Inspiration Lab Artist-in-Residence Program

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About the Inspiration Lab Artist-in-Residence Program

Unique among other programs, the Inspiration Lab at University of the Arts invites artists to apply to our artist-in-residence studio program, which provides artist studios for selected and invited individuals. As a part of the UArts community, visiting artists will have access to the faculty, staff, students, workshops and programming of a thriving arts institution located on the Avenue of Arts in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Inspiration Lab Artist-in-Residence Program at University of the Arts accelerates and cultivates contributions to contemporary knowledge production within the arts by providing devoted studio space, time, resources and access to key facilities and expertise for emerging and mid-career artists working across disciplines. Artists are invited to apply for studio residencies ranging from one semester to a full academic calendar year.

The Inspiration Lab (iLAB) studios are located on the Avenue of the Arts in the heart of Philadelphia in UArts’ Anderson Hall, an eight-story building devoted to the visual arts, design and museum studies.

The iLAB houses 10 individual studios, two central gallery and installation spaces, and one communal lounge.

Artists will also have the potential to utilize advanced workshops and labs across campus, based on availability and the scope of the project, including fabrication studios like the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace; the Center for Immersive Media, which is devoted to new and emerging technology and provides the largest motion-capture stage in the region; the state-of-the-art Laurie Wagman Recording Studios; and numerous material workshops (e.g., wood, metal, plaster, ceramics, fibers, and printmaking and book arts).

Residencies are open to national and international artists over 21 years of age who demonstrate a strong professional creative practice. A broad range of disciplines will be considered, including, but not limited to, the visual arts, new media, performance, design, film, moving images, writing, choreography, curatorial practice and music composition. Small collaborative groups with a demonstrated history of professional creative practice accomplishment will be eligible to apply, but only one studio space will be available per group. Artists currently enrolled in full-time academic programs are not eligible to apply.

To cultivate relationships with the UArts and Philadelphia communities, each iLAB artist will be expected to give one public presentation of work, which may include an artist talk, performance, reading, screening or lecture that is relevant to their practice. They will also make their studios available to classes for studio visits, participate in open house and open studio events, contribute work to curated iLAB exhibitions in the project spaces and be open to visiting classes as guest speakers. In addition, all artists will have the opportunity to engage with faculty, staff and students in developing their work, which may include connections to ongoing courses.

In addition, all artists in residence will receive free access to the studios; facilities as approved; and other UArts resources, including Lightbox Film Center, UArts Libraries and public programming. Artists in residence may also have the opportunity to audit certain courses, with approval from the director and the instructor and if space is available.

Finally, limited supplemental financial support by way of an $800 monthly stipend is awarded to selected artists by the selection committee.

Facilities at UArts

Interior of the UArts Makerspace: an industrial-type space with a very high, slanted ceiling and windows for additional illumination. Below the ceiling, which slopes downwards to the right, are ventilation pipes and long fluorescent lights. The floor is shiny and buffed, and throughout the space are wood workshop tables with red frames on casters.

Interior of the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace Makerspace at UArts.

Interior of new studio space shortly after construction in Anderson Hall. It’s a stark utilitarian space with a high, open ceiling with pipes, wires, ventilation, and fluorescent lights. The walls are bright white, as are three support pillars. There is a black door at the far right of the photo. The base of the wall has a black trim along the floor. A person wearing an all-black outfit and black face mask stands below the lights, looking towards the right.

New studios in Anderson Hall under construction; these studios are now in use as part of the iLab space.

In the foreground, a person with a ponytail sits at a white desk facing two large computer monitors. Beyond the desks is an open floor in a dusky room edged with supportive trusses, which span the length of the ceiling. A person in a body-mapping jumpsuit stands in the room, wearing a surgical mask. Everything is bathed in a pale lavender light. In the background is a large projector screen showing metrics of the body mapping.

An interactive mapping project in action at UArts’ Center for Immersive Media

A recording and mixing studio setup, with a large mixing console in the center of a large wooden mixing desk. There are patchbays on the left desk panels and outboard rack-mounted equipment on the right panels. The desk is trimmed in light wood.

