Artist-in-Residence Program FAQs for Applicants

ARTIST PARTICIPATION EXPECTATIONS

The New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary artist-in-residence program is open to mid-career and established fine artists who are independent, self-sufficient, and focused on sharing their practice with the community. Each project requires collaboration and community engagement, in the form of public programming, which could range from a lecture about the artist’s work and research while in residence, to an open studio, performance, or collaboration with a local organization or community group. Each artist-in-residence is obligated to implement a minimum of one public program per residency with the support of Museum staff. Artists-in-residence will not be expected to exhibit completed projects at the time of their residency.

What does the New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary provide during my residency?
The New Mexico Museum of Art will provide studio space at the Vladem Contemporary in the Dee Ann McIntyre in Memory of Scotty McIntyre Artist Studio. The Artist Studio is 650 sq. ft. and contains a sink, lockable cabinet and drawer storage, and a table and chairs. Artists-in-residence have access to the Studio during Museum office hours: Monday-Sunday from 8am – 5pm.

Selected artists will work with the curatorial team ahead of the residency to establish local connections, schedule research in museum collections, and/or to collaborate with our education team or another organization.

Please note, the Artist Studio is on the second floor of the Vladem Contemporary building. This is an active museum setting, which is open to the public from 10am – 5pm. Artists-in-residence may choose to keep the door to the studio closed during the day, or you may choose to engage with the Museum’s public and invite them into the Studio.

Artist Fees & Honorarium
The artist-in-residence program is funded by a generous grant from the Frederick Hammersley Fund for the Arts at the Albuquerque Community Foundation. Each artist-in-residence will receive an honorarium of $10,000, and a material stipend of $1,000. The honorarium will be dispersed at the start of the residency and the material stipend will be remitted by reimbursement upon receiving receipts for purchases. International wire transfers can be completed for artists living outside of the USA. Unless there is a tax treaty in place with the receiving country, a tax withholding of 30% ($3,000 in this case) will be made.

There are no residency or application fees, but the artist is responsible for all travel costs and other living expenses. Artists may choose to use their honorarium to cover these expenses.

How many artists are in residence at a time? What is the duration of each residency?
There will only be one artist-in-residence at a time. The duration of each residency is a minimum of two weeks (14 days) and maximum four weeks (28 days).

Do I need to have completed artwork by the end of the residency?
No, artists-in-residence are not expected to complete artwork while in residency.

Does the New Mexico Museum of Art accept proposals from collaborative groups or artist collectives?
No, we are currently only accepting applications from individuals.

Does the New Mexico Museum of Art accept proposals from individuals working in other artistic fields such as music, poetry, or dance?
No, we are currently only accepting applications from visual artists.

What special art making equipment is provided?
The Artist Studio at the New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary does not house any specific art making tools or special facilities. If you want to work in a particular fashion, you must bring the special materials you require with you. You will be provided with a $1,000 material stipend, which can be used to purchase materials used during your residency.

Location
The New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary is in the Guadalupe neighborhood of Santa Fe half a mile south of the historic downtown plaza and on the northern edge of the Santa Fe Railyard. While Albuquerque, roughly an hour to the south, is a larger metropolitan area, Santa Fe is the state capitol and the seat of government in New Mexico. Click here to learn more about Santa Fe.

Do you accept international artists?
Yes, we accept artists from around the world. International artists are responsible for obtaining the proper visas and all temporary immigration requirements if applicable. The New Mexico Museum of Art is unable to provide an interpreter, therefore a working knowledge of English is essential.

Accommodation
Accommodation for residents is not provided and the New Mexico Museum of Art cannot provide support in finding housing. Short-term rentals and sub-lets can be found though Airbnb, VRBO, and websites such as Craigslist. Please make sure that you have secured housing for the duration of your stay prior to your arrival.

Santa Fe’s peak tourist season includes the summer months of June, July, and August, and it can be busy into September as well. Please be aware that during these months short-term housing rentals and hotels will be more difficult to find and will be more expensive.

Travel To Santa Fe
Residents are responsible for the cost of travel to/from Santa Fe. The Santa Fe Regional Airport is a 20 min drive (14 miles) from downtown Santa Fe. The Albuquerque International Sunport Airport is 66 miles from downtown Santa Fe and is accessible by car, the Rail Runner Express train, and Groome Shuttles. The New Mexico Museum of Art does not provide transportation to/from airports or transit stations.

Santa Fe is not the most pedestrian-friendly city and while there is a public bus system the easiest way to get around is by car. Major car rental companies including Enterprise, Avis, and Hertz provide rental services within the city.

Santa Fe does not have a local taxi company, so Uber and Lyft are the best options for car service. Free parking to access the Artist Studio is available from 6:00am-9:00pm at the State’s parking garage, which is located at 485 Galisteo St, four blocks from the Vladem Contemporary. Temporary access to our loading dock can be arranged in advance to load-in large materials.

Food
Meals and food are not provided to artists-in-residence. You will have access to the Vladem Contemporary staff kitchen, which includes a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and sink. The New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary is close to downtown Santa Fe and within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants and cafes. Grocery stores and markets, including the Santa Fe Farmers Market, are easily accessible on foot, by car, and by bus.

What should I bring?
Plan to bring anything that you will need during your time in Santa Fe including personal items such as medication, toiletries, weather-appropriate clothing, and supplies/materials needed during the residency. International travelers: the New Mexico Museum of Art does not provide international power adapters for personal computers used on site.

Santa Fe is located 7,000 feet (2,213 meters) above sea level. Because of the high altitude, the air is thinner, and it usually takes roughly 48 hours to acclimatize. For some, the elevation gain can cause temporary headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. It is important to drink plenty of water and not overexert yourself during your first week.

The climate for Santa Fe varies greatly by season, so the type of clothes you pack will depend on when you are here. There are about 300 days of sunshine each year. Santa Fe is dry, normally with less than 40% humidity; however, there is a rainy period during the summer referred to as the monsoon season. August is typically the most active monsoon month, but storms can start in Spring and continue into September, with heavy intermittent rainfall, lightning, hail, strong winds, dust storms, and flash flooding.

Summer in Santa Fe averages daily highs of 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) and nightly lows of about 53 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius). Winter daily highs average about 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) with average nightly lows at about 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius). Santa Fe has roughly 30 to 34 inches (76 to 86 centimeters) of snowfall per year. The first frost is usually about October 10th and the last frost around May 1st.

Can you provide feedback on my application?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide feedback on submitted artists’ applications.

What if my question has not been answered?
If you have a question that has not been addressed here, please reach out to the Curator of Contemporary Art, Alexandra Terry via email: alexandra.terry@dca.nm.gov.