Artists are invited to apply through the Studios’ Submittable page. Calls for applications are made four times a year. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated when the next round of applications open — it is free to apply. Check out our Applying page for more details. Due to the volume of submissions close to the deadline, please consider submitting your application early to take into account any technical difficulties that may happen. We do not extend the deadline for late submissions.

We welcome applications from artists at all career stages, income levels, and geographic locations. We primarily seek applications from visual artists (painters, sculptors, installation artists, photographers, video/new media artists, fiber artists, printmakers, etc.) and writers in all literary disciplines. We discourage applications from dancers, musicians, and other performers because our studios are only well suited for artists who work quietly (nothing is sound-proofed) and who don’t require space for rehearsal / movement arts. Groups/collectives may apply to work on joint projects in the visual and literary arts. The studios have light-duty ventilation, so an art practice generating strong fumes cannot be accommodated.

Absolutely. If you are selected you would share one of our larger studios but be assigned your own room in the apartments unless you specify otherwise. Under “Artistic Information” and “Residency Goals” on your application, please make it very clear that you are applying to come as a collaborative duo. You may use one of your names as the contact applicant but please provide both your CVs or a joint CV and work samples relevant to your collaborative work. This can be compiled into one PDF so that you don’t have trouble with attaching multiple files.

Yes! We welcome artists from all over the world to the Studios. If you need a letter of participation for your visa application, please email the Studios staff upon acceptance. It is highly recommended that you begin the visa process as soon as you can as there are often delays. If you intend to apply to your local or national arts agency for travel funding, we might recommend you consider applying to our Early Application deadline The Early Application allows you to apply and receive notice a full season ahead of the General application Artists applying with this application will NOT be considered for MASS MoCA’s financial aid, so you should only use this particular application if you need the longer lead time to position yourself for other institutional support to fund your residency.

Submissions are reviewed by a diverse, rotating application review panel. Scoring is based on the quality of work as well as the compellingness of the proposed project to be worked on while in residence. The jury changes each year, so if you are not selected we welcome you to reapply. We do, however, recommend that you include some newer work, so that we know you’ve been in the studio since we last saw you!

Video samples can be uploaded directly in the application. If video samples are larger than 2 MB they should be submitted as links on a document. Please include passwords if the videos are password protected. Combined viewing times of all video samples should not exceed 10 minutes total.

A maximum of 10 uploaded images are allowed. Each individual file should be no larger than 2 MB. You are also welcome to submit one PDF of all your images and your work sample inventory as a single document (15MB max). PDF files should have a maximum of 10 pages. If you choose to upload a single PDF file, you can include multiple images per page to show multiple angles or detail shots of a single piece of work. Please select a maximum of 10 pieces across the 10 pages of your PDF file.

Because of the volume of applications we receive and the rigorous review process that ensures work is seen by multiple panelists, it often takes us up to 3 months to notify artists if they have received a residency. If 3 months pass and you still haven’t heard from us, it probably means we’re late (but trying hard to get letters out!), but if you’re worried, you can always check your Submittable account to see if any messages were sent through the platform and make sure emails from Submittable don’t get sent to your junk mail.

You will be notified through Submittable if you are awarded a residency, so be sure that your Submittable notifications are set up to send you an email when a new message comes through the platform (don’t worry – this is Submittable’s default!). If you registered your Submittable with an email you don’t really use any more, we recommend you update your contact information in your account so that you receive your letter when we send it out.

Congrats! That means the jury really liked your work. We offer residencies for those on the waitlist if an artist drops out unexpectedly or is unable to attend. It’s totally possible that a spot will open up, but it’s quite hard to predict, and it’s typically short-notice. If a space appears during dates that you listed as being available, you may get lucky! We will contact you directly if a spot opens. We will not contact you if a space isn’t made available. Since acceptance isn’t guaranteed from the waitlist, you may still want to put your name in the running in another application cycle while waiting to hear back. If you are pulled off the waitlist, we will withdraw your new application from consideration.

We receive hundreds and hundreds of applications each application cycle. Due to this volume and limited staff capacity, we are unable to provide individual feedback on your application materials before or after panel review, though we are happy to answer any residency-related questions you might have while applying.

If you’re a Studios at MASS MoCA alum, we’re thrilled that you’d like to come back! Twice per year, we have an Alumni application that puts you in a separate pool from our extremely large General Application pools so you’re only competing against fellow alumni. Learn more on our Applying page.

Your financial aid package and residency fees will be outlined in your award letter upon acceptance. The majority of our residents attend with full or partial financial aid. Our financial aid budget allows us to support most participants at some level, with awards determined by both financial need and the artistic merit of the application, as evaluated by our selection committees.

We also offer several fellowships, many of which have specific eligibility criteria established by individual donors. If you are applying for a fellowship, please ensure you meet the outlined qualifications.

Residents who pay the program fee are charged a subsidized rate of $650 per week (the full cost is $1,000+ per week). These residents typically fall into one of three categories: (1) applicants in the Early Application process whose fees are covered by professional development support from their home institution or by an external grant; (2) those who do not require financial assistance and choose to pay in full; or (3) alumni who pay a reduced rate of $400–$450 per week for 2- to 4-week residencies, respectively.

These residency contributions help us provide aid to applicants with financial need. Please refer to our application page for further details.

For artists accepted through Early and Alumni Applications, a 50% residency deposit will typically be due 6 months prior to the residency start date (artists are notified of acceptance 9-15 months before their residency.) Artists accepted through the General App that are paying a residency fee, the deposit will typically be due 3 months prior to the residency start date (artists are notified of acceptance 6-9 months before their residency.)

