International Residency Program

Our core program, the NARS International Residency Program offers 24/7 access to furnished, private or semi-private studio spaces (250 – 300 sq ft) in our diverse artist community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. As a studio based residency, the focus is on the artistic process  and experimentation that results from working alongside other artists, within New York’s cultural and sociopolitical context.

Artists meet with 3-4 Studio Visitors each month, gaining invaluable feedback and expanding their network of artists and professionals in New York City and internationally. Residents are provided with administrative, curatorial, and professional support to explore and expand the scope of their artistic practice through research, dialogue, and production of new projects. Presentation opportunities include a curated exhibition in the NARS gallery, bi-annual Open Studios, through which artists can introduce and share research and work through artist talks, discussions, screenings, workshops, and performances.

Residency artists benefit from a community driven program and ongoing dialogue with fellow residency artists through weekly informal gatherings, inter-studio visits and activities, as well as field trips and meals together. Residents also have the advantage of working alongside emerging and established NYC based artists in our studio facilities, who retain space year round. The program and facilities are designed to form a community, foster the expansion & exchange of artistic and cultural practices, and provide artists with exposure to New York and its art scene.

Please note: The studio is a work space only – housing is NOT provided.

‍

‍

ASAP

ASAP is our weekly community gathering, hosted by two paired artists each week. Artists lead the group in inquiry-based activities such as art-making, reflection, or conversation. ASAP gives the majority international cohort an opportunity to foster cross-cultural exchange and share different traditions, perspectives and creative practices. 

Each season, the NARS Curatorial Fellow leads an ASAP session, thoughtfully crafting an experience that reflects their engagement with the artists in residence. The Curator is also an active participant in ASAP, attending weekly and contributing to the ongoing exchange.

Past ASAPs have included mind mapping, drawing sessions, a pickleball tournament, discussions at Sunset Park, screenings, craft making, artist-led conversations ranging from aspects of creative life to reflecting on personal growth, and more. These gatherings may relate to an artist’s practice or not at all. They are a dedicated space to explore, question, dissect, and share, all while strengthening the cohort’s sense of community.

‍

ASAP stands for many things:

Artists Sitting and Pondering 

As Slow as Possible 

Artists Sharing Artists Practices

A Space for Art and Play 

Artists, Space, Action, Process

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

NARS Artists Present: An Offering for the Public

To create connection between our community and artists-in-residence, we organize the NARS Artists Present: An Offering for the Public event each season. In close collaboration with our Curatorial Fellow, the artists conceive and produce a vibrant series of activities, meant to invite participants to engage with their creative process and offer a unique window into their work. We encourage the artists to stretch beyond their studios and consider how their work may be activated and shared.

‍

Artist Salon

Our Artist Salon is designed as an informal gathering where artists and curators may share their work and cultivate meaningful relationships. The Salon offers the opportunity for our artists-in-residence and Curatorial Fellow to engage with the artists and curators showing work in our exhibitions program and, more broadly, across our larger network. While we prioritize currently exhibiting artists and curators to foster closer engagement with and crossover between their work and our residents, the Salon also welcomes NARS alumni, artists-in-residence from fellow programs in New York City, and independent artists.

‍

Studio Visitor Salon

Throughout each residency season, NARS facilitates one-on-one studio visits between our artists-in-residence and curators, fellow artists, writers, educators, and other professionals from across the art world. These studio visits are part of our ongoing commitment to network our residents into the New York art scene by fostering dialogue and connection. Our Studio Visitor Salon offers a unique opportunity for deeper engagement between our residents and these art professionals.

For the Studio Visitor Salon, we invite one professional to return after their studio visits to connect with the full artist-in-residence cohort, as well as our Curatorial Fellow, in an informal, salon-style setting. The Salon begins with a walkthrough of the residency exhibition guided by our Curatorial Fellow, who works closely with our artists-in-residence to showcase their work in this exhibition. After the walkthrough, everyone gathers for a conversation to reflect on the exhibition and the many facets of being an artist in the twenty-first century.

‍

‍

For additional information or questions, please contact residency@narsfoundation.org 

‍

NARS residency programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and, in part, supported by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs