A unique North Philly artist residency opens its second cycle

Are you an artist who can take six to nine months and ditch your house or apartment, and maybe even your classes or your job, for $15,000 and some serious “creative placemaker” cred? If so, North Philadelphia’s Village of Arts and Humanities wants to hear from you in its call for applications to Cycle 2 of its SPACES program, a community-based artist residency, where, according to their website, artists are more “residents” than “in residence.”

This is no ivory-tower studio stint. Selected artists will live rent-free in a “creatively renovated row home,” and lead a team of local Neighborhood Artists “to co-design and execute a transformative artistic project that addresses issues of social equity in our community.” This cycle will run from June 15 to December 15, 2015.

Nope, for the first round of applications, due February 15, the Village doesn’t want a project proposal — just insight into you as an artist. A group of selected finalists will produce specific proposals in a later round of the process. All types of artists are invited to submit statements, and they should be ready to think beyond the canvas (or paper, or music, or clay, or whatever): “you’ll be a facilitator, an entrepreneur, a mentor, and a neighbor.”

Those who’d need to keep a full-time job on top of the residency need not apply — be ready to immerse yourself in the community for the duration. (Eligible artists must be based in the US and at least 21 years old.) For more information, a timeline, and links to apply, click here.