Kala Art Institute

Artists working in various printmaking techniques, photo-processes, book arts and digital can apply to become an Artist-in-Residence at Kala Art Institute. Residency applications are accepted three times per year. Artists who apply for residency should be familiar with at least one of the media offered at Kala. Considerations for acceptance are conceptual creativity and technical knowledge. Kala encourages use of both traditional and new technologies, and their admixture.

Resident artists receive 24-hour access to the printmaking workshop and/or electronic media center, individual storage space, possible exposure on Kala's website and in other exhibitions at Kala or outside exhibition spaces, and participation in a vital, international artistic community. Artists also receive a 20% discount on classes and private tutoring offered by Kala.

Please note that this is a studio residency only; housing is not included. Artists are responsible for finding their own housing.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Applications are reviewed three times per year: March 15, July 15, and October 15. Artists may apply for 1-, 2-, or 3-month residencies, and must specify the desired residency length in the application. 6-month residencies also exist, but are only available to continuing and returning Artists-in-Residence who have completed a 3 month residency.

Application Materials
-Completed application questions
-Artist resumé or CV
-Work samples, up to 10 images and/or 10 minutes of video

Apply online at kala.slideroom.com.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Kala fellowship award is an international competition open to artists from the U.S. and around the world. Artists producing innovative work in book arts, electronic/digital media (video, sound, animation, etc.), installation art, social practice, photography, and printmaking are encouraged to apply. Fellowship Awards are given based on conceptual creativity, originality and artistic excellence as well as project specific technical knowledge.

Hosting new artists at Kala each year helps to ensure that the artistic energy and vision of Kala’s entire community of artists in residence is continually re-energized and rejuvenated.

For questions about the online application guidelines,
e-mail Program Manager, Amber Hoy at amber@kala.org.

Location

Berkeley, California: United States

Kala Art Institute is situated in the East Bay Area, directly across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. Inhabiting the historic Heinz Ketchup factory, Kala is nestled in a light industrial area that borders Emeryville, Oakland, and Berkeley.

Statistics

Residency Length: 1-6 months
Number of artists accepted in most recent year: 58
Total applicant pool in most current year: 200

Eligibility

Application type: Open application
Collaboration: May apply as a team
Geography: Open to US artists, Open to non-US artists
Additional eligibility information:

Residency program is open to all printmaking, book arts and digital media artists locally, nationally and internationally. In addition, Kala Fellowships are awarded annually to eight artists working in the realms of printmaking, book arts and digital media. Previous Kala Fellowship winners may not apply for award.

The Artist-in-Residence Program provides accepted artists with 24-hour access to Kala’s Print Studio and Electronic Media Center. Kala’s Artist-in-Residence program is geared towards providing short- and long-term communal studio space at low monthly rates to both emerging and established artists.

The Fellowship Award, an international competition, annually grants eight artists a cash award, unlimited access to Kala’s facilities for up to six months, and a culminating show in the Kala Gallery, through a highly competitive jurying process. The Fellowship Award is geared towards supporting artists in completing specific projects or bodies of work that would benefit from Kala's specialized equipment. Many Fellowship winners transition to the Artist-in-Residence program at the conclusion of their Fellowship period in order to continue their work at Kala.
Application deadline: March 15, July 15, October 15
Additional deadline info:

Applications are reviewed three times per year: March 15, July 15, and October 15. Artists may apply for 1-, 2-, or 3-month residencies, and must specify the desired residency length in the application. 6-month residencies also exist, but are only available to continuing and returning Artists-in-Residence who have completed a 3 month residency.

Past Residents & Quotes

Past residents:

Kazuko Watanabe, Sandra Gibson, Taro Hattori, Endi Poskovic, Joan Truckenbrod, Barbara Robertson, May Chan, Jessica Dunne, Unai San Martin, Takahiko Iimura

Kala has had a profound effect on me as an artist and teacher. A chance to interact with truly outstanding, creative, and important artists who have and will continue to shape the nature of printmaking and print media, a chance to think, work, stretch, and celebrate about issues and process.

— Barbara Foster

The physical production of art in a shared facility such as Kala naturally leads to an exchange of ideas among artists, and presentations of their work in Kala’s gallery allows us to share these ideas with the greater public.

