Overview and Studios
The Artist Studio Program was launched in 2000 in response to the crisis of available affordable space for artists living and working in New York City. The program provides six eligible artists working in all visual arts media a free private studio space accessible 24/7 and a fellowship (dependent on funding). The 2026-2027 program begins September 5, 2026 and ends August 5, 2027. The studios are located on the lower level of our building at 92 Plymouth Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn and range in size from 250 to 300 square feet. The program does not provide living space.
Eligibility
All applicants for the Studio Program should be NYC-based emerging or early career artists. We define an emerging artist as one who is at the beginning of their public artistic career and would greatly benefit from the opportunities we provide, such as regular studio visits with New York City curators, public open studio events, and free studio space. Artists may have some experience participating in group shows, solo shows at lesser-known art spaces, some press recognition, and/or are recent graduates of BFA or MFA programs. We do not consider artists emerging if they have had solo exhibitions at widely recognized galleries or institutions; already received consistent production opportunities, awards, and press; and/or if they have 10 years or more of consistent public experience as an artist. Age is not a determining factor.
Applicants must also be legal residents of NYC and file their taxes in NYC for a minimum of one year prior to the application deadline. Applicants must be residing in NYC at the time of the application process and for the term of the residency. If you become a finalist and are invited for an interview, you must be able to provide a tax return for proof of residency. All applicants must be United States citizens or legal Permanent Residents of the United States, 18 years or older, may not be enrolled in any degree program, and must be able to demonstrate need for a studio. Applicants may not be a resident artist in another studio program at the same time as the Smack Mellon residency. Note: Due to the program’s length, and because applications are due nearly two years in advance of the program’s completion, we require that artists be US citizens or legal Permanent Residents at the time of application.
Production Facilities
Artists have access to shared facilities that include: a digital production lab, including a set of 27″ iMac workstations professionally configured for video and graphics editing, calibrated monitors, HD projector, stereo monitor speakers, flatbed film scanners, a wide-format photo printer, a color laser printer, wireless internet access and a newly implemented reference library; a fabrication shop including table saw, bandsaw, drill press, and belt-sander. Our staff is on-hand to provide technical support and to respond to the studio needs of our resident artists.
Open Studios and Studio Visitors
Smack Mellon hosts two Open Studio events annually, as well as sponsored visits from curators, critics, and gallerists, which provide significant exposure and invaluable career-building opportunities.
In addition to monthly studio hours, artists are expected to help at Smack Mellon’s benefit the first weekend in May and make themselves available for studio visits with school groups and other tour groups outside of Open Studio event hours.
Special Notes
Artists who are accepted into the program must be prepared to actively use their studio a minimum of 50 hours a month or they will lose it. Not all studios have windows. Artists will not be permitted to choose their studio. Please also note that due to the possibility of flooding in our basement studios, we strongly recommend that artists keep anything valuable off the floor at all times; therefore artists accustomed to working on the floor should think carefully about whether our studios will meet their needs.
Application and Selection Process
To apply to the 2026-2027 season, visit our Submittable page.
Deadline: Apply by December 1, 2025
Please review the eligibility and application guidelines carefully before beginning your application. Each year, Smack Mellon convenes a panel of arts professionals to select the artists from over 300 applicants. A group of finalists who are not selected for the Studio Program are featured on our Hot Picks page for one year. Notifications go out in late May 2026. Please do not call or email the office for selection results.
Image: 2024-25 Studio Artist Woomin Kim, 2023-24 Studio Artist mujero, 2022-23 Studio Artist Kevin Quiles Bonilla, and 2022-23 Studio Artist Miatta Kawinzi. Photos courtesy of Smack Mellon. Photos by Etienne Frossard.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the limitations with applying as a collaborative team?
If applying as a collaborative team, you must apply as a collective of no more than 3 people with an established practice prior to applying. You must also apply with work that has been made as a collective, not individual work.
2. Are artists who are not strictly visual artists eligible?
Our studios are set up to support the work of visual artists, so this is what we prioritize. We do however support interdisciplinary practices, so if visual art making is one component of a larger practice, we encourage you to apply. The spaces are not ideal for dance and performance practices because of the cold concrete floor and fluctuating temperatures.
3. Will we get feedback on our application?
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual feedback on applications at this time as we do not ask our panelists to provide notes.This program is very competitive, and often residents apply many times before being awarded the residency. We encourage all applicants to apply with around fifty percent new or different work from their previous application, as we are interested to see how your practice evolves.
4. Why do we not accept anyone with a visa?
Many people ask why we don’t accept individuals with an O-1 visa. This rule is primarily a regulation from our own funders, as well as our own commitment to our local community. Additionally, the length of the application process for this residency usually takes two years, and the certainty of many visas could change between application and the completion of the program.
5. What does it mean to be historically underrepresented or underrecognized?
We accept all races and genders, but as an organization we have always prioritized those who have been excluded from art markets, conversations, and opportunities for reasons related to systemic inequities.
6. Are there limits on what can be fabricated in the studios?
As the studio spaces are shared (and some without windows) we ask that all artists be courteous of their neighbors and refrain from using toxic, overly noxious, or otherwise extremely loose materials. We understand that if you are doing woodworking, there will be dust, but you will be required to clean the shared spaces immediately after each use.
7. Is welding allowed?
We also no longer have the capability to allow welding on site.
8. Can we practice ceramics in the studio?
We currently do not have the capabilities to host a kiln on the premises. You are welcome to construct ceramic pieces as long as you are willing to transport them elsewhere for firing.
9. What is the time cut-off in terms of finishing a BFA or MFA program?
You may not be in any sort of degree seeking program at the same time as the studio residency. However you may still be in the program during the application process, with the understanding that you will be finished by the start of the residency period in September 2026.
10. Am I allowed to participate in other residencies or programs while participating in Smack Mellon’s Studio Program?
No, you may not start another residency, MFA, or BFA program while you are in residence with us–we consider this to be unfair to the artists who have more of a need for the studio and community that this program offers.
11. Can artists host workshops or gatherings in the studios?
We will consider this on a case by case basis. Anytime an artist wants to host a gathering or event in their studios, they will need to be in conversation with Smack Mellon staff for reasons such as scheduling (so we don’t overlap with gallery events), as well as safety and security. We are open to this idea, especially if this is part of your practice, but we want to make sure that we protect our space and the other artists in the program.
12. Why do we call references?
As this is a long term studio program with shared facilities, we call references for the same reason one might call a reference for a job application. We want to ensure that the artists in residence are responsible for cleaning up after themselves, can maintain good relationships with their neighbors, and will communicate well with us. We also want to ensure that artists are committed to their practices at a level that warrants support from this opportunity. That said, we will only check references after the interviews with finalists, which will likely be at some point in the spring. You will know if we are checking your references, so you can give your references a heads up then.
13. Can you apply for the summer group show and the residency at the same time?
Yes. We have no restrictions between our studio and exhibition programs.