Loisaida Artistic Residency Program

Loisaida, Inc. Center continues to provide a platform for contemporary emerging and under-recognized artists, cultural producers and artivists working in a variety of disciplines such as: sound/music, theater, film and video, performance art, poetry, dance, visual arts, creative writing, production, prototyping, cultural research and socially driven art practices.

The Loisaida Artistic Residency program has a local focus, yet is international in scope; selection criteria favors projects that explore/reflect a shared LatinX, multi-cultural sensibility, the challenges/diversity of our city and that engage a Spanish speaking or multi-lingual audience.

With the Loisaida Artistic Residency program we aspire to benefit both the community of independent artists, makers, cultural producers as well as the geographical constituency of Loisaida, the Caribbean and the Global South. The program works as breeding space to afford community access to contemporary art practices and its everyday creatives, while also offering opportunities for pre-emerging and emerging artists to develop and present their work.

The ability to change has always been connected to the im/migrants that have populated the Lower East Side. Thus, there is a focus on affecting new thinking inside a re-connected and/or dis-connected community that seeks to create change. Is the connection or disconnection between native, migrant and immigrant communities itself a “place” or “territory” to be explored?

The selected proposals are those that include components in which both artists and community nurture one another in a symbiotic process of education and art creation, to share their work with our community, and inspire conversation and innovation throughout the residency. Loisaida’s artistic residency program will award a stipend to the recipient cover for project materials, related expenses and will provide space for rehearsal/practice/creation while organizing supporting events and/or activities open to the larger LES community.

Residents can make use of different areas throughout our facilities, including the new Media and Technology center resource and other elements to achieve their project goals. Every resident will strive to:

• Open the development or rehearsal process of the project to the Loisaida community, providing opportunities for creative engagement.
• Produce a public component (or a suitable alternative) to share the work developed during the residency i.e. dance, interdisciplinary or site-specific work that builds bridges across generations, communities and cultures. This production will be free for all Loisaida community members.
• Engage the Loisaida community in the themes of the work-in-progress by hosting a choice of monthly artist-talk, flash exhibit, or story circles that deepen communal bonds, nurture emerging artists and give voice to the strength, vitality, history and aspirations of Loisaida residents.
• Components could culminate in a gallery showing and/or short play series inspired by the discussions, stories, images and/ or objects shared through this process.
• Cultivate relationships that we hope will extend beyond the Art Residency to create lasting symbiotic relationship that nurtures invited artist, the Loisaida Center, and the communities we both serve.

The Loisaida Inc. Center provides a platform for contemporary and emerging artists (Individual or Companies) who are inclusive of a Latino sensibility, working in a variety of disciplines like: music, theater, performance art, poetry, dance, visual arts, creative writing, cultural research and more.

The program will provide the community a unique point of view and access to socially engaged contemporary art practices, while also enhancing exposure and providing opportunities for artists and collectives to develop and present new work.

Each awardee can gain 3 to 6 months of accessible shared workspace and a stipend/honorarium between $500-$2,000 towards their project.

Application Instructions