Mother’s Milk is an interdisciplinary residency (2, 4, 6 weeks) designed to support visual artists, sound artists/composers, dancer/choreographers, writers or other creatives who are pursuing innovative work in their field. The goal of this program is to provide individuals or collaborative teams with the time and space to pursue their creative projects alongside other residents whose different perspectives, backgrounds and interests offer inspiration and interaction. Work that is more experimental in nature without regard to commercial viability is of special interest, a focus on process over product. Residents have studios in a 1,500 sq. ft. hay barn studio and share housing in a fully renovated 1898 farmhouse. 

Location
Mother's Milk Residency is located in a restored former dairy farm at the edge of Newton, Kansas, tucked between farm fields, a light industrial park, and a travel hub. Our 15 acres are heavily wooded in most areas with some historic farm machinery left in place, where it has found a symbiosis with nature. The grounds offer opportunities for performances, installations (with prior approval), a source of rusty and natural materials, or a quiet place for reflection.

Nondiscrimination
Mother's Milk is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or dis/ability.

Deadline
Applications are due February 10, 2024 for May 11 - November 8, 2024 residencies. Jury notification will be mid-March 2024. 

For more information about fees, financial aid, equipment, and logistics check our website: www.mothersmilkart.com

Application Requirements

Each application requires:

• A project proposal statement, not to exceed 500 words.
• A current CV.
• Samples of recent work completed in the last two years
• References: Contact information for two professional references that are familiar with your work and your potential to be a positive member of our small community of residents.
• Preferred residency dates (although not guaranteed)
• $25 application fee

Work Sample Requirements

• Writers: submit 5 -10 pages of poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction combined into one Word or pdf file.
• Sound Artists/Composers: submit 3 - 5 audio and/or video samples, no more than 2 minutes each.
• Visual Artists: submit 8 - 10 images or combination of images, audio, video files (no more than 5 media files per submission)
• Dancer/Choreographers: submit 3-5 video samples, no more than 2 minutes each.

All submissions must follow CaFE formatting guidelines.

Eligibility Criteria

Residents (teams) will be exceptional creative practitioners – including emerging, mid-career and established artists - who desire time and space to work on their projects. Residencies will be awarded based on excellence and merit of project proposal, and the applicant’s interest in and ability to work independently. Residents cannot be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, must be at least 21 years old, and must reside on-site for the duration of the residency. International applicants will need to show proof of English language skills and will be responsible for acquiring appropriate visas if accepted.