— Archana Horsting

Facilities & Services

Housing:

Please note that this is a studio residency only; housing is not included. Artists are responsible for finding their own housing.
Meals: No meals/food provided
Computer/internet access: Computer and internet connection provided in common area (shared), Wireless Internet
Accessibility: housing/grounds/studios are accessible

Studios and public areas are wheelchair accessible.
Studios/special equipment: Book Arts, Exhibition / Installation, Film / Digital editing, Photography (digital), Photography (non-digital), Printmaking
Additional studio information:
Digital media center (includes G4 Macs, a high-quality Imacon scanner, a 24" Epson printer and a 54" Roland printer; both are wide-format digital printers with archival inks and papers); electronic media center (includes high-quality digital still cameras, video cameras, video editing deck and sound equipment plus extensive array of software; film editing and projection is not available); photography darkroom (black-and-white); 8,500-sq.-ft. print studio (includes 3 American French tool etching presses - one 48" x 78" and two 40" x 70", 2 Griffin etching presses - 44" x 21.5" and 32" x 18", Griffin manual litho press - 56" x 32", Takach-Garfield motorized litho press - 56" x 32", Bumpodo litho press - 45" x 34", 2 Vandercook letterpresses, a Vreeland Orbital A-2 polymer platemaker, an aquatint box, a plate cutter, and a Challenge book cutter); and exhibition gallery.
Other facilities and services: Kitchen on-site available to residents.

Residency Fees

AIR CONTRACT RATES These below-market rates are for our Artist-In-Residence program and are made possible through generous donations from foundations and individuals. Please note: Fellowship residencies do not require a fee. 1) 1, 2, or 3 Month Part Time Contract: $285 per month – 3 days per week studio access – donation of one sample of work done at Kala 2) 1, 2, or 3 Month Full Time Contract: $425 per month – 4 to 7 days per week studio access – donation of one sample of work done at Kala 3) 6 Month Part Time Contract: $210 per month – 3 days per week studio access – available only to artists-in-residence who have completed 3 months of residency – donation of one print to Kala's Archive per 6 month period; maximum two prints per year 4) 6 Month Contract - Full Time: $350 per month – 4 to 7 days per week studio access – available only to artists-in-residence who have completed 3 months of residency – donation of one print to Kala's Archive per 6 month period; maximum two prints per year 5) Collaborative Residencies: For artists working collaboratively, we have created a 1+ residency rate, which is 1.5x the 1 person rate: – Short Term (1-3 month) contract: $425 for part time access (3 days/week) and $635/mo for full time access (4-7 days/week). – Long Term (6 month) contract: $315 for part time access (3 days/week) and $525 for full time access (4-7 days/week). Note: Only one storage unit (cubby and drawer) and one key is allotted for a collaborative residency to the lead artist in the pair. 6) Emerging AIR Program For artists who have graduated from a BA, BFA, or MFA program in the last 12 months, Kala is pleased to provide a discounted residency rate to artists for one year after graduation. Rates are $210 per month for a part time 1, 2, or 3 month contract, and $395 per month for a full time contract. 7) Senior AIR Program Senior artists will be considered for our Senior Artist-In-Residence Program, which provides a $25 per month discount on all residency rates. 6) Single-day rate (available to former artists-in-residence only) $100 per day (no storage space)

Stipends / other support

Studios/facilities, exhibition space, and program administration. Fellowship artists receive a $3,000 stipend; they may choose to use it for travel, housing, food or art-making expenses.

Additional expectations / opportunities

Fellowship artists are included in one of two Fellowship group exhibitions. Both Fellowship artists and non-Fellowship Artists-in-Residence are included in the Kala Gallery exhibitions. Kala’s off-site exhibition program includes venues ranging from gallery and museum exhibitions to international exchange presentations. Fellowship artists working in the print-making studio are expected to donate 3 sample prints to the Kala Archives. Artists working in digital media are requested to give video or DVD work samples. Artists-in-Residence are expected to donate one print per each 6-month period.

Contact Information

1060 Heinz Avenue
Berkeley, California 94710
United States

Tel: 510 549-2977

Email:kala@kala.org

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