2027 ACTIVATE OPEN CALL – APPLY BY WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2027 11:59 PM

Application Form

 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The ACTivate Residency of Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) is a seven-day, site-responsive artist residency in Boston’s historic Cyclorama building, designed to support artists in the exploration of an idea or concept at various points of development. For 2027 BCA will select two ACTivate Residents – individuals or small collectives of artists to expand work that is performative and/or visual in nature.

 

At BCA we emphasize the importance of process over product. To that end residents will not be required to deliver a polished or finished product but are invited to host an open sharing to spark connection and feedback around the drafted work. The ultimate intention of this residency is to offer the artist the time, space, and resources to create new work and deepen their practice. 

 

ELIGIBILITY

• ACTivate is open to Boston-based visual, performing, and interdisciplinary artists who belong to historically underrepresented and under-resourced groups in the United States: Black, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander, Arab, Immigrant or New American, LGBTQ, working class, and differently abled.
• Lead Artist must be a current resident of the City of Boston or surrounding area.
• Collective or Lead Artist(s) must have a demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and accessibility.
• Students enrolled in either undergraduate or graduate programs in any field are not eligible.

BCA provides:

• $3,000 stipend for Lead Artist to be used at their discretion for resources such as collaborators and/or specific elements of the piece.
• $500 travel stipend.
• Access to the Cyclorama for seven days during agreed upon hours.
• BCA staff support during artists’ working hours up to eight consecutive hours per day between 10am and 7pm.
• Documentation of the residency process and the work created that may be used at the artist’s discretion and shared by BCA.
• Access to BCA in-house resources including tables, chairs, and lighting.
• The opportunity to share the work-in-progress with a small private audience in an Open Sharing during the residency week. The goal is to solicit feedback and garner interest around the project so the work can be further developed.

APPLICATION DETAILS

ACTivate Artists will be selected through an open call process. Applicants are evaluated on their ability to demonstrate meeting the criteria in line with the Artistic Ethos of BCA.

 

Application Form

TIMELINE

August 19, 2027 – Open Call Announced

September 23, 2027 – Materials due 

October 2027 – Notify Artists

 

2027 ACTivate Residencies are available for the following dates:

January 11-17, 2027 (Monday-Sunday) 

January 25-31, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)

February 8-14, 2027 (Monday-Sunday) 

March 1-7, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)