BolsterArts Residency
BolsterArts Residency
BolsterArts Residency awards two artists, selected by a jury, a rent-free, 360sq ft studio space to share in Chinatown, Manhattan, concluding in two-person exhibition at All Street Gallery in the East Village.
Residency Dates: January 1, 2025 - April 15, 2025
Exhibition Dates: May 1 - 18th, 2025
Opening Night: May 1, 2025 6-9PM
We are seeking visual artists working in any medium who are pushing boundaries and ready to elevate their practice with dedicated studio space.
We're looking for bold, ambitious Artists who aren’t afraid to take risks through their work.
we encourage artists working in one or more of the following themes
Gender Advocacy: reproductive rights, maternal healthcare, abortion, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ rights, gender-affirming care, and more.
Social Justice: prison reform, the Tulsa Massacre and other historical events, identity politics, voting rights, family history, the wage gap, immigration, and beyond.
Climate Change: hurricanes, wildfires, rising temperatures, sea-level rise, species extinction, air pollution, displacement, and other environmental crises.
If your work tackles these urgent and powerful issues, we invite you to apply!
Make it stand out.
Meet the Jury
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Aida Valdez
FOUNDER, MAD54
Aida Valdez is the founder of MAD54, a community dedicated to promoting art collection and supporting emerging artists. Through MAD54, she offers education and resources for aspiring collectors to navigate the art world with confidence. In 2023, Valdez initiated a six-month residency program in Brooklyn, featuring four resident artists. Valdez’s curatorial projects include Pásele Pásele (2021), a pop-up exhibition showcasing 20 Mexican and Mexican-American artists, Jolie Laide (2023) at Harper’s Apartment in New York; and Land and At Sea (2024) at Mint Munich. She has also organized panels on art collecting at NeueHouse and Future Fairs, and led artist talks at Casa Pani in Mexico City. Currently, Valdez is co-curating an upcoming exhibition of Mexican artist Elina Chauvet, set for New York City in 2025. She holds a degree in Communication and Media from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a Master’s in Management from the Rotterdam School of Management.
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Dr. Margarita Rosa
SCHOLAR & CURATOR
Dr. Margarita Rosa (she/her) is a public scholar, curator, presenter and creative strategist specializing in Afro-Latinx, Latinx, and Black Atlantic history and contemporary art.Dr. Margarita Rosa was born in Tenares, Dominican Republic, in 1993. Raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, Dr. Rosa received her Ph. D from Princeton University. From 2021-2023, Dr. Rosa was a Lecturer and Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University, where she taught courses on gender and rebellion in the Black Atlantic. Art criticism by Dr. Rosa has appeared in i-D Vice, Hyperallergic, The Brooklyn Rail, and Frieze, as well as several exhibition catalogues and book chapters. Dr. Rosa’s historical academic scholarship has been published in The Journal of African American History, Slavery & Abolition, The Black Scholar, and PhiloSOPHIA. Dr. Rosa has been featured or interviewed in Ebony, Hyperallergic, Teen Vogue, Pop Sugar, and Refinery 29.
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Dejá Belardo
ARTIST & ASSISTANT CURATOR, THE SHED
Dejá Belardo, (she, they) is a curator and painter based in New York City. They were born and raised in St.Croix, U.S Virgin Islands and studied Political Science and Writing at Loyola University New Orleans and currently completing a degree in Art History and Visual Culture at NYU. Their diverse cultural background influences their commitment to the social and cultural power of art. The duality of being an artist and an arts professional allows Belardo to have a dynamic knowledge of how to serve the best interests and growing needs of artists. Belardo's goal as a curator is to support boundary pushing artists as they establish themselves in the art historical canon, especially those who have been historically marginalized. Currently, Belardo holds the position of Assistant Curator, Visual Art and Civic Programs at The Shed, NYC. Their professional experience has included major arts institutions in New York City like the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Pace Gallery. Belardo recently completed the Museum Professionals Seminar with The Studio Museum in Harlem.
ALL STREET GALLERY
THE STUDIO SPACE
opportunity Overview
Two visual artists will be awarded a shared rent-free, non-living studio space from January 1st, 2025 through April 15, 2025.
Each artist will receive a monthly one-on-one studio visit with a curator or gallerist to build professional development, for a total of four visits per each artist.
The artists will conclude their residency with a two-person exhibition in NYC. Dates are to be determined but will occur within 2025 after the conclusion of the residency.
artist eligibility
Artists must be over 21 years old.
Artists may not be currently enrolled in a BFA or MFA program.
Artists must be U.S. Citizens or hold an active green card.
Artists will not be provided housing and cannot live in the studio space.
Artists may not participate in any other residency program or maintain a separate studio during their residency.
Duos or collaborations are not eligible.
artist responsibilities
Artists must spend a minimum of 20 hours a week in the studio. 25-35 hours highly encouraged.
Artists must be present for all studio visits with outside gallerists or curators.
Artists must maintain the condition of the studio and keep the restroom/sink clean.
Artists will meet with the residency director once a month to assess studio progress and preparedness for the exhibition.
Artists are responsible for their materials, transport to and from the studio, moving in and out of the studio, and other costs that may arise. There is no financial stipend awarded for the residency or the exhibition.
Artists will be responsible for artwork transportation to and from the solo exhibition.
Artists will work with the residency team to install their solo exhibition.
artist selection
The two artists will be selected based on merit from a competitive pool of applicants by a professional jury.
The jury/residency program will also take into consideration your references and your ability to work well with others.
The jury will be looking for cohesion in your body of work.
The jury will also consider your work ethic and ability to prepare for an exhibition.
The jury will look for applicants who are ambitious and creating work that defies boundaries.
about the space
The space is located in Chinatown.
The space is 360 sq feet and is a fourth floor walk up (no elevator).
The space will be shared between the two artists.
Materials with fumes or dust may be used within reason and in agreement with other artist.
No excessive noise, power tools are allowed within reason.
No use of materials or tools that may pose a fire risk.
No pets or sharing the space with anyone who was not awarded the residency.
The space is open 24/7.
ready to apply?
ready to apply?
Application
Application Schedule:
Early Bird: October 15-30, 2024 $25
October 31-November 15, 2024 $35
Applications Close November 15, 2024 11:59pm
Applicants Notified First Round: December 1, 2024
Round 2 Materials Due: December 7, 2024 11:59pm
Applicants Notified: December 15, 2024
For those experiencing financial need there is a limited number of financial fee waivers available. At this time we can offer 10 waivers. Please only ask if you are truly experiencing need, we are offering this on the honor system. Application fees are being utilized for administrative costs, paying the jury, and the towards the cost of the space. Without asking an application fee this opportunity would not be possible. Even if you are not selected, know that your application will be seen by the jury and may lead to future opportunities.
Applications will be reviewed in TWO rounds.
ROUND 1
Please submit a PDF with the following materials:
Name, Email, Phone Number, Location
10 images, 1 image per page, 150-300 DPI
Image details below each photo in this format: Name, materials, dimensions in inches, year.
You may submit up to 1 video to replace 1 image, please include a Vimeo or YouTube link. We will watch up to 1 minute.
150 word Artist Statement
CV, no more than 2 pages
2 References
Please keep total file size under 25MB.
Please email application materials to bolsterartsresidency@gmail.com. Include all items in a single PDF, clearly write your name, and the corresponding name that was used to pay the application fee.
ROUND 2
If you are selected for round 2 of review you will be asked to submit a 300 word exhibition proposal about your work and an interview with the residency staff. In round 2 the judges will be pairing proposals that make sense for a two-person exhibition.
More Questions? bolsterarts@gmail.com