core residency program 2025–27

The Core Residency Program awards residencies to exceptional, highly motivated emerging artists and critical writers committed to developing a sustainable practice. The residency term is 23 months, during which fellows receive $100,000 ($50,000 per year) plus a health stipend.

Fellows are provided with a private studio and benefit from regular studio visits by regional, national, and international artists and curators. They receive a discount on classes at the Glassell School of Art and may request access to Glassell studios, which include facilities for painting, printmaking, digital and film photography, sculpture, jewelry, and ceramics. Fellows are also invited to engage with everything the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has to offer, including its permanent collection of approximately 80,000 artworks spanning more than 5,000 years of history, two house museums, and a distinguished staff of museum professionals. Fellows enjoy borrowing privileges at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Hirsch Library and the Fondren Library at Rice University.

Fellows participate in a group exhibition during the spring of their first year and present a solo exhibition or project in the spring of their second year. Critics-in-residence will, at that time, propose an outcome for their second year that aligns with their professional goals. In the first year of their residency, all fellows will give a public artist lecture and participate in an open studio event. In the second year, fellows will participate in a second open studio event and provide a gallery talk in conjunction with their solo project.

A jury of distinguished arts professionals selects Core Fellows based on the quality of submitted work and the potential for the residency experience in Houston to significantly impact their practice. When qualifications are comparable, priority is given to a Harris County-based artist or critic. Limited administrative support is available for successful international applicants seeking J-1 visas through the program’s partner organization, International Arts & Artists. No support is provided for other visa types.