Apply to Artist Residency Program

The application for the 2024 – 2025 cycle is now closed.

HCCC strives to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that provides access to the resources artists need to realize their creative and community endeavors. Click here to read our full Inclusion Statement.


Program Info & Requirements

Media accepted: Wood, Glass, Metal, Fiber, and Clay

Applicants must be able to fulfill a program requirement of working in their studios for two days per week during HCCC public hours:  Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  All resident artists are required to open their studios to public interaction on Saturdays and one other day of the week (TBD), as well as during exhibition openings and specific educational programs on the evenings and weekends. Applicants should consider the public facing nature of the residencies and the fact that a major goal of the program is to provide visitors with an opportunity to explore contemporary craft through engaging with working artists.

Benefits of the residency include 24/7 access to studio space, cultural and professional development opportunities, a monthly stipend that includes a small housing/materials allowance, and the opportunity to give an artist talk.

Juried selection is based on quality of creative work, ability to interact with the public, career direction, and program diversity.  Accepted artists will be notified via e-mail in late May.

  • Five-to-10 residencies awarded
  • Residencies available in three-, six-, nine-, and 12-month time periods
  • Residency cycle begins in September and ends in August
  • Residency start dates and length determined by program review panel
  • $1000 monthly stipend that includes a housing/materials allowance
  • 24/7 access to 200-square-foot studio equipped with sinks, telephones, and wireless Internet access
  • Ceramic artists have access to two electric kilns located in an outdoor kiln shed.
  • Wide variety of resources and opportunities, including teaching opportunities through HCCC and collaborative works with fellow residents
  • Ongoing professional development and enrichment opportunities with local museums, art professionals, and collectors
  • During the residency, artists have the opportunity to participate in a joint artist talk and display work outside their studios in collaboration with the Windgate Foundation Curatorial Fellow.
  • Upon completion of the residency, artists have the opportunity to show work in the annual In Residence exhibition at HCCC.
  • Additional opportunities, such as discussions with curators and gallery owners, exposure at HCCC events, and interactions with visiting art professionals

BIPOC Support Grant Provided by HCCC & Crafting the Future

HCCC and Crafting the Future (CTF) have partnered to introduce a new funding opportunity to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) craft artists. Crafting the Future works to diversify the fields of art, craft, and design by connecting BIPOC artists with opportunities that will help them thrive. By banding together and pooling the resources of like-minded artists and art appreciators, CTF is making the changes they want to see in communities around the country.

Residents who identify as BIPOC can receive unrestricted funding in addition to their monthly honorarium. The additional support ranges from $500 to $1,000 and can be awarded as a one-time gift or on a scheduled monthly basis to support their practice. To apply, please complete the “Support Grant” section on the application.

Interdisciplinary Craft + Photography Artist Residency
offered by 
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and
Houston Center for Photography

The Interdisciplinary Craft + Photography (ICP) Artist Residency is designed for artists creating work at the intersection of contemporary craft and photography. This three-month residency supports artists with an experimental, multidisciplinary edge, who are testing the boundaries within both fields. ICP residents will be hosted in a studio space at HCCC and will receive all the benefits of regular HCCC resident artists.  In addition, from Houston Center for Photography (HCP), they will receive printing credits and access to the digital lab. Artists will participate in a joint artist talk and will be included in HCCC’s annual In Residence exhibition, as well as receive a feature in HCP’s spot magazine. Applicants must be able to demonstrate and address how their practice engages the fields of both craft and photography.

Application Requirements

Applicants for HCCC’s Artist Residency and for the ICP Residency will apply through the same online application.  All applicants must provide the following information when completing the online application:

  1. Artist Statement: In one page or less, describe your creative work, process, technique, and conceptual development. Tie your statement to a specific process or work that is depicted in your images.
  2. Resume: Three pages or less.
  3. Three References: Provide contact information for three references. References will be contacted in the final stages of the interview process.
  4. Images of 10 Works Created within the Last Two Years: Upload one wide shot and one detail for each of 10 pieces, for a total number of 20 images.
  5. International Applicants: With their application, international applicants must submit proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. (green card or appropriate visa), as well as a tax processing number issued by the IRS (Social Security Number, Employer Identification Number, or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).

Please Note: Once accepted, residencies cannot be deferred due to work, family, travel commitments, illness, or any other reason. Artists who need to withdraw from their residencies must notify HCCC in writing at least 90 days in advance of their start date. 

For technical assistance with the online application process, please e-mail support@slideroom.com, Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM CST.

For questions regarding the application requirements, please email applications@crafthouston.org.

Inclusion Statement

The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s mission is to educate on the process, product, and history of craft, here in the city of Houston and across the country. In our exhibitions, educational programs, and artist residencies, we strive to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that provides access to the resources artists need to realize their creative and community endeavors.

For our audiences, we aim to reach all people, no matter their previous experience with, knowledge of, or access to the arts. HCCC is committed to serving as a community that welcomes and respects everyone–regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, geographic origin, and socioeconomic status. To be of and for Houston, the most diverse city in the nation, we affirm our responsibility to be as inclusive as possible for all audiences.

The artist residency program is generously supported by funding from the Windgate Foundation; the John & Robyn Horn Foundation; Susan Vaughan Foundation, Inc.; and the Gordon A. Cain Foundation. Grant support contributes to monthly stipends for the residents, as well as the operations and administrative needs of the program.

This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance.