Office of Research
Back to All Opportunities

Byrdcliffe Artist Residency

Deadline December 20, 2019

Website | Application

Founded in 1902, Byrdcliffe is one of the earliest utopian art communities in America. Located approximately 2 hours north of New York City in the unique community of Woodstock, NY, Byrdcliffe has welcomed artists like Eva Hesse, Bob Dylan, Philip Guston, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and hundreds more to and live and work surrounded by the serene beauty of the Catskill Mountains on a 240-acre property.

Residency options range from communal one-month residencies, to independent 5-month residencies, to year-round housing with various live/work scenarios available in each. The primary criterion for acceptance to Byrdcliffe’s AiR program is artistic excellence or demonstrated commitment to one’s field of endeavor. Artists in multiple disciplines are welcome to apply including writing, visual arts, weaving, ceramics, composers, darkroom photo, digital photo, filmmakers, playwrights, healing artists, and more.

Residencies offer artists private studios and accommodation within a community of peers. Each session is limited to 16-20 artists and lasts just under four weeks. Sessions conclude with an Open Studio event at the Villetta Inn, a quintessential Summer Woodstock happening that combines visual arts, readings, music, and community. This event is free to the public with refreshments served. 5-month Seasonal Residents share their work in up to two open studios. There is a weekly grocery/supply trip and artists are invited to participate in work-shares, studio visits, cultural field trips, and communal dinners, or can choose to work in solitude during their entire stay. Residents also have the opportunity to participate in an exhibition at Byrdcliffe’s Kleinert/James Center for the Arts the year following their residency.