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Opportunities

Guidelines for 2027-28 Artist Studio Program
Apply by December 1, 2026

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. We provide six NYC-based early career artists with a free private studio space access to our shared production facilities, and a stipend (funding dependent). The program runs for an eleven-month period from the beginning of September to the beginning of August. The studios, accessible to the artists 24/7, 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.  

Program Eligibility

All applicants for the Studio Program should be emerging or early career artists, within the first 2 and 10 years of their public careers. We define an emerging artist as one who is at the beginning of their 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 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.

The 2027-28 program begins September 8, 2027 and ends August 8, 2028.         

Selection Process

A panel of artists and arts professionals will review applications and select artists for the 2027-2028 season. Artists will be selected based on the quality of their work and their potential for making the most of their time in the program. Notifications go out in May 2027. Please do not call or email the office for selection results.

Before applying, we encourage you to read about the Artist Studio Program, by clicking here.

Application Instructions

  • You can submit a maximum of 10 still images OR a maximum of 2 videos and 5 still images. Please choose the one that best suits your practice.
  • PLEASE NOTE: due to the high volume of applications we receive, your submission may not exceed the amount of works allowed: 10 images OR 2 videos + 5 images. If you try to submit MORE than 5 images AS WELL AS videos, the panelists will prioritize the videos and not consider the final 5 images as part of the application.
  • Videos in your submission should show your original time-based work (media or performance) or installation of it in a physical space. Videos should NOT be used to show documentation of still work or a single channel installation.
  • Videos in your submission should NOT be a reel, but one continuous excerpt. Title credits should be listed in the “video information” section.
  • You can submit only one application per residency cycle

FORMATTING IMAGES

  • Each image file must be titled: LastName_FirstName_image number. Example: Smith_John_01.
  • File type: JPEG, 1000px maximum in any direction
  • Image information: title, medium, date, and dimensions for each entry
  • Image script: Enter up to 50 words of description about the content or context of each image or series of images. This information will be reviewed by the panel when your work is viewed.

FORMATTING VIDEOS

  • Each video file must be titled: LastName_FirstName_video number.  Example: Smith_John_01.
  • File types: Mp4, AVI, MOV, MPG.
  • Video information: title, medium, production date, and total run time.
  • Video script: Enter up to 50 words about the content of your video. This information will be reviewed by the panel when your work is viewed.

For any inquiries about the program please email: info@smackmellon.org       

For technical questions go to: http://help.submittable.com/

Image: 2024-25 Studio Artist Woomin Kim, 2023-24 Studio Artist mujero, 2022-23 Studio Artist Kevin Quiles Bonilla, and 2026-27 Studio Artist Maria Elena Pombo. 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.