WILLITS, CA. 2/6/17 — Are you a local artist looking to connect with your community? Willits’ own non-profit North Street Collective, an artist residency and community space, has put out a call for its new 2017 artist residency program.
North Street Collective, from their Facebook page.
The residency program will take place in the newly remodeled North Street Collective in the heart of downtown Willits and can host artists for stays from two weeks up to three months. Artists from a wide range of disciplines are encouraged to apply, and the program can also accept artists partnerships. All applicants will be required to contribute to the community in some way during their stay, whether through an artist talk, a workshop or screening, or some other community event.
The communal living space has room for three residents at a time, and the program will take place in two sessions: Spring/Summer is May 7 – Aug. 20; Fall/Winter is Sept. 10 – Dec. 17. The deadline for this year’s application is March 15. Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply.
Applicants can apply as a solo artist or as a partnership and the program encourages applicants to partner with local scientists or community activists to create community projects. Artists can propose work in disciplines including literature, visual arts, performance, plastic and industrial arts, film/video and multimedia arts, culinary arts, gardening and wellness, green building and design, science and research, and political and social organizing. “In keeping with Mendocino’s unique heritage and sense of place,” the program will prioritize “those with connections to Native American communities, Mexico, and with an interest in ecology and the natural environment.”
More information and applications can be found at North’s Street’s website or by emailing [email protected]. The full press release is listed below with further details.
North Street Collective, an artist residency and community space, announces its OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for its 2017 residency program. “We’re super excited to open our doors to artists to come here to do their work and get to know the community,” said Natasha Hoehn, the program’s founder. “Willits, and all of Mendocino County, is bursting at the seams with creativity, and we want this program to celebrate and highlight all this wonderful place has to offer.”
Q: What is the program?
North Street collective is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building community through creativity. Our Resident Artist Program provides emerging and established artists with the time, space, and inspiration to explore ideas and produce work.
Residents apply to stay with us anywhere from two weeks to three months at a time in order to connect with Willits and Mendocino County, while working on a creative project on their own.
The Resident Artist Program offers an opportunity for individual artists or duos of any discipline to create, advance or complete work in a self-guided and self-motivated way. We especially encourage partnerships of artists and scientists or artists and community activists who seek to work together in new ways to apply.
Since we are a new program, we are looking for people who are entrepreneurial by nature and who will also contribute to the growth and spirit of our new effort.
Q. What’s the schedule?
Our Spring/Summer Term runs May 7- August 20, and Fall Term runs September 10- December 17. Residents may apply to stay for two weeks to three months. North Street accommodates up to three residents at a time. We also host exhibits, open houses and other events throughout the year.
We are accepting applications until March 15th, 2017. To apply, visit our website at www.northstreetcollective.org
Q: Who can apply?
North Street Collective Residents are emerging or established artists who come from a variety of background and disciplines, or are working experimentally across several disciplines. In keeping with Mendocino’s unique heritage and sense of place, artists from Native American backgrounds, and Mexican artists, and artists whose work is connected to ecology have special priority for residencies. We also celebrate artists working with wood or other materials from the local natural environment; artists working with railroad-related themes; or those with a social practice related to this region of the world, including water, food system, and social justice. We are encouraging applications from artists representing the widest possible ranges of perspectives and demographics.
To that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply.
Q: What else is expected of the artists?
In addition to working on a clearly-defined project, residents are asked to make some sort of contribution to the community. Artists are encouraged to conduct one public performance or event. This can take form of an open rehearsal, a screening, a reading, a class, or a talk. Workshops and community events are strongly encouraged.
Q: What is the facility like?
Remodeled in 2016, North Street combines workspace with communal living space. The flexible and multipurpose interior and grounds house formal and informal performance and work space. We have three bedrooms/workrooms, two large interior studio/gallery spaces, and two external work platforms. We encourage artists to build connections locally, and to explore all facts of North Street and Willits and Mendocino, inside and out.
Q. What kind of art is acceptable?
Residents are professionals working in or across following artistic disciplines, with priority given to artists from whom this place is most conducive to their work, especially those with connections to Native American communities, Mexico, and with an interest in ecology and the natural environment:
Literature, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and translation;
Visual Art, including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, mixed media and installation art;
Plastic & Industrial Arts, including sculpting, design, and drafting;
Performance, including choreography, performance art, multi-media and/or collaborative works incorporating live performance;
Film, Video, & other Media, including narrative, documentary and experimental films, animation, and screenplays;
Gardening, Horticulture, & Wellness, including edible, decorative, and permaculture;
Culinary Arts, while we do not plan to offer a professional or commercial kitchen and will probably only be able to provide the basics in our space, we could also potentially welcome culinary artists who seek a reflective time to experiment with or write about their craft.
Science and Research, especially ecology, geography, biology
Green Building, Energy, and Design, smaller projects and/or writing about these
Political and Social Organizing, especially projects relevant to the local community
Q. Where do I get more information?
For more information and to apply, visit www.northstreetcollective.org or email us at [email protected].
