Event History
One of the longest-running nonprofit arts spaces in the US, 1708 was founded in 1978 by faculty members from Virginia Commonwealth University to present artists and projects that reflected their commitment to provocative contemporary art. Today, 1708 is located on Broad Street in the city’s Arts District and is a crucial member of Richmond’s art ecosystem, a leading organization in the region in providing significant resources to artists who are working in a noncommercial capacity, and an accessible platform for the community to experience contemporary art. In December 2021, 1708 purchased our building–a former storefront space on Broad Street in Richmond’s downtown Arts District with apartments on the second and third floors. This was an important milestone in our plans to develop an international artist residency program that will expand our current mission to empower and support diverse artists’ voices. For the full residency program, live/work spaces will be developed on the second and third floors to provide artists with time, space, and resources to develop new ideas and refine existing ones.
What Makes this event different?
The size of our apartment space allows for families or artist collectives to participate in our residency in Richmond, VA. Our location is in the heart of the downtown Arts District.
The pilot Artist Residency Program will be located on the second floor of 1708’s building at 319 W. Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia’s downtown Arts District and will help 1708 further define the full vision for its future Artist Residency Program, which will expand our mission to empower and support diverse artists’ voices.
The pilot residencies will be free, and 1, 2 or 3 months in length running from September 2024 through August 2025.
1708 will provide:
- A private live / work space that is furnished and includes a large open room with north facing windows, a full kitchen, three bedrooms or office spaces, 2 bathrooms, and a washer and dryer. Please note: at this time, the second floor is accessible via a staircase. Future plans include an elevator to provide accessibility for all abilities and needs.
- A $1000 monthly stipend.
- Access to basic equipment.
- Professional development opportunities.
1708 will work with each artist to plan and facilitate a public program to take place during the residency, for example an artist talk, open studio, or workshop.
For the pilot Artist Residency Program, we are seeking artists:
- Located within a 350 mile radius of Richmond.
- Who are working towards a specific outcome (a future exhibition, public art project, community engagement program, or other).
- Who are willing to learn alongside us, provide feedback from their experience, and help shape the future program. This is a pilot program and 1708 is seeking a candidate who is willing to participate in regular dialogues throughout their tenure about their experience: What is working? What needs improvement?
While the application is open to all levels of experience, we’re especially interested in candidates with previous residency experience who can provide informed feedback to help us shape our future program. Additionally, the specific details and size of the space make the pilot residency especially well-suited for collectives and/or artists with families. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of artists.
1708 will host two virtual meetings via Zoom to provide an opportunity for potential applicants to ask direct questions about the application and selection process for the pilot Artist Residency. The meetings will be Monday, May 13 and Wednesday, May 15 at 5:00 pm. Please register in advance to attend.
For more information, please contact ubuster@1708gallery.org.
Submit an application: https://forms.gle/f9PrTmxoeabSZ1fE7
For additional information, please visit our FAQ.
