Bruce Museum Artist-In-Residence

The Bruce is excited to announce that we are accepting applications for our Artist-in-Residence program. Through the support of the Art Bridges Foundation, the Museum will host the Artist-in-Residence for six months, from February 10, 2025, to August 15, 2025. The Bruce Museum Artist-in-Residence will interact with work by Blanche Lazzell through in-person gallery activations and their studio practice. During the residency, the Artist will participate in audience building programs including open houses, family days, community partner programs, and speaking engagements. After the residency, the Artist-in-Residence will have an exhibition of work created during the residency in the Museum’s Susan and Bill Mahoney Gallery Lobby.

About the Bruce
The Bruce is a center for inspiration and learning, where extraordinary art and science spark conversation, connection, and creativity. The Bruce Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Bruce cultivates discovery and wonder, engaging a broad audience through the power of art and science.

Responsibilities and commitments for this artist will include:

• Activating the interactive component to the Lazzell exhibition one day a week for at least two hours;
• Partnering with the Museum’s Junior Docent corps to implement one workshop intended for teen audiences;
• Planning and leading a multi-session Bruce Inspires adult workshop;
• Participating in two weekend Community Partner events;
• Participating in one evening adult Public Program, format to be determined;
• Leading one training once their exhibition is open for the Museum’s adult Docent cohort and one for Museum Staff. This may take place outside of the established dates of the residency;
• The artist will host two open studio sessions throughout the course of their residency for visitors to view works-in-progress and engage directly with the artist;
• Responsible for completing all professional trainings.

Program Benefits
The Artist-in-Residence will have the opportunity to generate their own work inside facilities and with materials provided by the Museum. Other benefits include:

• A stipend of $26,000 to generate new work, which will be displayed in the Museum’s Susan and Bill Mahoney Gallery Lobby. The stipend will also cover time spent in the interactive space, leading programs (to be paid in bi-weekly installments over the duration of the residency).
• Reimbursement for the cost of materials (up to $8,000);
• $500 honorarium to present one lecture at the Bruce;
• Press and Marketing support provided by The Museum;
• Engaging Museum visitors and reaching new audiences;
• Access to the Museum galleries, public programs, and exhibition openings;
• Museum employee discount at the Bruce Store and Café;
• Reciprocal benefits at other museums and Cultural Partners;
• And use of the Museum’s Qualified Transportation Benefit.

Application Requirements
The Bruce Museum Artist-in-Residence program supports emerging and mid-career artists and creatives. The Bruce encourages those from historically underrepresented communities to apply. Successful candidates are confident engaging with visitors and working in an open studio and gallery environment.

In this application, we ask candidates to create a hypothetical proposal for a piece of work in response and reaction to Tara Donovan: Aggregations. We encourage prospective applicants to view this exhibition in-person at the Bruce Museum, or online. However, once the program commences, our Artist-in-Residence will respond to upcoming exhibition, Blanche Lazzell: Becoming an American Modernist (on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation) through the lens of their own practice.

We request that all applicants provide one letter of support in their application and include contact information for two references. Please provide a broad overview of your work in the application, including the title, date, medium, dimensions of each piece, as well as any other pertinent information that you see fit which will help us better understand your work.

Selection Process
The Artist-in-Residence is selected by a review committee comprised of Museum staff. Applicants will be considered based on the following criteria: the relevance of their project proposal to the exhibition; their connection to the local community; the material nature of their practice and its ability to be accommodated by the Bruce Museum’s facilities. Applicants will be selected based on the quality of their work, commitment to their practice, and ability to interact positively with the community at large.

Applicant interviews are place the week of December 16th-December 20th, 2024, either in-person or remotely.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion:
The Bruce Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, age, ancestry, disability (physical, mental, or intellectual), protected veteran status, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

Please send questions to AIR@Brucemuseum.org