The SFCC Fine Art Gallery is honored to introduce the sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Artist-in-Residence Program with the opening of sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Art Building 32 on the campus of Spokane Falls Community College. The fully funded annual three-month residency will provide state of the art studio space within the newly constructed sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Arts building to an Indigenous artist for the duration of spring quarter April 1-June 18, 2025. The selected artist will explore creative expression through educational and professional development opportunities that connect them with students and the wider  Spokane community.  Funded in part with generous support from Spokane Arts SAGA Grant, Community Colleges of Spokane, and private donors, the residency is integral to the mission of the SFCC Fine Art gallery.

As a college which is situated on the traditional and sacred lands of the Spokane Tribe and provides services in a region that includes the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Kalispel Tribe and Nez Perce Tribe, we will prioritize those applicants and the tribes of Washington state as well as the Schistu'umsh (Coeur d'Alene Tribe of Indians). The three-month residency includes a $2,500.00 monthly stipend, as well as off-campus housing, studio space, and travel reimbursement to and from Spokane, WA. The residency provides time for the artist to develop artwork, explore new ideas, and to strengthen existing talents. Opportunities for educational and professional development, connections with students and Spokane community will be available for the artist to explore.

Applications will be open to all Indigenous artists from any visual art discipline.

The Fine Art Department supports diverse creative disciplines including ceramics, drawing, sculpture, metals/jewelry, painting, printmaking, digital art, and mixed media within sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Art Building 32. The building is 60,000 SF and includes, a 680 SF Fine Art Gallery, classrooms, labs, offices, studios and specialty equipment including a bronze foundry.

Applicants need not have any formal training but should have some previous experience creating in their preferred medium.

Residency Term: April 1-June 18, 2025

Applications Accepted: October 10-December 5, 2024

Selected Applicant Notified By: January 31, 2025

PROGRAM GOALS:

1.    Cultural Preservation and Reclamation: By creating a space that makes it possible for the resident artists to express themselves authentically and creatively, this residency will contribute to the preservation and transmission of Indigenous culture to future generations.

2.    Empowerment and Identity Affirmation: Our residency creates a pathway to exploration and empowerment by providing the artist with opportunities to explore, express, and celebrate their cultural identities and heritages in an affirming space.

3.    Community Building and Solidarity: The residency program creates opportunities for the artist to connect and collaborate within a supportive professional community informed by their wants and needs.

4.    Cross-Cultural Understanding and Dialogue: Our residency program is designed to promote cross-cultural dialogue and understanding. By providing opportunities for the artist to share their perspectives and experiences with other communities (Indigenous and non-Indigenous), we plan to promote and facilitate meaningful interactions and build bridges of mutual respect and appreciation.

5.    Professional Development and Visibility: This residency program will provide valuable opportunities for the artist to build skills, develop supportive networks, and enhance the visibility of their work. These opportunities are at the artist’s discretion and designed to build new and extended opportunities for future work and career advancement.

6.    Inspiration and Innovation: Through this residency, we hope to provide a space within a vibrant artistic community that supports and encourages inspiration and innovation in the practice of art.

OUR COMMITMENTS TO THE ARTIST:

·      The artist-in-residence will decide what kind of art they want to make and exhibit, what kind of professional development they will benefit from, and what they would like their interaction with the community to look like.

·      Three months access to studio space within sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Arts Building, with access to tools and equipment from the art disciplines taught at SFCC including ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting, printmaking, and metalsmithing.

·      Access to instruction in fine art classrooms: opportunities to observe regularly scheduled classroom lectures, demonstrations, and critiques performed by fine art faculty.

·      Professional development opportunities available to the artist should they choose to incorporate them as part of their residency experience include engagement with students and the community of Spokane through artist facilitated open studio hours, artist lead technical demonstrations, artist talk or lecture, and mentoring through art critique participation. Apprenticeship available from the Gallery Program Director in which the artist would receive guidance in art exhibition, curatorial processes, and technical demonstrations relating to art installation processes.

·      Connection to a community liaison/Tribal representative.

·      A reception, free and open to the public with food and beverages provided by the SFCC Fine Art Gallery will be scheduled with the resident artist.

·      Any artwork exhibited by the artist may be available for purchase with all profits directed to the artist. *SFCC Fine Art Gallery does not take a commission on any sales.

·      The resident artist would receive furnished off-campus lodging for three months with amenities including kitchen and wifi.

·      Three stipend payments in the amount of $2,500.00 each to assist with costs of living such as local travel, meals, and art supplies associated with a three-month residency.

·      Reimbursement for travel to and from Spokane, WA not to exceed $800.00

 SELECTION PROCESS:

The artist selection criteria and process for the pilot year have been carefully developed to ensure equity and access to any emerging artist who is Indigenous to the United States or Canada, regardless of tribal enrollment or federal recognition status. We use "Indigenous and Native" as recognizable and broad terms that align with other organizational opportunities nationally, but we recognize that no term can encompass the diversity and myriads of experiences with Native identity. Applications will be reviewed by a diverse committee including three Tribal representatives, two SFCC faculty members and an enrolled member of the SFCC student body. The selected artist will be notified by January 31, 2024 and the residency term will be April 1-June 18, 2025.

Application Requirements

Submit the following information online or postmarked by the December 5, 2024 application deadline. Complete applications for the sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Artist-in-Residence Program would include the following: 

·       ​Name

·       Mailing Address:     City:   State/Province:    Zip/Postal Code:

·       Phone

·       Email

·       Tribal Affiliation(s), please provide a copy of Tribal ID or certificate status.

·       Provide a list of prior art experiences such as education, relevant training, awards/honors, exhibitions, performances, residencies, apprenticeships or a CV 

·       Artist Statement (no more than two pages in length)

·       5-10 of current visual artwork samples: file types accepted in JPG, JPEG, Office 365, PDF, and PNG. File name format: “First Name_Last Name_1.jpg” The max to upload would be 30MB.

·       Image List: Next to the number of each artwork, provide the title of the piece, medium, size, year of completion, and optional image description. Please do not send portfolios or actual work, images only, as the application will not be returned. 

·       Years working in a creative discipline(s):

·       Description of new artwork(s) you intend to explore and complete during the residency.

·       Creative discipline(s) and techniques of proposed artwork(s) or project:

·       Written statement specifying areas of interest through professional development engagement with SFCC Fine Art students and community audiences.  The artist may choose to have several public events, such as open studio hours, an artist talk or lecture, and workshops or they may elect to limit direct interaction with the public. We are sensitive to the interests of the resident artist, with a focus on relationship-building and professional and artistic development.

*The way that the public interacts with the Artist-in-Residence will be informed by the desires and preferences of the Artist-in-Residence.

·       ​List two professional references with contact information for each. Name, Email, Phone, and Relationship

·       If you receive the residency, a spouse, partner or family member(s) may accompany you. Please provide their name(s) and their relation to you.

·       Will you agree to be present on campus for 35 hours a week during the 3-month residency term?

Would you be interested in an opportunity to exhibit artwork at the SFCC Fine Art Gallery at the culmination of the residency?

If yes, please indicate if you would be interested in a solo or group exhibition. *Scheduling and exhibition stipends will be coordinated with the Gallery Director, Cozette Phillips.

For mailed entries, please postmark by December 5, 2024, and send application to:

CCS Central Services

Attn: Cozette Phillips, MS-3060

3939 N. Freya

Spokane, WA 99217

Eligibility Criteria

Applications will be open to all Indigenous artists from any visual art discipline.