Created in the 80s by the president of Stout State University (the University’s name before it was UW-Stout) Bud Micheels and his wife Betty Micheels funded the artist’s program that is still going strong to this day.
On Wednesday, March 4th, there was the first of three informational meetings about the Student Artist in Residence. The next meeting was at 4:45 p.m. on Monday March 10th on the Library’s second floor, and the upcoming meeting on March 30th will be at 5:45 p.m. in the same location.
But what is a Resident Artist? Most students I talked to had no idea about this program. A Resident Artist is one of two students from any major who will get a grant and workspace to create an independent, year-long art project that explores the relationship between art and technology. Any undergrad student from any major can apply, as long as they have at least one academic year left (this program is yearlong).
What to expect from the application:
First is finding your mentors, as Resident Artists work with two faculty members to create and execute their proposal.
Once you find your mentors, make sure they agree before using them in your application. Also submit two outside references, similar to a job application. You will then need to upload a CV or resume that includes all your relevant experience. Create a Slide Room portfolio to include and upload, with your best recent works. You can use up to ten images or videos.
For your proposal itself, be simple and direct with your idea. It’s a good idea to draft your application and get feedback twice from your mentors before uploading it. There is a lot of freedom with the prompt, so make sure not to force yourself to fit into the prompt, but rather make it your own.
Current Resident Artist Eli Koltanowski shared, “My advice I’d give to future applicants is the same that was given to me way back when: Be your own biggest advocate, but don’t oversell yourself. Know your superpowers and your kryptonite.” Along with this, they spoke on how they have been impacted by this program. “The funds and the space provided have given me the opportunity to work large scale with my paintings, which I have loved. The mentorship has also been extremely valuable to me.”
Applications to become a Resident Artist are due April 24th at 3:00 p.m. The chosen students will then have two exhibitions and will donate a piece to the library, which hosts art from the past Student Artists in Residence. May 8th will be the opening of this year’s artist in residences works in the Furlong Gallery.
This is a unique opportunity to Stout and offers a lot of flexibility. Not only can this help your professional experience, but it can also teach you a lot about yourself and your art as the project is completed throughout the year.
You can find more information on the Artist in resident webpage here: https://www.uwstout.edu/academics/university-library/student-artist-residence
