The International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) supports the creative development of artists and curators, and promotes exchange through residencies and public programs. Housed in a former factory in Brooklyn, with 35 light-filled work studios and two galleries, ISCP is New York’s most comprehensive international visual arts residency program, founded in 1994. ISCP organizes exhibitions, events and offsite projects, which are free and open to all, sustaining a vibrant community of contemporary art practitioners and diverse audiences. Over 2,000 artists and curators from more than 105 countries, including the United States have undertaken residencies at ISCP. The International Studio & Curatorial Program’s mission is:
to support and enhance the professional development of emerging to mid-career artists and curators from around the world
to introduce New York audiences to exceptional international art practices
to engage communities of Brooklyn and the New York City area through public programs that enrich the appreciation and understanding of contemporary art
With an International Residency Program and Ground Floor Program for New York City-based artists, ISCP strives to establish a global network of exemplary artists and curators. Tailored for professional growth, the programs serve as an active mediator, creating visibility and immersion for all of its residents in New York City. ISCP’s programming is conceived to facilitate dialogue and collaboration. Integrated activity areas including the Residency Programs, Exhibition Program, ISCP Talks and Offsite Projects, make ISCP an unparalleled platform for producing, presenting and contextualizing contemporary art through an expansive range of international perspectives. En Español.
ISCP is proud to be a member of Rethinking Residencies, the first network of New York-based artist and curator residency programs, and a contributor to their first publication, Bringing Worlds Together: A Rethinking Residencies Reader. Click here for a PDF of the digital copy.
Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion
ISCP is an anti-racist organization committed to advancing diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. ISCP pledges to work toward greater inclusion of historically marginalized groups in its exhibitions, talks and projects, and in its community of artists, curators, staff, interns, volunteers, and board of directors. ISCP sees diversity as encompassing race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, caste, age, physical ability, geographical origin, as well as educational, religious and cultural background. ISCP has established several funds to support diversity in its residency program, and is taking further action to introduce overall procedures for assessment, accountability, and redress with regard to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. Since its inception, ISCP has promoted international cultural exchange and the celebration of multiple viewpoints, striving to encourage all community members’ respect for experiences and viewpoints that differ from their own, and recognizes that there is important work still to be done.
ISCP has been steadily diversifying its board, staff, and residents, and starting in 2012, these efforts have been aided by major grants and the establishment of funds that support artists and curators from underrepresented backgrounds. These include grants from the Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust to support artists of color under the age of 30; the Dennis Elliott Founders’ Fund, started in 2014, dedicated to bringing residents from culturally underfunded regions of the world; the Jane Farver Memorial Fund started in 2015, supporting curators from the Global South; and Vision Fund in 2020, dedicated to bringing more artists to the residency program who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. ISCP also launched a paid internship program in 2021 to create more pipelines for a diverse workforce in the arts and culture sector at large.
The establishment of ISCP’s Anti-Racism Working Group in 2020 led to the development of a statement and procedures that are now written into a five-year institutional strategic plan. We at ISCP will continue to strive for greater inclusion; incorporate diverse voices and perspectives throughout our residencies, staff and board; and periodically review and revise our DEAI statement and procedures. ISCP is committed to finding and implementing effective approaches to promoting diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion as we move forward into the future.
Address & Phone
1040 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York, 11211
ISCP’s first location in Tribeca at 451 Greenwich Street, Manhattan
ISCP resident, Marjorie Welish (right), in her studio with guest critic, Jane Farver (left), ISCP, 1995
(Left to right) Ronald Jones, Nancy Spector, David Zwirner, and Jennifer Lloyd (standing), serving as jurors at ISCP, 1997
New Museum founder and director, Marcia Tucker (right), with ISCP resident, 1999
ISCP resident, Ming Mur-Ray (right), with guest critic, Thelma Golden (left), ISCP, 1995
ISCP resident, Joachim Koester (right), and guest critic, Paul Ha (left), ISCP, 1996
ISCP Trustee, Ted Berger (left), ISCP Founder, Dennis Elliott (center), and guest, at Open Studios, May 2010
ISCP resident, Kevin Beasley, Open Studios, April 2013
ISCP building interior before renovation at 1040 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, photograph by Isabelle Hayeur
The International Studio & Curatorial Program was founded in 1994 by Dennis Elliott. Known first as the International Studio Program, the organization was formed in order to establish an international community of artists in New York City, and to help develop their professional careers. Working in partnership with The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, ISP was located in lower Manhattan and moved to midtown Manhattan in 1998. The following year, the program was expanded to include curatorial residencies as well, so the institution was renamed the International Studio & Curatorial Program. In 2006, ISCP became a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
ISCP relocated from midtown Manhattan to an 18,000 square-foot factory building in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in 2008, where it thrives in close proximity to the burgeoning art community of Bushwick. This move expanded ISCP’s facility and activities to include 35 private studios, exhibition and projects spaces.
Today, ISCP is New York’s most comprehensive visual arts residency program, and one of the largest in the world.
