Maine Media Book Artist in Residence
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY
Maine Media is pleased to announce that the 2024 Book Artist in Residence Program is open to accept applications.
The residency is available to emerging and practicing artists, book artists, letterpress printers, and photographers who combine word and image. The residency is designed to help the chosen artist(s) complete their proposed, editioned project by providing studio space, funding, housing if needed, and the support of a curious, interdisciplinary arts community.
The Book Artist in Residence has 4-week, unlimited access to our dedicated Charles Altschul Book Arts Studio, which includes two Vandercook presses (a Universal I and a Universal III), a photopolymer platemaker, and bindery equipment. The studio is also adjacent to our alternative process photography lab, a center of activity for students working with a wide range of historical techniques. The selected artist(s) could be on campus during the shoulder seasons of our programming when the low-residency MFA students come in November and May for critical review of work and our certificate students are either starting or ending their sessions. This interaction is very important to the community. While these are ideal times to host open studio hours, give demonstrations, or present a lecture about work or artistic practice, they are not the sole factors in selecting a resident.
The dates of the residency can vary. Preference will be given to those who are available for four consecutive weeks during October 19 and November 23, 2024, or March 15 and May 15, 2025. But proposals for other times between October 19, 2024, and May 15, 2025 will be considered. Be aware that the campus is completely closed from December 20, 2024, through January 4, 2025, so please avoid these dates when proposing your residency.
PAST RESIDENTS
*Richard Retiz Smith, “Haiku Alphabet Zoo” – 2015 https://www.coroflot.com/reitzsmith/Letterpress-Collage-BookArts
Valerie Carrigan, “The Walk” – 2015 https://www.valeriecarrigan.com/work#/the-walk/
Nancy Loeber, “Brothers and Sisters” – 2016 https://www.nancyloeber.com/books
*Anneli Skaar, “Bears and Ruins” – 2016 https://www.anneliskaar.com
Valerie Duncan, “The Cottage” – 2016 (completed in 2017) https://www.valerieduncan.com/books
*Isobel Lewis, The Shipping Forecast” – 2017 https://www.instagram.com/the_kelpie_press/
Lesia Maruschak, “Transfiguration” – 2018 https://lesiamaruschak.com/new-page-49
*Tara Law, “The Whisper” – 2018
Emily Sheffer, “A Short History of Cyanotype” – 2019 https://www.dustcollective.net/store/p/a-short-history-of-cyanotype-by-emily-sheffer
*Jim Nicholson, “Annals of the Former World” – 2019 https://www.jimnickelson.com/book-annals-of-the-former-world
2020- 2021 suspended due to COVID
Rachel Church, “The Women of Windy Hill” – 2022 https://reidbyers.com/baxter/?p=447
Stephanie Wolff, “The Pocket Sky Atlas” – 2022( completed in 2023) https://www.stephaniewolffstudio.com
Dylan Hausthor, “The Barn” – 2023 https://dylanhausthor.com/the-barn
If the selected resident happens to be within driving distance of the campus or does not require housing nor food, access to the Charles Altschul Book Arts Studio can be over a longer period of time as was the case with these highlighted residents *.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 residency.
To apply, please send the following BY EMAIL to the chair of the book arts program via email at [email protected], as a compressed folder labeled with the artist’s name and include:
- Artist Statement and CV
- A one-page description of the project, including anticipated studio equipment needs and proposed dates of your residency and if you will need housing
- An outline for the use of the $500 material/travel support explaining how the funds will be used
- Ten images of recent work, along with short descriptions of the work (images should be 72 pixels per inch | 800 pixels on the longest side | jpeg format | Adobe RGB 1998 color space)
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Selection is a two-step process:
Round One is an evaluation of the written proposal submitted and outlined in the paragraph above.
Round Two is by invitation based on the outcome of Round One.
If selected from Round One, you will be asked to submit a physical maquette for a jury to review.
This would be your opportunity to impress the jury with your skill and artistic, conceptual prowess.
We would particularly welcome an artist whose innovative project incorporates digital or analog photography with the printed word in an unusual book form, but that is flexible.
Applications will be accepted until midnight EST on Sunday, June 9, 2024. Based on the submitted materials, the jury will be looking for interesting proposals both in book form and book content. Not just one or the other. Submissions will be juried by a panel of artists and professionals in the field of photography and book arts. Finalists from the first round of jurying will be notified by June 21, 2024, and will be asked to submit a maquette of their proposed book project to be received at Maine Media by July 19, 2024. The maquette should be an actual size “representation” of the “book” and “binding” with a minimum of two spreads “representing” the overall content. All applicants will be notified of the jury’s final decisions via email by July 31, 2024.
As an institution dedicated to interdisciplinary pursuits in photography, film, book arts, and writing, we encourage projects that combine artistic images with the printed word in innovative book forms. We ask that the recipient of the Book Artist in Residence donate two pieces from the edition to the Maine Media Gallery, one for our permanent collection and one to benefit our scholarship fund. The Book Artist in Residence will also be asked to give a public lecture on their work, in addition to hosting open studio events for the community.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Deluxe accommodations with a kitchen will be provided near our campus in Rockport, Maine in a luxury, ocean-view apartment above Barnswallow Books (https://www.facebook.com/barnswallowbooks/about)
Residents needing housing
The residency includes a weekly stipend of $350 for the four-week residency, materials and expense support of up to $500, meals on campus when the cafeteria is open (usually Monday – Friday), and deluxe living accommodations with harbor view and kitchen within walking distance of our campus in Rockport, Maine.
Residents not requiring housing
The residency includes a total stipend of $1400, materials and expense support of up to $500, and meals on campus when the cafeteria is open (usually Monday – Friday, excluding Nov 15 to March 15). If you live locally within driving distance from the campus or can provide your own housing nearby, the dates of the residency can range from Saturday, October 19, 2024, to Saturday, May 17, 2025, except when the campus is closed. You will have shared and coordinated access to the studio with other book arts staff and community.
Collaborations
Collaborations will be considered, but the funding is the same regardless of the number of participants.
QUESTIONS?
Please feel free to email [email protected] with any questions about this residency and/or the application process.
We look forward to reviewing your proposal.