. The organizer then convenes a group of 4 – 6 invited artists who share an interest in the proposed theme. Once the core group is assembled, the organizer will propose their session theme and the confirmed invited group through our Slideroom application.

STEP 2: Application requirements

• A proposed session theme
• Your preferred session dates
• Information about the organizer, including images of work
• Information on 4 – 6 invited artists, including contact information, work samples, details about why these artists have been selected for the invited artist group, and confirmation that these invitees have agreed to take part in the session.

STEP 3: A jury panel (composed of Watershed staff and guest jurors) then reviews the proposed session theme submissions. They consider the quality and feasibility of the session theme, the organizer’s and invited artists’ work and scope of practice, and how well the theme will resonate with a broader community of artists.

STEP 5: If chosen, the organizer will work with Watershed in the year prior to the residency to create public facing and marketing language for their session. 

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

• March 15: Organize A Residency App opens
• April 17: Online Information Session for Prospective Organizers
• June 15: App closes
• Mid-August: Session acceptances sent out

The invited artist group anchors the session by providing a number of artists who embody the organizer’s vision and artistic ideals. Many successful invitee groups include artists who have known each other for years, while others have only connected online and first meet in person during the residency. Watershed prioritizes groups that reflect a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Prior to application, the organizer must first confirm that all invited artists fully understand the deadlines and fees associated with participating in the residency. Please see financial details below.

Residency and room and board fees are subsidized thanks to the generous support from our donors. The actual cost to support an artist at Watershed for a two-week residency session is more than $3900. Through funding support, Watershed is able to decrease these costs.

The organizer participates in the residency free-of-charge. The fee waiver covers studio space, lodging in a double occupancy room, and meals. Watershed offers fully-funded residency spots to organizers because of the integral role they play in developing and hosting a successful session. If two artists are sharing the organizer role, they each receive a 50% discount on their residency, double-occupancy room and board fees at the invited artist rate. Organizers pay for their materials and kiln firings.

Invited artists receive partial funding at Watershed, close to a 30% reduction on their residency fee. Invitees pay for lodging and meals at the donor-subsidized rate, listed below, as well as materials and firing costs. Artists are required to live on campus during the residency. Because of this financial support, Invited artists are not eligible to receive additional scholarship funding from Watershed. 

Once a group’s proposal is accepted, Watershed can provide a confirmation letter stating that they have been invited to take part in a residency. This can be helpful for artists who are exploring outside funding sources. 

2026 Donor-Subsidized Fees

Payment Timeline

• • Nov 1: $200 non-refundable deposit is due with registration
  • April 15: Half of remaining balance due
  • May 15: Remaining balance due for artists in Sessions I, II, and III
  • June 15: Remaining balance due for artists in Sessions IV, V, and VI

Additional Expenses

Artists are responsible for travel costs to attend Watershed, as well as materials and firing costs, which typically range from $75-$150, depending on how much work an artist makes and fires. 

Session organizers are responsible for replacing invitees who drop out. Watershed will work with session organizers to find replacement invitees, as needed. If the number of confirmed invitees drops below four and a replacement is not found, organizers no longer receive a discount and are responsible for covering their own session fees at the invitee rate. (This has never happened, as we work closely with organizers to help ensure that it won’t!)

A wide range of session themes have generated successful residencies. Some themes focus on technical aspects of working in clay while others explore conceptual topics. A sampling of successful past session themes include:  

• Using clay in socially-engaged practice 
• Convening online collectives to work alongside one another in person
• Creating ephemeral work with raw clay
• Experimenting with firing techniques and surface treatments
• Responding to Watershed’s campus via site-specific work
• Exploring clay’s role in multidisciplinary practice
• Finding inspiration from the natural world 
• Investigating artistic influence through shared exploration and collaboration

This list is by no means exhaustive. Watershed welcomes prospective applicants to contact us to discuss their theme idea.