Residency Programs

Ground Floor Program residency group Alchemyverse in their studio, 2022. Courtesy of the artists

Ground Floor Program resident, Nicole Franchy in her studio, 2015. Photo by Megan Paetzhold.
At the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) each artist and curator is provided with a private and furnished studio space with access 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents also have access to communal facilities including kitchen and dining areas. ISCP does not provide or arrange living accommodations, however, many sponsorships include stipends for housing, living expenses, travel, and materials. Some of ISCP’s partner sponsors also provide furnished apartments. ISCP staff will share advice and recommendations for finding housing in advance of your residency.
ISCP has two residency programs: the International Program and the Ground Floor Program. The International Program provides residencies to artists and curators from all over the world. These residencies typically take place over three months, six months or one year. The duration depends on the program and the sponsor. The Ground Floor Program provides one- to two-year subsidized residencies to artists based in New York City. Launched in 2015, the Ground Floor Program takes place on the first floor of ISCP in tandem with ISCP’s acclaimed international residency program, forming an integral part of the dynamic, in-house global fusion of artists and curators.
All ISCP residencies include the following opportunities and events: visiting critics (studio visits with curators and arts professionals), invitation to participate in a public program, participation in ISCP’s Open Studios (if residency extends to November or April), and field trips, gallery outings and other resident activities. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of ISCP’s lively community of artists and curators, offering invaluable international and local networks, professional conversations and critique. Below you can find descriptions of the opportunities and activities offered with an ISCP residency.
You can also find more information about how to apply to a residency program.

Visiting Critics
The Visiting Critic series is the hallmark of ISCP’s residency program. It introduces residents to curators and arts professionals from museums, galleries, alternative spaces, and publications in the context of a studio visit, generating critical feedback from diverse positions.

Field Trips
ISCP organizes visits to museums, galleries, alternative spaces, foundations and other cultural organizations. Often, a curator or arts professional leads a tour of the institution. Past Field Trips include The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Guggenheim, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Queens Museum as well as institutions outside the city such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Dia:Beacon, and MASS MoCA. Other trips include visits to conservation studios, print shops, and sculpture parks as well as to art spaces in downtown Manhattan like the Drawing Center and the Brant Art Foundation.

Open Studios
Twice a year, in April and November, ISCP hosts two days of Open Studios, presenting work by the 35 ISCP artists and curators in residence, accompanied by performances, panel discussions and exhibitions. During Open Studios, residents present recent projects, work in progress, site-specific installations and their archives to thousands of professionals and art enthusiasts from New York and beyond. In the summer, ISCP hosts a one-day Open House.

Artists at Work
Residents at ISCP are invited to present their recent work in monthly public “Artists at Work” or “Curators at Work” presentations. These programs feature conversations with interviewers, lectures, screenings and performances, and introduce the work of ISCP artists and curators to the New York art community.
The Ground Floor residency is a one-year program that offers subsidized workspace and professional development for New York City-based artists. Launched in 2015, Ground Floor at ISCP takes place on the first floor of ISCP in tandem with ISCP’s acclaimed international residency program, forming an integral part of the dynamic, in-house fusion of artists and curators from all over the world.
Throughout the year, ISCP organizes professional development activities specifically for Ground Floor artists, including regular one-on-one meetings with Visiting Critics. Past critics include Ruba Katrib, Polly Apfelbaum, Jim Hodges, Gee Wesley, and Piper Marshall. In addition, Ground Floor artists are invited to make proposals for ISCP’s project space, participate in three open studios events annually, and attend monthly social gatherings.