RESIDENCY PROGRAM
Inscape AiR was a volunteer-run program, in which tenants programmed the community gallery with a residency for part of the year. Friends of Inscape raised funds to rent a second space to expand the residency.
Starting January 2025, the building owners will begin to lease the community gallery. It then will not be economically feasible to run the program in the short-term.
We are putting the residency on hiatus with the goal of bringing it back in future years.
In the meantime, we are working towards curating an exhibition of Inscape AiR alumni in a public gallery.
Thank you to the artists, 4Culture, and donors for making this special program a reality!
Below is an archive of information about the past program.
ABOUT THE AIR PROGRAM
The Inscape Artist-in-Residence program provides artists with a dynamic cultural and historic location to engage with community, research, and develop new work and ideas at the Inscape Arts Building – an art studio building in the former immigration and detention center in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.
Presented by Friends of Inscape, the residency features a free work-only space for one artist or artist-team for approximately 10 weeks. Depending on their goals, selected artists have the opportunity to hold workshops, talks, exhibitions, and receive studio visits from curators or artist mentors.
Six artists per year are selected. This selection cycle for residencies begins in January 2024. The selection committee includes representatives from the Inscape community and a representative from the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, as well as regional arts organizations that intersect with ethnic and immigrant communities. The committee seeks thoughtful and compelling applications of high quality work and values applications that convey engagement with the historic immigration building and the surrounding diverse neighborhood.
The residency is open to all artists by application. We are currently accepting applications for the 2024 residency period, running from January 2024 – December 2024. In honor of the history of the building, artists who are immigrants and/or from underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply.
Residency dates will be:
January 8 – March 25, 2024
April 14 – June 30, 2024
September 4 – November 20, 2024
The Studio Spaces
Siquina Space (Space 1): Approx. 17 x 22’ (approx. 400 sf), white drywall walls, concrete floor, no windows) on the first floor of Inscape. A great space for artists working with low light, sound, and technology. Also doubles as a gallery featuring track lighting.
Studio #102 (Space 2): Approx. 9 x 25’, (approx. 240 sf), window with natural light and overhead lights. This is a good space for artists that require natural light and/or are working with more traditional media due to better ventilation.
Both spaces are for studio-only residencies – not live/work.
Exhibition & Community Engagement
Depending on health guidelines, artists will have opportunities to engage with the community (in-person or online), exhibit artwork, and/or participate in Open House events.
Selection Process
Residencies will be awarded to artists who submit thoughtful, compelling and relevant applications that consist of high quality work. Inscape is a large community of diverse artists in a former Immigration and Naturalization Service building (on the National Register of Historic Places) in the Chinatown- International District. We value applications that display engagement with the Inscape artist community, the historic INS building and/or the C-ID community.
Residency Requirements
Artists are expected to work onsite for a minimum of 10 hours a week for the duration of the residency period.
Artists are responsible for their own materials.
Artists may choose to have an engagement with the public and Inscape community. (Example: this could be an exhibition, performance, artist talk, and/or workshop.)
Artists must be over the age of 18 and not currently enrolled in a degree program.
PREVIOUS ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Jo Cosme and Harriet Salmon Winter - Spring 2024
Ching-In Chen and Sabella Flagg Fall 2023
Casey Arguelles Gregory Summer 2023
Jiyon Hong and Alice Gosti Spring – Summer 2023
Miya Sukune and Pete Fleming Winter – Spring 2023
Lila Thomas Fall – Winter 2022
Haein Kang Winter – Spring 2022
HJ “Cortez” Amaro Fall 2021
Barry Johnson Fall 2020 – Winter 2021
Emily Tanner-McLean Spring – Summer 2020
Dhaba (Maggie Argiro & Sanwal Deen) Summer-Fall 2019
Fumi Amano Spring 2019
Nina Vichayapai Fall 2018
Natasha Marin Spring 2018
Sofia Babaeva Fall 2017
Yuri Kinoshita Summer 2017
Iole Alessandrini Spring 2017
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long is the residency?
The duration of the residency may vary, but it is approximately ten weeks and is posted along with the call to artists.
What is the studio like?
There are two studio spaces:
The Siquina Space (Space 1): Approx. 17 x 22’ (approx. 400 sf), with concrete floors, 11 foot tall ceilings and white walls. There are no windows, and lighting is provided by overhead fluorescents and/or gallery track lighting. There are two 120v outlets in the room. This is a good space for artists working with light/projections, sound, and technology.
Studio #102 (Space 2): Approx. 9 x 25’ (approx. 240 sf), with concrete floors, 11 foot tall ceilings, white walls, a window, and western light. There are two 120v outlets. This is a good space for artists that require natural light and/or are working with more traditional media due to better ventilation.
What access will I have to the studio & building?
Artists-in-Residence will be given a key card and have 24/7 access to the studio and building.
Is there parking? Loading?
Yes, there is limited first-come/ first-served parking for the building. (Inscape is only a few minutes walk from the Chinatown – International District public transit station; biking and public transportation are encouraged!). There is a loading bay in the back of the building that you have access to via a freight elevator.
What type of media is accepted?
All visual art media and performance art is accepted. Please note that there is limited ventilation in the studio, so strong solvents are not allowed. There is a spray booth in the basement for use of solvents or fixatives, and a kiln room.
What facilities does the building have?
There are general use bathrooms (including gender neutral), utility sinks, a spray booth, freight elevator, and kiln usage. There are two outdoor patios on the 2nd floor. Interpretive information about the building history is displayed on all floors, courtesy of the Wing Luke Museum.
Is the studio handicap accessible?
Yes.
COVID PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES
Inscape follows the guidelines and mandates from the State of Washington. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we ask artists to be flexible with residency availability dates and this also may affect open studio or public events related to the Artist-in-Residency program. As of August 2023 (the time of this publication) masks are not required in public spaces, but recommended.
OTHER QUESTIONS?
Contact: InscapeAIR@gmail.com