Become a Visiting Artist

18th Street Arts Center’s Visiting Artist Residency Program is a research and production-based residency that hosts artists from across the United States and from around the world. There are four live/work artist studios at the center where artists are in residence from 1 to 3 months at a time (sometimes longer). This program hosts artists of all disciplines as well as art curators, writers, and musicians. It includes invited artists as well as artists selected through an application process.

To apply for the Visiting Artist Residency Program, please submit the following materials via our online application form: Apply Here.

• Letter of interest
• Curriculum vitae
• Work samples (digital files, pdfs, and website links are appropriate)
• Statement about funding support (one paragraph, identifying any funding bodies that artist is approaching to support the residency, or statement of fiscal responsibility by the artist)
• Additional materials may also be considered including an artist statement, press materials, letters of recommendation, and pdfs of catalogs or publications.

The Visiting Artist Residency Program accepts applications from working, professional artists who demonstrate a deep commitment to their practices. The program is open to artists of all generations, nationalities, and disciplines. Funding for each residency is on a case-by-case basis. Many international artists have access to funding through their cultural ministries or other programs, and we work with artists to secure funding or encourage them to apply to cover the costs of the residency through various funding programs. In some cases, we have agreements with cultural ministries and other funders to underwrite artist residencies. Artists may also choose to cover the basic costs of the residency themselves. For a list of international residency funders, please visit the funding resources page at Res Artis or the Alliance for Artist Communities for tips on funding and applying. Although we primarily support visual artists, 18th Street Arts Center will consider applications from performing artists, writers, and filmmakers as well.

18th Street Arts Center has long standing relationships with a variety of national and international partners to fund selected visiting artists. These include private foundations supporting the arts, as well as government entities such as foreign consulates, national and state organizations. Many international artists have access to funding through their cultural ministries or other programs, and we encourage them to apply to cover the costs of the residency through various funding programs. In some cases, we have agreements with cultural ministries and other funders to underwrite artist residencies. For a list of international residency funders, please visit the funding resources page at Res Artis or the Alliance for Artist Communities for tips on funding and applying. If funding is not identified through partner organizations, artists may also choose to pay the basic costs of the residency themselves.

Residencies generally last between 1 and 3 months.

On average, 18th Street Arts Center hosts to 20-40 visiting artists per year.

Generally, the studios are booked 1 year to 18 months in advance of an artist’s arrival. However, opportunities may arise within a period of months if there is a sudden vacancy. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly.

Invited artists are frequently nominated for the program by the entity funding their residency. These nominations as well as applications submitted through the open call on our website are reviewed by 18th Street staff.

Each resident artist is provided with a fully furnished private live/work studio apartment at our center, with a smart TV, wifi, bike, kitchen, and bath. We are located blocks away from the beach in sunny Santa Monica, and in the midst of the exciting, vigorous Los Angeles arts community. Residents will have access to various opportunities for professional development on a monthly basis, all managed by 18SAC; as well as basic tools and equipment upon request. Many spaces can comfortably accommodate families and/or collaborators. Artists are prominently represented on our website and event postings and in our annual print catalogue.

No, 18th Street Arts Center does not provide visas, however we will provide international artists with an official letter of invitation that may be used to obtain a visa or other necessary documents.

All of the studio spaces are different in size and layout. Price is based upon square footage. 18th Street Arts Center offers subsidized rents with prices at ranging between $1.00 and $2.00 square feet – which is well below market value for comparable studio space in the area. Most of our studios range from 400 to 1,000 square feet.

18th Street Arts Center rents both live/work and day studios. All visiting artist residency studios are live/work, and day studios are occupied by local Los Angeles-based artists in residence.

Yes, there is a cost associated with the visiting artist residencies. Please contact us for more details.