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What Makes this event different?
The Crosstown Arts Residency is located in a centralized cultural hub of Memphis, TN. There are very few locations in the United States that offer the same degree of convenience and community involvement that the Crosstown Concourse provides. Residents are given opportunities to involve themselves in the community as much or as little as possible due to the private and peaceful nature of their studios and living spaces juxtaposed with the collaborative and vibrant nature of a bustling contemporary arts center and community hub.
Situated in Memphis, TN, multidisciplinary artist residency program at Crosstown Arts offers residencies to only 15 visiting and Memphis-based artists per year working in any creative discipline including visual and performing arts, musicians, filmmakers and writers in all genres.
All residencies include 24/7 access to private studio spaces. Live/work residencies also include a private bedroom/bathroom next to a common living area and kitchen. All residencies are offered at no cost to participants, who are responsible for covering their own studio materials and travel expenses to and from Memphis.
Residents are required to participate in informal artist talks and open studio events, fostering interaction with both the local community and fellow artists. Set in an urban environment with shared spaces, the residency program promotes connection and socialization among residents and encourages engagement with the broader community.
Three-month residency sessions are offered each year in the fall and spring. A shorter two-month session is available in the summer.
*2026 residency sessions will be held at the following dates*
Spring: Thursday, Feb. 12th - Tuesday, May 12th, 2026
Summer: Thursday, Jun. 4th - Tuesday, Aug. 4th, 2026
Fall: Tuesday, Sept. 15th - Tuesday, Dec. 15th, 2026
Crosstown Arts offers select specialized residencies in film/video and composition each year as part of the application process. Specialized residencies include dedicated equipment and software that is particular to certain disciplines.
Anyone 21 years of age or older is welcome to apply. There are no specific project requirements for accepted residents who are encouraged to experiment and explore new ideas or further develop current work already in process.
Residents are given a membership, for the duration of their residency, to Crosstown Arts’ on-site Shared Art workspace. This facility includes a range of analog and digital fabrication and production resources, including a woodshop, multiple CNC/laser cutters, a Mac-based computer lab, a large-format digital printing service, a silkscreen/print shop, a small recording studio, and individual editing bays for video/audio production.
Additionally, residents are given a free membership, for the duration of their residency, to the on-campus YMCA. This includes access to gym facilities, a pool, group classes, nutrition programs, and more.
Founded in 2010, Crosstown Arts (501c3) oversaw the transformation of the Crosstown Concourse building, a one-million-square-foot former Sears & Roebuck distribution warehouse, into a vibrant cultural hub. Today, the Concourse houses Crosstown Arts’ cutting-edge contemporary art center, boasting a diverse array of amenities such as galleries, exhibition spaces, a screening room, a performance venue, a bar, and a 425-seat black box theater.
A variety of restaurants are also located in the Concourse building, as well as a small grocery store, coffee shop, pharmacy, and other commercial, retail, and residential tenants.
*Crosstown Arts Residency is not considering applications from alumni for 2026.
