Clone of 2026 ACTivate Residency Artist Application

The ACTivate Residency of Boston Center for the Arts is designed to support artists in the exploration of an idea or concept at various stages of development.

In 2027 ACTivate will award two individuals or two small groups of artists a seven-day residency to create site-responsive work in the historic Cyclorama. The ACTivate Residency is unique in scope and vision with the intent of being transformational rather than transactional between the organizations and artists.

TIMELINE
August 18, 2027 - Open Call Announced
September 23, 2027 - Materials due
October 2027 - Notify Artists

RESIDENCY DATES
January 11-17, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)
January 25-31, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)
February 8-14, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)
March 1-7, 2027 (Monday-Sunday)

ARTISTIC ETHOS
Applicants are evaluated on their ability to demonstrate meeting the following criteria in line with the Artistic Ethos of BCA.

Our goal is to gather a diverse and inclusive community of artists for the purpose of supporting innovative work across disciplines, connecting artists with peers and resources, and providing a vibrant platform for new art in Boston.

Experimentation. We support artistic work that displays innovation and openness to new ideas, perspectives and techniques.

Responsiveness. In the process of supporting new and innovative work, we value ideas that are relevant to contemporary interests and conversations.

Community engagement. We encourage an artistic practice that engages meaningfully with the ecosystem where it exists through collaboration and exchange among artists and audiences.

Potential impact. We seek to support artists for whom our involvement has the potential to propel their practice creating a path for growth artistically and professionally.

Name - Lead Artist

First NameLast Name

Collective/Company

Gender Pronouns

We understand the sensitive nature of this question; leaving this field blank will not harm your application.

Racial/Ethnic Identity

We understand the sensitive nature of this question; leaving this field blank will not harm your application.

Email

example@example.com

Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

Phone Number

Area CodePhone Number

Website / Social Media

CV - Lead Artist and/or Collaborators

Browse Files

5 pages max

Describe your proposed project with as many details as possible. (Responsiveness & Community Engagement)

200 words max.0/200

How will your practice benefit from this residency? (Potential Impact)

200 words max.0/200

Please provide a paragraph that describes your work and artistic practice. (Experimentation & Community Engagement)

200 words max.0/200

Please tell us about any collaborators working with you on this project.

There will be two sessions of ACTivate in 2027. Please indicate which session you prefer if your project is selected for the program.

Please use this space to tell us anything you'd like us to know about the dates you've selected.

We acknowledge that the people reviewing your application are likely to have gaps in understanding or knowledge about the context for your work. Please share any other information you think would be important to fairly assess your application. In addition to your written response to this question, you may also choose to submit a short video (up to 3 minutes in total) responding to this question below.

250 words max.0/250

Upload Video (optional)

Work Samples

Upload Images

Up to ten images with a caption included in in the image caption list, upload below.

Upload Video (optional)

Video links that offer a glimpse into your work and artistic practice.

Image Caption List

Browse Files

Title, date, medium, and dimensions/duration and a brief description for each work uploaded

Before you go, please tell us how you heard about the ACTivate Residency (select all that apply)

2027 ACTivate Residency at BCA