Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center Unveils Native Artist Residency

(MENAFN- USA Art News) The Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC) in Provincetown, Massachusetts, will launch a new residency program for Native artists next spring, developed in partnership with the Walker Youngbird Foundation. The initiative, named the Walker Youngbird Native Artist Residency, will host a Native artist for four weeks, from May 23 to June 19.

For its inaugural year, the Walker Youngbird Foundation is contributing $10,000, which includes a $2,500 stipend for the selected artist. The resident will also receive a private apartment and a 400-square-foot studio, alongside access to FAWC's broader creative community and a public program at the residency's conclusion.

Reid Walker, founder of the Walker Youngbird Foundation, emphasized Provincetown's significance as an artistic hub.“Provincetown is an epicenter for art in the United States,” he told ARTnews.“We couldn't think of a better spot than Provincetown to immerse a Native artist in a community that has such a long history, established presence, and great framework.”

FAWC Executive Director Sharon Polli noted her recent focus on broadening the center's legacy. She stated:“Thinking about how we can open up that legacy, open up the opportunity to be in this place that sits at the epicenter of such an important art history, to the widest possible network of artists and writers who could really benefit from being in this landscape.” Polli added that they considered“whose voices are missing and who might we most want to reach, and we can't do that alone.” She praised the Walker Youngbird Foundation as an ideal partner, saying:“There was no one better positioned to help us do that with intention, with care, and with real thought than Reid and his team.”

Established in 1968 by artists including Robert Motherwell, FAWC provides artists and writers with time and space to develop their practice free from production demands. In 2024, the Motherwell estate donated $200,000 to FAWC to support its extensive fellowship program and shorter summer workshops and residencies. Polli explained that these shorter programs, lasting two weeks to a month, allow FAWC to“reach a lot of artists that might not be able to spend seven months here and might need different things at different stages of their career.” She underscored that the core principle, regardless of stay duration, is to offer artists and writers“the opportunity to take risks, to experiment, to pilot new things and maybe fail, and to take their work in surprising new directions.” Polli further elaborated:“The secret sauce of our artist residencies is this idea of having time and space that is completely unrestricted. This resident will step right into that and have that same experience.”

The Walker Youngbird Native Artist Residency builds on the foundation's expanding commitment to Indigenous artists. Earlier this year, the foundation funded Native Neon Lite Brite Neon Studio in Kingston, New York. For Native Neon, the Walker Youngbird Foundation provided $50,000 for production, travel, and lodging costs, along with a $10,000 artist stipend.

Walker explained the foundation's focus:“Our work really focuses on artists at inflection points, points where they are about to make a move into a new direction or jump into a bigger part of their career.” He also highlighted the importance of dedicated time for Native American artists, stating:“From my discussions with Native American artists who have done residencies, I've heard how important that time is, to reflect, to think about new ideas and new possibilities.” He added that the community aspect of the Fine Arts Work Center is crucial:“The community that Fine Arts Work Center offers is important. It's not just four weeks. It's going to hopefully be a community that they will take with them long after they leave Provincetown.”

Applications for the four-week residency open on October 26 and are open to emerging and mid-career Native and Indigenous artists across all mediums. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and reside in the United States or Canada. The selection committee includes Walker, artist Mala Iqbal, who chairs FAWC's visual arts committee, and artist Duane Slick (Meskwaki and Ho-Chunk), a former FAWC fellow and current FAWC trustee. According to a press release, the committee will choose one artist based on“the strength and vision of the artist's work and the potential for the residency to meaningfully advance their practice.” Walker concluded:“Native art is not just a sidebar in contemporary art; it's a major foundational element, and it should be participating in the conversations that happen in art hot spots like Provincetown.”

Source: ARTnews

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