Residencies & Retreats
CYCLE 10 (JANUARY 2026 - DECEMBER 2027) PES ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Project for Empty Space is pleased to announce the open call for the 2026–2028 Artist In Residence Program. Now in Cycle 10, this two-year residency invites four visual artists to join our Newark, NJ–based community to create work that centers social impact and engagement.
Deadline: October 6, 2025
Deadline: October 6, 2025
Submission Fee: Free
Eligibility: The program is open to visual and interdisciplinary artists nationwide. Applicants are typically late-emerging or early mid-career. This means they should have a track record of creating and exhibiting work, as well as leading community-engaged projects. An example exhibition history might include: a museum solo exhibition or several group museum exhibitions, a solo commercial gallery exhibition(s), or other form of public engagement. The application will ask you to share examples of this history.
For the community engagement aspects of this residency, selected applicants must comply with all federal, state, and local laws around permitting and contractual obligations.
Employees of Project for Empty Space and/or selection panel members are ineligible to apply
About the residency: Project for Empty Space is pleased to announce the open call for the 2026–2028 Artist In Residence Program. Now in Cycle 10, this two-year residency invites four visual artists to join our Newark, NJ–based community to create work that centers social impact and engagement.
The mission of the program is multifaceted, designed to benefit both the Artists In Residence and the broader public. It aims to create a symbiotic relationship between artist and audience, serving as a conduit for new artistic practices and socially driven interventions.
Throughout the residency, artists receive critical resources and support to sustain and deepen their practices:
Program Includes:
Two years of free studio space at Project for Empty Space in Newark, NJ*
$5,000 unrestricted honorarium
$2,500 materials stipend
A culminating solo exhibition at one of our Newark-based gallery locations
Support for community-facing programming and public engagement initiatives
Access to professional development, including studio visits, feedback sessions, and networking opportunities
The program strives to not only support individual artists; but also, to cultivate conversation around social equity and engagement that are often swept by the wayside. We see the AIR program as a bridge between artist and community, as well as community and community, to push important dialogues forward.