The Residency Program
We are thrilled to welcome the Artist-in-Residence program back to 125th Street! As part of our new building’s inaugural year, the 2026 residency program resumes with the first cohort in our new artist in residence studios and lounge. This seven-month residency will culminate with an exhibition in the Studio Museum galleries.
Built with artists and for artists
The application deadline is October 7, 2025.
Applicants to the Artist-in-Residence program are required to submit a resume or CV, up to ten but no fewer than five images or videos of examples of works, and an artist statement; letters of recommendation are encouraged but not required. This application is free.
Proposed as a founding initiative in 1968, the Artist-in-Residence program has earned the Studio Museum in Harlem recognition for its catalytic role in advancing the work of visual artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent. Envisioned by artist William T. Williams as an “intimate community of artists working and learning from each other,” the program, launched in 1969, was one of three founding initiatives, alongside the Film Unit and the Studio Program.
With Harlem as a backdrop and inspiration, the Museum provides studio spaces for artists to work, exhibit, and engage with visitors in one of the most important historical centers for Black cultural production. As the Museum’s longest-running founding initiative that remains active to this day, the Artist-in-Residence program is central to the institution’s mission and has supported over 150 artists since its inception.
From left to right: Artists in residence Malcolm Peacock, Zoë Pulley, and sonia louise davis. Photo: Courtney Sofiah Yates
(From L to R) Jeffrey Meris, Devin N. Morris, and Charisse Pearlina Weston. Photo: Lelanie Foster
Alumni
The residency program offers artists an unparalleled opportunity to develop their practice from within the Museum’s walls. Individuals selected for the residency receive institutional guidance, professional development, research support, studio space, and a stipend paid out over the course of the residency.
Artwork made during the course of the residency will be featured in a culminating exhibition accompanied by a publication. Throughout the program, artists are required to participate in annual Open Studios, public programs, and studio visits with the Museum’s community partners.
Past residents of the program include some of today’s most significant and innovative artists
Application Information
Exhibitions
Every residency ends in a culminating exhibition
The Studio Museum in Harlem Artist-in-Residence program is funded by the Glenstone Foundation. Additional support for the Artist-in Residence program is provided by the American Express Kenneth and Kathryn Chenault Sponsorship Fund; National Endowment for the Arts; Joy of Giving Something; Robert Lehman Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Jerome Foundation; Anonymous; Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation; and by endowments established by the Andrea Frank Foundation; Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Trust; and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Additional funding is generously provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.