Analog mixing studio in the Laurie Wagman Recording Studios

Interior of the main interactive space at the Center for Immersive Media

A long room with walls covered in slate gray acoustic paneling and a row of desks against the wall. The white desks each have computer screens on them, displaying video editing software. People sit on rolling chairs at the workstations, looking at project timelines or glancing at notes. Away from the wall, the room is empty, with the floor covered in splotchy gray carpet.

A video editing suite used by the Film program

Two people sit on high stools within a loose scaffold supporting an array of small, high-grade speakers. Both people are looking at their phones or notebooks. A person on the right of the image sits at a desk with a laptop displaying a schematic, ostensibly controlling the speaker array via a dense collection of cables spilling out.

UArts guests experiencing an audio installation at the grand opening of the Center for Immersive Media in Juniper Hall

A large, well-illuminated room with white walls, a slate gray floor, and an exposed ceiling full of rows of pipes and fluorescent lighting fixtures. Several windows are on the far walls, letting in light from the cityscape outside. On the right wall is a black television screen and a window with protective bars.

Studio space in Anderson Hall

A photography studio bustling with activity and equipment

Interior of a recital hall or musical performance space. The viewer’s perspective is from far up in the seating area, looking down towards the stage area across eight rows of folding green theater seating. In the stage area, an instrumental ensemble is practicing.

Musical performances and rehearsals take place in UArts’ numerous recital halls.

Interior of the UArts Makerspace. A lofty, brightly lit workshop space with pulleys in the rafters is home to multiple massive wooden workshop tables. A person with safety goggles assembles various wooden pieces using a power drill in the center of the room.

Interior of the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace at UArts

’23-’24 iLab Artist-in-Residence experiences

Interior of an art studio. Across from the viewer is white drywall, bisected by a large white concrete pillar. The right half of the studio wall displays fabric loops and shapes, in gold hues as well as lifevest-yellow. The left half of the studio wall are white fabric pants-like U shapes, one of which is draped over a golden figure-eight-type object. Between this object and the pillar are a variety of small prints, each with images resembling the various compositions and objects on the walls.

The studio and work in progress of iLAB artist-in-residence Ana Mosquera

iLAB artists-in-residence Lucia Garzón (left) and Ana Mosquera, (right) talking with each other in Ana’s studio. Photo By: iLAB artists-in-residence Orlando Thompson.

A person stands next to a desk in a large, open studio as sunlight streams in. the left wall is white drywall covered in artworks, interrupted by a concrete pillar. The right, back wall has large windows that allow large beams of light to fall across the floor, which is covered in textiles and plastic sheeting. The person is wearing a floral shirt and is smiling. Image is black and white.

iLAB artist-in-residence Ana Mosquera in the studio. Photo By: iLAB artist-in-residence Orlando Thompson.

A person wearing a mask in a large, empty studio space is down on one knee working on an artwork - a square canvas resting on a milk crate. There are various sheets of material and wooden elements scattering across the floor. The wall behind the person is largely blank, with one artwork reading “Dios te bendiga.” The image is overlaid with reflections, implying that the photo is shot through an interior window into a hall. Image is black and white.

iLAB artist-in-residence Lucia Garzón in the studio. Photo By: iLAB artist-in-residence Orlando Thompson.

iLAB artist-in-residence Jonathan Santoro in the studio. Photo By: iLAB artist-in-residence Orlando Thompson.

iLAB artists-in-residence Lucia Garzón (left), Wilmer Wilson IV (center) and Sweet Corey-Bey (right) conversing in Lucia’s studio. Photo By: iLAB artists-in-residence Orlando Thompson.

a person sits in a black armchair in a studio space full of various supplies and bits of furniture. The person is wearing a button up shirt and jeans, and has an ipad on their lap. They are looking up at the ceiling.

iLAB artist-in-residence Sweet Corey-Bey in the studio. Photo By: iLAB artist-in-residence Orlando Thompson

A large studio space containing several large, wooden cylindrical artworks, variously draped or wrapped with plastic. The wooden pillars are free-standing on small wooden bases. The central pillar has a pointillist, mosaic-like image wrapped around its wooden boards. A person in a bleach-dyed shirt walks around the pillar collection on the right of the black and white image of the studio.

