« Back to Calls for Entry

College and Community Artist in Residence (CAIR)

College of DuPage   /   Deadline: 01/31/25

College of DuPage visual art programs invite artists to apply for a residency working with our students. Applying artists will propose a detailed timeline for their residency project. The residency spans a 2 to 8 week period between September 2 and November 17, 2025. Proposals must provide details about how the residency and subsequent project will engage our student body, including an explanation of how the project could potentially include broader forms of community engagement. The proposal should explain how the artists will work closely with one or more COD classes for a minimum of 6 hours over the course of the residency. While residents will be working primarily with art students, potential interdisciplinary connections and research across other fields of study are encouraged.

The selected artists will give an initial artist lecture to introduce themselves and their work to the students and will be required to engage with the college community for a minimum of 6 hours per residency through open studios, workshops, studio visits, or another proposed activity. In special circumstances some of this collaboration may be completed via Zoom, but quality time spent with students should be evident in the proposal. The artists will close the residency with a proposed event, lecture, or exhibition to share the work accomplished during their residency.

How to apply: https://clevecarneyartgallery.submittable.com/submit

Location

Glen Ellyn, ILCollege of DuPage (COD) is located in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn, 25 miles west of downtown Chicago, and accessible through public transportation.

Fees

$0

Eligibility

• Individual artists or collectives of up to three people are eligible to apply.
• Artists and collectives working in any media are eligible to apply.
• The selected artists must be able to demonstrate they are legally authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor visas at this time.
• Employees of the College of DuPage are not eligible to apply.

Requirements

Artists must be able to commit to at least two continuous weeks in residence from September 2 and November 17, 2025. The applicant must list their preferred residency period in their application.

Selected artist or artists groups will be required to give an introductory talk or workshop to a class or larger group within the first week of the residency.

Artists are required to work, interact, or collaborate with students for a minimum of 6 hours during the residency in the form of project work, collaborations, workshops, studio visits, or other proposed events. In special circumstances some of this collaboration may be completed via zoom.

Artists will be required to close the residency with an event, open studio, public lecture, exhibition, or other proposed event.

Studio and workshop spaces will need to prioritize students and class times; artists will need to work around these schedules to access certain spaces. Coordinate with faculty and staff for facility access in order to maximize the student artist collaboration.

Awards

Support:
Selected artists will receive stipends depending on proposed timeline, not to exceed $3500, which may be used to cover materials, travel, lodging, etc. (Stipend will be partially received after the first public event, with the remainder available upon residency completion.)

Galley, workspace, and/or presentation space will be made available for an exhibition or presentation of work as needed.

Access to natural areas, shared full woodshop (including bandsaws, table saw, chop saws, hand tools, MIG and TIG welding equipment), ceramic studio (gas, electric, woodfire, raku kilns, wheels), printmaking studio, digital fabrication lab (4x4' CNC router, 3D printers, laser cutter), fashion lab (including industrial sewing machines, weaving loom, table knitting machine, embroidery machine, industrial dress forms), small metals studio, photography darkroom, alternative process lab, and lighting studio can be made available after safety training is completed providing that needs of students and class times are met first. Web presence on the Cleve Carney Museum of Art website will be provided for visiting artists.

Evaluation Criteria

Selection Process:
Selection committee will be composed of students, staff, and faculty at the College of DuPage. Reviewers are asked to consider the following criteria for each application:
•Demonstrated artistic excellence and ongoing professional practice
•Alignment with residency program goals
•Strength of student and community engagement
•Feasibility with time frame, materials, budget, class alignment, and available students

Detailed Project Proposal must include: (all in one pdf)
• Project description including proposed public events
• Description of contact/work with students for 6 hours or more
• Alignment with artist-in-residence program goals
• Request to work with one or more specific classes (drawing, printmaking, digital art, photography, time based media, fashion, graphic design, sculpture, or architecture) or types of classes. For detailed list of class offerings, please visit this link: https://catalog.cod.edu/
• Type of equipment, space, tools needed from the college to complete project
• Detailed timeline for project within the specified time frames listed above
• Detailed project budget for stipend up to $3500; may include materials, travel, lodging, and other living expenses
• 10-20 images of past work that may relate to proposal; for sound and video work, please include links to vimeo, youtube, soundcloud, or other platform and indicate up to 5 minutes of media for committee to view.
• 150-300 word artist statement
• 150 word bio
• Artist Resume or CV and website
• Optional: List special circumstances that may require part of residency to take place over Zoom.

Program Goals:
• To support class and program objectives through hands-on work, experience working with professional artists, the opportunity to participate in an artist residency and selection committee, and skill-building opportunities that may translate to student portfolios, applications, or resumes
• To increase learning and mentoring opportunities for students to engage with professional artists over a sustained period of time to produce a body of work
• To support artists in collaborative, community projects that reinforce our institutional missions related to excellence, diversity, and community participation; "community" includes but is not limited to students, faculty, staff at COD, residents of Glen Ellyn, DuPage County, Community College District 502, or Chicagoland
• To support the artist-in-residence with time, space, and funds to produce a personal project

Contact Information

Nelson Cantada
College of DuPage 425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

P: (630) 942-2363
E: cantadan@cod.edu