RAIR's (Recycled Artist in Residency) mission is to challenge the perception of waste culture by providing a unique platform for artists at the intersection of art and industry. Situated inside a construction and demolition waste recycling company in northeast Philadelphia, RAIR offers artists studio space and access to more than 450 tons of materials per day.
Artists-in-Residence receive attentive support from RAIR's staff who act as liaisons between the artist and the recycling facility. In addition to providing artists on-site access to recovered materials, construction equipment and a fully-equipped studio space, RAIR’s Residency Program offers artists the opportunity to use the entire 3.5-acre facility as an expansive project space for the development and presentation of ambitious experimental work.
Since its inception in 2010, RAIR’s flagship Residency Program has established itself as a unique opportunity for emerging, mid-career, and established artists. By facilitating artists’ direct engagement with the waste stream, RAIR encourages residents to consider their studio practice through the lens of sustainability and to thoughtfully reassess their processes of material sourcing and waste disposal.