Lawndale Artist Studio Program

Lawndale Artist Studio Program

Address: 4912 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002
Contact: Dennis Nance, Exhibitions & Programming Director
Email: dnance@lawndaleartcenter.org
Website: www.lawndaleartcenter.org
Phone: 713-528-5858
FAX 713-528-4140
Open Hours: Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM and Saturdays 12-5PM

How is the project operated?
501c3 non-profit

How long has it been in existence?
Planning for the Lawndale Artist Studio Program began in 2005, following the renovation of the organization’s facility. The first residents accepted to the program began working in the studios in January 2007.

Current and Past Participants of  Lawndale Studio Program:
Anne J. Regan, David Politzer, Seth Mittag, Mary Magsamen + Stephan Hillerbrand, Daniel McFarlane, Anthony Thompson Shumate, Dawn Black, Nick Meriwether, David Waddell, Kevin Curry, Amber Eagle, El Franco Lee III. Danny Kerschen, Lynne McCabe, Teresa O’connor, Daeolu Jabari Anderson, Donna Huanca, Stephanie Saint Sanchez

What was your motivation?
The Lawndale Artist Studio Program is part of Lawndale’s ongoing commitment to support the creation of contemporary art by Gulf Coast area artists. With an emphasis on emerging practices, the program provides three artists with studio space on the third floor of Lawndale. Artists have full access to their studios 24 hours a day, seven days a week; access to visiting artists, writers and curators; and receive a $500 monthly stipend for the duration of the program together with an initial $1500 materials allowance.

Number of organizers/responsible persons of the project.
Lawndale has 32 board members, 4 full time staff, 1 paid graphic design intern, 3 volunteer interns each semester and works with over 150 volunteers annually.

How are programs funded?
Foundation and government grants, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, in-kind donations, paid memberships and volunteers.

Who is responsible for the programming?
Participants in the Lawndale Artist Studio Program are selected through an application process by a panel of three arts professionals.

How is your programming determined?
Lawndale Artist Studio Program participants present a public program to the general public and the local arts community during their residency to share their practice or explore a related topic.

Do you accept proposals/submissions?
Applications for the Lawndale Artist Studio Program are made available in mid to late March and are due in late May. The deadline for the 2012-2012 Lawndale Artist Studio Program is May 25, 2012.

What is your artistic/curatorial approach?
A balance is sought among emerging, mid-career and established artists, as well as a wide range of two and three dimensional media and content. The committee gives special consideration to work that would not be shown in commercial or other museum venues due to its scale, ephemeral nature, or difficulty of installation.

What’s working?
The studio program furthers Lawndale’s mission to develop local contemporary artists and the audience for their art through direct financial support and access to the community. Participating artists, both during and after the residency, have benefited from additional exposure outside of Lawndale, including exhibitions at galleries, awards and grants, as well as acceptance to other residency programs following their term at Lawndale. The program as also offered greater national exposure to the organization and program. Studio visits with local or visiting curators and artists demonstrated the community’s interest and support of the program. The variety of public programs and workshops organized by the resident artists has also added important artist driven programming at Lawndale.

What’s not working?
With greater exposure to the program, there has been difficulty balancing what is local with artists interested in relocating to Houston to become part of the community. The residency does not provide living space which makes it harder for artists interested relocating to the area to participate. Limited staffing, financial support and equipment available, even when adding equipment available to artists.

Images courtesy of Lawndale Art Center.