iLAB artist-in-residence Wilmer Wilson IV in the studio. Photo By: iLAB artist-in-residence Orlando Thompson

Artworks laid on the floor of a studio. These are two stylized hubcaps, each in a generic standard silver with a slanted seven-spoked star-like design. However, the center of each hubcap contains a raised face. The closer one has a slightly upturned, big nose with large browse, bright green eyes, and a tongue sticking up across its lip. The further hubcap’s face looks like a droopy, tired, slack-jawed expression, though it is not clearly visible in perspective.

Work in progress by ’22-’23 iLab artist-in-residence Jonathan Santoro.

A studio space with a work in progress laid out on the floor. The left well of the studio is covered with completed works: red-lined textiles pieces, a concrete-looking nook. The adjoining wall has barred windows looking outside. In the foreground, a series of wooden slats with wooden panels are laid out, with each panel containing a four-pointed star with a red square accent in the center. Various studio supplies are seen around, on a desk in the back, clogs and desks near the windows, power tools by the s

The studio and work in progress of iLAB artist-in-residence Lucia Garzón.

What to Expect: Information for Applicants

UArts Residency fellowships provide

Dedicated work and/or studio space.
Limited financial support by way of an $800 monthly stipend if awarded by the selection committee.
Access to UArts specialized centers, such as the Albert M. Greenfield Makerspace; the Center for Immersive Media; the Laurie Wagman Recording Studios; and numerous material workshops including wood, metal, plaster, ceramics, fibers and print/book arts shops.
Opportunities for culminating exhibitions for curatorial fellows and studio fellows.
Opportunities to design and participate in artist-led projects and public programming.

Expectations include

Completing the entire length of the residency program.
Giving one public presentation of work which may include an artist talk, performance, reading, screening or lecture as relevant to one’s practice.
Participating in a public open house, open studio events and group shows in the project spaces.
Relocating to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the duration of the residency. (Note: Housing is not provided, as this is solely a studio residency.)

Review Process

Residency applications are reviewed by a committee of external artists and arts professionals, such as curators, academics, critics, a university dean and a former iLAB artist.

The application review process consists of an online review, a review panel meeting and an interview for selected finalists. The review process takes six to eight weeks from the application deadline. Notifications to all applicants will be sent via email after the selection panel has made its final decisions. Applications must be received by March 10, 2023, to be reviewed.

Submission Guidelines

A resume or curriculum vitae
A letter of interest that speaks to the following questions:
- What is your specific interest in participating in the Inspiration Labs Artist-in-Residence at the University of the Arts?
- How will this residency impact your practice?
- How will you utilize access to the resources and space provided by the university and its community?
The names and email addresses of three personal or professional references. Note: We do not want letters of reference.
Documentation of recent work
Documentation: Select from the following list of materials appropriate to your practice. Submit the type of materials that best represents your work.
- Applicants may submit up to 15 work samples, which can be a combination of images, video, or audio files (maximum of 15 minutes of video and audio).
- Visual (painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation, conceptual).
  - Submission of an image list with title, date, size, media and, when applicable, conceptual intent is optional.
- Writing (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting): Submit up to 20 pages of poetry, 30 pages of prose or one to two full-length plays/scripts.
- Performance/Dance: Submit up to 30 minutes of video, along with any other material that adequately describes your work. Note: The first 10 minutes will be used for the primary review.
- Film/video/new media: Submit up to 30 minutes of video. Note: The first 10 minutes will be used for the primary review.
- Music/sound: Submit up to 30 minutes of audio and/or video. Note: The first 10 minutes will be used for the primary review.
- Arts professionals (art writers and curators): Submit sufficient material to evidence the breadth of your work and interests, including reviews, essays and catalogs.
- Architecture/environment: Review documentation requirements for visual artists.
- Interdisciplinary arts: Review other categories to determine what materials you should submit.
Applications must be submitted by March 17, 2023.

For questions related to iLAB, please email iLAB@uarts.edu.

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Inspiration Lab Artist-in-Residence Program