The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) has announced that its annual call for resident artists will open on January 1, 2023.
Shradha Kochhar in the studio at HCCC. Photo by Katy Anderson, Courtesy of HCCC.
Established over two decades ago, the HCCC Artist Residency program offers time and space for craft artists at various stages in their careers. Each year, eight to ten artists are chosen for residencies ranging from three to twelve months in duration. Selected artists receive a $1,000 monthly stipend, 24/7 access to a 200-square-foot studio space, cultural and professional development, and the opportunity to exhibit work and give an artist talk. The 2023 – 2024 HCCC Artist Residency cycle will run from September 2023 to August 2024.
In a press release announcing the open call, 2020-2021 resident artist Kirstin Willders spoke about one of the benefits of the HCCC program. She said, “We’re surrounded daily by our artist-colleagues, but also by other types of arts professionals – educators, administrative specialists, preparators, curators – that provide additional conversation and enhance the residency experience. That extra dialogue, I think, increases your momentum while also preventing you from getting tunnel vision.”
In addition to the long-standing residency program, HCCC has announced that it will partner again with the Houston Center for Photography (HCP) to offer the three-month long Interdisciplinary Craft + Photography (ICP) Artist Residency. ICP is open to artists who have a multidisciplinary practice or are experimenting with the fields of craft and photography. In addition to a studio space at HCCC, like other HCCC residents, ICP residents also receive access to HCP’s digital lab.
This year, HCCC has partnered with Crafting the Future (CTF), a national based nonprofit organization working toward diversifying the fields of art, craft, and design. With the support of CTF, HCCC will be able to provide additional unrestricted funds ranging from $500 to $1,000 to BIPOC resident artists. In order to be eligible to receive the funds, artists should complete the “Support Grant” section of the online application.
U.S.-based and international artists working in craft media, including wood, glass, metal, fiber, and clay, as well as those working in craft and photography, are encouraged to apply. The application will open January 1, 2023 and will be active until March 1. Some changes to the application this year include that letters of recommendation are no longer required, and that the application fee has been waived.
Learn more about the HCCC Resident Artist program and access the application at HCCC’s website.
