EARLY APPLICATION: July 2027–June 2028 Studios at MASS MoCA Residencies

Early Application for Residency Sessions between July 2027—June 2028.

MASS MoCA invites artists and writers to apply for residencies of either 2 or 4 weeks in length.      

Visit our website for full details on everything the Studios at MASS MoCA offers. 

How is the Studios' "Early Application" different from the regular application?

Our "Early Application" is for artists who could benefit from additional lead time to plan their stay, with announcements made 7 months - 18 months before the session being awarded, so they can apply for outside funding from sources such as their university or international or regional arts councils. In contrast, our general application process is used to schedule artists for residency sessions typically occurring within 4 to 9 months of the deadline.     Artists applying with this Early Application will NOT be considered for MASS MoCA's financial aid budget OR fellowships, so you should only use this particular application if you are planning to fully fund your stay through outside grants or personal funds at our already subsidized rate of $650 per week. (The next general application with full fellowship opportunities will be released September 1, 2026, and will have a deadline of November 1, 2026.) 

If offered a residency from the early application process (decisions announced by November 2026), you will receive a formal letter of invitation to support any grant-writing efforts. A 50% deposit is due no later than 6 months prior to the start of your residency session, so select your preferred dates accordingly. If you are unsuccessful in securing the necessary funds to attend, then you can give up the slot without penalty up until 6 months prior to the start of your residency while there is still time for us to award the slot to someone through our general application.      

Artists-in-Residence receive:  

• Private, furnished studio space at MASS MoCA, available 24/7.
• Housing (private bedroom/queen bed, shared kitchen and bath) in high-quality apartments directly across the street from the museum.
• One communal meal per day in the company of fellow artists-in-residence.
• 3 months of MASS MoCA member benefits (covering the duration of the residency, and beyond), including free access to the museum’s galleries and discounts on performing arts events and museum store purchases. (Residents also receive free access to the nearby Clark Art Institute during their residency dates.)
• A studio visit with a MASS MoCA curator or guest curator.
• Chances to share your work either through Open Studios, presentations to your fellow artists-in-residence, and/or studio visits (all events are optional).
• 1 year access to Assets for Artists Online Workshops on artist career development

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL PROGRAM DETAILS  

ELIGIBILITY   

We welcome applications from artists at all career stages, income levels, and geographic locations. We primarily seek applications from visual artists (painters, sculptors, installation artists, photographers, video/new media artists, fiber artists, printmakers, etc.) and writers in all literary disciplines. We discourage applications from dancers, musicians, and other performers because our studios are only well suited for artists who work quietly (nothing is sound-proofed) and who don't require space for rehearsal / movement arts. Groups/collectives may apply to work on joint projects in the visual and literary arts. The studios have light-duty ventilation, so an art practice generating strong fumes cannot be accommodated.       

COST / FINANCIAL AID    

$650 per week per person. No financial aid or fellowship consideration for Early Applicants.