BCA Studio Residency FAQ

 

What is the BCA Studio Residency? 

Boston Center for the Arts is a non-profit multidisciplinary arts center. We support working artists to create, perform, and exhibit new works; develop new audiences; and connect the arts to community.

In Summer 2021, BCA launched an interdisciplinary studio residency program to foster and support access, equity and experimentation in the arts and in new art being created in Boston. Our BCA Studio Residency program provides selected artists with work-only studio space in the BCA Artist Studios Building located at 551 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End, along with access to a roster of programs and professional support geared towards nurturing a vibrant and diverse community of artists in Boston.

 

Is there a cost associated with the program? 

Yes. Boston Center for the Arts offers affordable studio spaces ranging from $240 to $960 per month, depending on size, which varies between 143 and 574 square feet.

In 2024, thanks to generous support from Wagner Foundation, artists selected received fully awarded studio space. The 2024 BCA Studio Resident cohort, funded by Wagner Foundation, allowed us to make real strides in the work of creating greater equity and opportunity to Boston-area artists for whom financial support and artistic community come at a catalytic moment in their practice. Selection of this cohort of artists was based on demonstration of the financial as well as artistic impact of a fully awarded studio on their practice. 

BCA keeps working on grants and support for this program.

 

What are the program’s benefits to artists?

Artists who are juried into the BCA Studio Residency will join a community of studio resident artists already working in the Studios Building. Each artist who is selected for the program will be provided with 24/7 access to an individual, work-only studio space in the BCA Artist Studios Building at 551 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End for a maximum term of three years. Studio space includes free Wi-Fi and heat, and reduced rate access to available rehearsal space at BCA, as well as access to a vibrant professional community, opportunities for public visibility for their work, and support for artistic development through participation in a range of programmatic events and activities. 

Program benefits include:

    • Curatorial Visits: Two external arts professionals per year participate in studio visits with current residents
    • Open Houses: Residents open their studios a few times a year, coinciding with  Mills Gallery Exhibitions openings, as an opportunity for community connection;
    • Monthly Meetings: Monthly gatherings with snacks to meet fellow residents, present ongoing work, ask questions, and more;
    • Exhibitions: Current and former residents are invited to submit proposals for an exhibition to be presented in the BCA Mills Gallery Project Room, available on a scheduling basis;
    • Networking events: “Plus One” events at the Mills Gallery are organized to celebrate our Project Room exhibition and give opportunities for residents to expand their social and professional networks;
    • Office Hours with BCA Visual Arts team: Residents can book appointments to meet, ask questions, discuss concerns, have studio visits, request feedback on application materials, ask for letters of recommendation, and more with BCA Visual Arts team;
    • Community spaces: In the building, there are three community spaces which residents can access 24/7. A Shared Studio with dedicated wifi, furniture, and basic kitchen needs, a Common Room for artistic projects and communal gatherings, a Clean Room that is used as a dark room and/or for photographic documentation; shared restrooms and slop sinks on two floors.
    • Rental spaces: Dance rehearsal studios can be booked and utilized by residents for a total of 16 hours per year at no charge, subject to availability;
    • Dedicated mailbox: Mail and packages of all sizes can be delivered to BCA under the resident’s name and BCA’s Front Desk Staff receives them during working hours;
    • Artist Website Presence: An artist page on the BCA website for each resident artist to increase visibility; and
    • Email Communications: Studio residents’ news are regularly featured in the bi-monthly BCA To Go newsletter (11k subscribers)

 

What is the philosophy of the selection process?

Applications will be evaluated based on the artist’s demonstration of:

  • Experimentation: we support artistic work that displays innovation and openness to new ideas, perspectives and techniques.
  • Responsiveness: in the process of supporting new and innovative work, we value ideas that are relevant to contemporary interests and conversations.
  • Community engagement: we encourage an artistic practice that engages meaningfully with the ecosystem where it exists through collaboration and exchange among artists and audiences.
  • Potential impact: we seek to support artists for whom our involvement has the potential to propel their practice creating a path for growth artistically and professionally.

These criteria will be applied by an external jury whose composition includes mainly Studio Residency Alumni as well as diverse individuals with a broad range of lived experience and experience in the arts field.

 

Who can apply?

Eligibility requirements:

  • We do not accept students currently enrolled in school. 
  • A BA, MA, BFA, or MFA is not required.
  • We do accept collectives, however we ask that you apply by way of a single application and specify that you are part of a collective and will be sharing the space with other artists.
  • BCA Studio Residency alumni must wait one year to reapply following their last residency. New applicants will be prioritized over alumni.

Our community is formed by more than 50 artists working in their studios on-site. Artists in this program are mainly visual artists working in photography, sculpture, painting, video, performance, public art, and more

Key considerations regarding building and zoning regulations:

  • Studios in the building are work only, not live-work space;
  • The building is a four-floor, walk-up building, with no elevator and no loading dock.
  • The WiFi in the building can be inconsistent at times, teaching virtually or working with large files online may be a challenge. The Shared Studio has dedicated WiFi equipment to ensure good internet bandwidth, but this is a shared studio space on the 4th floor.
  • Shared restrooms can be found on floors 2 and 3.
  • Slop sinks can be found on floors 3 and 4.
  • The ASB is not a public place of assembly. Studios and common spaces in the building may not be the site of any public events, which means that any non-residents coming into the building must enter on the basis of an individual invitation.
  • Our studios are not sound insulated and do not suit noisy practices (walls are not sound-proofed). In addition, the studios have only light ventilation, so an art practice generating strong fumes cannot be accommodated.

 

How do I apply? 

Please visit bostonarts.org/residency/studio-residency/ to fill out the application form.

If you have any questions please contact us at visualarts@bostonarts.org.

 

Can I still be a part of this Residency if I have a full-time job? 

Many Boston artists work full- or part-time jobs to support their artistic practice. The BCA Studio Residency offers optional participation in events, allowing residents to engage with the program as much as they choose. This residency provides multiple opportunities for connection and networking and BCA tries to schedule those after work hours. 

 

Have another question? Let us know! Email us at visualarts@bostonarts.com or join our info session on March 27, 2025. The recording of the info session will also be available on our website.

 

The 2024–2027 BCA Studio Residency program is funded by a generous grant from Wagner Foundation.

Wagner Foundation logo