In the highly unlikely event that the Studios at MASS MoCA has to cancel your residency, your residency fee payment will be refunded in full. Our residency staff will do our best to reschedule your residency.

Check-in is between 3pm and 5pm the day of your arrival. We recommend that you arrive in town either during that window or a little earlier to enjoy the museum free of charge before the check-in window opens. If you need to arrive a day earlier, we are happy to recommend local hotels or AirBnBs. Your apartment will not be ready and available until 3pm on arrival day.

Like most rural places, it can be difficult to get to North Adams without a car. However it can be done! The nearest airport is Albany, NY (1 hour drive away). Other nearby airports are Hartford, CT (2 hrs away) or Boston (2.5 hrs away). There is Amtrak and Bus service to Pittsfield (1/2 hr away) from Boston and NYC. From there you can take a cab to North Adams. Travel guidance for arrival by car is available here.
We will be happy to provide you detailed information about transit and taxi options after your acceptance as you plan your arrival. Please note that you may take an Uber from a nearby airport to North Adams, but once in North Adams there are no Ubers or Lyfts.

Residents will receive 24-hour access to private studio space on the MASS MoCA campus, plus lodging in newly renovated furnished apartments across the street from the museum, right in the downtown. Learn more about our facilities here.

Residents will also receive the benefits of “temporary membership” during their stay at MASS MoCA: access to the galleries during regular museum hours; invitations to member openings; member discounts on performing arts events; and member discounts at the museum stores.

We also provide daily lunch and a welcome dinner on arrival day. We also offer artists opportunities to share their work through artist presentations, studio visits with a curator, and Open Studios. Note: Open Studios is only programmed for four-week residencies.

We provide a minimally furnished studio (including a work table and chair) for each participant. Easels, additional worktable space, or alternative seating, can likely be provided, but you should consider bringing the essentials to meet the needs of your practice. All art materials and most equipment must be provided by the participant.

We have a roller etching press and a hydraulic flatbed press that may be used for a variety of printmaking techniques (but nothing using acid). We also have a 45-inch Herald floor loom and a 22-inch Harrisville floor loom (looms must be requested/reserved in advance to be sure that one will be available during your residency). Please look over our Facilities page for a list of hand tools and available equipment.

Unfortunately, we do not have any of these facilities. Power tools are not permitted in the studios due to sound. There is a nearby clay studio where residents can pay for a temporary membership to access kilns, materials and studio space.

For full details on our studio and housing spaces, visit our Facilities page.

Yes. There is a washing machine and dryer in each apartment. We provide laundry detergent.

With such institutions as the Williams College Museum of Art, the Clark Art Institute, and, of course, MASS MoCA in close range, there’s no shortage of events. The Berkshires offer a plethora of outdoor activities available year-round.

And if you are coming in the summer, you can also take advantage of world-class music, theater, and dance at Tanglewood, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage, Berkshire Theatre Group, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance.

Yes! Probably. We have widespread coverage in our area by most carriers.

Our weather can get hot and humid in the summer, and it is cold (and often snowy) in the winter. Spring and fall both fluctuate wildly. During the summer, both the studios and apartments will have air conditioning (but if you’re here in the warmer months and you generally run hot, we provide extra fans!). During the winter, the weather is hard to predict. Be prepared for some cold nights and t-shirt weather days. And although we heat all of our buildings and provide blankets and comforters, if you run cold, you won’t regret bringing along some blankets/sweaters for extra warmth. By November, some winter weather will likely kick in. For late fall and winter residencies, pack a heavy coat, water-resistant outerwear, and some sturdy shoes (hiking boots are always advised considering some of our more popular outdoor attractions)!

Right around the corner from the museum in walking distance is a small shopping center with a Big Y grocery, and CVS pharmacy. Minutes down the road (by car) are a Stop & Shop supermarket and a local food co-op. There is also a local Farmer’s Market that happens every week between May-October and once a month during the winter season.

Yes. All residents with cars will be able to park for free in a MASS MoCA-owned lot near the museum.

Yes! All mail (including packages via UPS/FedEx) can be sent to:
Your Name
Attn: Studios at MASS MoCA
1320 MASS MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
We ask that you not send packages long in advance of your arrival because we have limited space for safely storing packages.

Once you get here, North Adams is easily navigable without a car. The studios and apartment are within a 5-minute walk of each other, and also just around the corner from downtown (with many restaurants) and a shopping plaza with pharmacies and a supermarket. If you want to explore nearby towns during your residency, having a rental car could be handy — but otherwise it isn’t necessary, especially considering that nearby rental car options are limited. Please note that the closest car rental pick-up/drop off is 40 minutes from MASS MoCA.

You will receive two guest passes for any visitors you may have during your residency which will get them free entry to the museum. For additional guests, your temporary membership gets 25% off admission price. You may welcome guests and visitors to your personal studio space at any time, just please give your studio mates a heads up.

Unfortunately, our current housing arrangements do not accommodate additional guests for an extended stay due to space constraints. We often can accommodate a spouse/partner staying for a single night (such as when dropping off or picking up a resident) if you request that in advance so that we can get the pre-approval of other artists staying in that apartment. Please do not assume that you have permission for a guest to stay over. Our policy is to not allow guests except for logistical reasons when it has been pre-approved for a single night.

Some artists have chosen to rent affordable AirBnB apartments in the area for their family/guests. We are happy to provide suggestions. Each year we host a limited number of the Family Fellowships, please check our current fellowship opportunities on our Applying page.

No, pets are not allowed in the Studios and residency housing, with the exception of service animals with the appropriate paperwork.