Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity [Paperback]

Tricia Snell (Editor), Stanley Kunitz (Introduction), Alliance of Artists' Communities (Corporate Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

Updated and expanded, this widely praised directory lists more than eighty retreats available to visual and performing artists, composers, and writers. Each entry includes complete information on contacting the community, the art disciplines it serves, facilities, housing, meals, season and length of residency, number of artists accommodated, admission deadlines and fees, the selection process, stipends and expenses, duties, programs, institutional history and mission statement, and a list of well-known artists who have been in residence. Wide-ranging disciplines include painting, design, sculpture, ceramics, dance, drama, writing, and other arts/crafts/humanities programs.

The Alliance of Artists' Communities is a national service organization based in Portland, Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This directory of artists' communities (also called colonies or residencies) is a thoughtfully designed and up-to-date source for visual artists, writers, musicians, and scholars seeking temporary residence opportunities in the United States. Assembled by the Alliance of Artists' Communities, a consortium organized to support such programs, it focuses on organizations that fall within the alliance's guidelines--essentially, nonprofit community environments that have formal admissions policies and support artists as their primary obligation. Organized alphabetically by community name, the 80 entries (up from 70 in the 1996 edition) provide extensive information, including facilities and programs, application statistics, costs, history, mission statement, statement from the community's director, list of notable past residents, and a photograph of each community. An additional section, "Other Venues," describes programs such as apprenticeships and single-person residencies and a directory of international residency programs. A collection of tables (called indexes) at the end of the directory provides an overview of the communities with respect to artistic categories, seasons and deadlines, and geographic location. The introduction's weighty commentary on the role of artists' communities seems out of place, but otherwise this is a comprehensive, well-organized directory. Similar titles include Artists and Writers Colonies: Retreats, Residencies, and Respites for the Creative Mind, which will be published in a second edition this June by Blue Heron, and Artists' Resource: The Watson-Guptill Guide to Academic Programs, Artists' Colonies and Artist-in-Residence Programs, Conferences, Workshops (1999), which is much broader in scope, including MFA programs and workshops. Artists Communities is recommended for academic libraries and public libraries with large fine arts collections.
-Eric Linderman, Ida Rupp P.L., Port Clinton, OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 2nd edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158115044X
• ISBN-13: 978-1581150445
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,382,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Resident Responds, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity (Paperback)

I'm just back from Johnson VT, The Vermont Studio Center, where artist residents were eagerly passing this book from table to table at meals. It appears to be a great time-saving source as applying for grants and residencies can be a full time job. VSC was accurately described so I'm hopeful that the other listings prove to be well researched. I'm listing 4 stars as I've just added this book to my shopping list, it may very well be a 5 star reference guide for artists.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important reference for considering art community residency., May 8, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity (Paperback)

This edition has been revised and updated to include nearly eighty residences in the U.S., including complete descriptions on each community from residency lengths and admission deadlines and fees to programs offered. Histories of the programs complete the overviews which will prove important for any considering an art community residency.

Diane C. Donovan Reviewer

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful resource for creating an artist's community, February 5, 2001

By 

R. Tomlin "waukegan" (Waukegan, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Artists Communities: A Directory of Residencies in the United States That Offer Time and Space for Creativity (Paperback)

I bought this book as a resource for ideas on what we might need to do in Waukegan, Illinois to create an artists community here. It seems clear that building around the arts is the most organic way to rebuild our downtown and lakefront area. As such, we are looking for ways to create new gallery and studio space, foster live/work space creation and even establish the City as a destination for artist colonies and retreats. Obviously, we don't need to reinvent the wheel. The best way to learn some of the things we could do is to study what other communities have done. This book has served that end very well. I plan to visit some of the communities and residences outlined in this book to learn even more of what could be duplicated here in Waukegan. Make no mistake, the book is not intended to be a "how to" book for creating an artists community, but by describing what various communities offer it serves that purpose aptly.