Artist in ResidenCE Program

Artists, Creatives, & Community-Makers

Live Rent Free for 5 Months

Free rent from Dec 2020 to Apr 2021 in a new  78-person coliving community in Seattle

Build Your Audience With Social Storytelling

Share your story and work on the OpenDoor website and across OpenDoor's social media

Live, Learn, & Collaborate with Other Artists

Monthly coaching sessions, monthly artist-only events, and spontaneous collaboration
12 Artists
5 Months Free Rent
78 Person Artist Community
Any Creative Practice
Beginning Artists
Advanced Artists
Seattle, WA
Dec 2020 to Apr 2021
Stipends Available
Photography + Videography
Publish Work
Permanent Display
In a time of great uncertainty, what we have is each other and our voices. This program is an opportunity to lean into a question: what future do we want to live into, and what is the role of community in embodying that future, today?

Eligibility

🎨 All creative mediums

Spanning music, the visual arts, dancing, spoken & written word, community-building, activism, videography, or any other creative expression. However, we are limited on studio space and large or industrial art may be hard to accommodate.

Range of experience levels

Beginning artists leaning into their creative practice for the first time, and seasoned artists that earn a living with their craft are all welcome to apply.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Community is a celebration of how our individuality and uniqueness can amplify one other to make a more resilient group. We encourage artists of all sexes, races, colors, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, family statutes, and abilities to apply.

Available Residencies

General
Storytelling
Art Administrator

9 Available Spots

Eligibility

  • All creative practices
  • All artists will need to bring their own equipment to produce their art, so artists needing industrial equipment must already have studio space in Seattle

Stipend

  • Free rent at Freya from December 2020 to April 2021

Program Benefits

  • Photography & videography of you, your story, and your creative practice
  • Documentation of you, your story, and your creative practice on social media
  • Your work on permanent display at Freya (artists with practices that are non-physical will work with art administrator & OpenDoor to find a way to showcase your work)
  • Monthly brainstorming & coaching sessions with art administrator
  • Monthly events for resident artists
  • Community living & collaboration with other artists and creative people

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Program Requirements

  • Produce one piece of artwork to be donated to the community
  • Create one COVID-safe community event or community experience
  • Submit monthly reflections about your experience living in community
  • Sign a photo release so that you, your story, and your work can be showcased in the social media storytelling campaigns
  • $500 refundable security deposit

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Apply for Storytelling Artist Residency

2 Available Spots

Eligibility

  • Artists experienced with photography & videography

Stipend

  • Free rent at Freya from December 2020 to April 2021
  • $400 stipend per month

Program Benefits

  • Documentation of you, your story, and your creative practice on social media
  • Monthly brainstorming & coaching sessions with art administrator
  • Monthly events for resident artists
  • Community living & collaboration with other artists and creative people 
  • Piece of artwork on permanent display at Freya (optional)

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Program Requirements

  • Provide multiple pieces of social-media-ready content on a weekly basis
  • Help to edit longer-form pieces to document the project and tell a deeper story
  • Meet with Chris (Director of Marketing) once per week for coaching, support, and creative planning
  • Sign a photo release so that you, your story, and your work can be showcased in the social media storytelling campaigns
  • $500 refundable security deposit
Apply for Art Administrator Residency

1 Available Spot

Eligibility

  • People with experience in art administration and/or community building

Stipend

  • Free rent at Freya from December 2020 to April 2021
  • $500 stipend per month

Program Benefits

  • Photography & videography of you, your story, and your creative practice
  • Documentation of you, your story, and your creative practice on social media
  • Community living & collaboration with other artists and creative people 
  • Piece of artwork on permanent display at Freya (optional)

‍

Program Requirements

  • Co-facilitate artist onboarding & settling-in during the artist move-in period
  • Host 1:1 check-in meetings with each artist resident once per month
  • Coordinate artist submissions (monthly & final)
  • Support the community, answer questions, and foster connection
  • Host one COVID-safe event per month for resident artists
  • Meet with Cathy (Director of Community Experience) once per week for individual coaching and support
  • Sign a photo release so that you, your story, and your work can be showcased in the social media storytelling campaigns
  • $500 refundable security deposit

Accomodations

Private Bedroom + Bathroom

All rooms at Freya have private bathrooms, small refrigerators, cabinets, countertops and sinks. They will be unfurnished, and do not have stoves or ovens. There are full kitchens & dining rooms on each floor shared by all community members on the floor. All members are encouraged to cook and share food together.

Studio Space

We have a small studio space available to all artists. This space will be available by appointment and will not be able to accommodate large physical needs like construction or welding. This space can be used for dance or performance rehearsal as well as fine arts. Your private micro-unit will always be available to you for your work. Toxic materials that require ventilation are not allowed on site.

First come, First Served

Resident artists may reserve their room on a first-come, first-served basis. Artist rooms will be located on different floors of Freya and each room may have slightly different features including size and amenities.

Program Timeline

Application Opens
Sept 25, 2020
Residencies Awarded
(Rolling basis)
Nov 1, 2020 to Dec 1, 2020
Application Closes
Dec 1, 2020
Artist Move-In
Dec 1, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020
Program Begins
Jan 1, 2021
Program Ends + Artist Move-Out
(Or sign lease to join community)
Apr 30, 2021

Program Values

People matter, place matters

People and place make containers for belonging. We believe this sense of belonging is a powerful force for personal growth and social resilience. People + place + belonging = home.

Empower others.

Community, connection, and culture cannot be manufactured. They are created in relationships through consistent contributions over time. We all support and resource each other to create community.

Be present, be intentional.

Social progress happens in the present moment, at the intersection of a future vision and the current reality. We focus first on good listening, and seek to understand the realities of our current system to bridge the gap between innovation and tradition.

Small is good

We are faced with social and racial injustice, climate change, social isolation, and other great challenges. We believe that change comes from small groups of passionate people. We aim to help create those groups.

About

Freya Apartments

Freya is a 78-person art-centered coliving community in NW Seattle opening in December 2020. It's located at 8311 15th Avenue NW in the Crown Hill neighborhood. It offers weekly grocery delivery, regular community dinners, and affordable housing to low-to-moderate-income people.

Learn more

OpenDoor Coliving

OpenDoor Coliving is a 7-person public benefit corporation focused on building authentic community living spaces. Our mission is to enable people to live with greater connection, creativity and purpose. Our coliving model and theory of social change is based in communication, connection, and community. Since 2013, we've created 12 community living homes for over 300 people.

Learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the rooms furnished?

How big are the rooms?

What if I want to keep living there after the program ends?

What’s the deal with studio space?

What precautions are being taken for COVID?

Will pictures of me and my work be posted publicly on the internet? 

Why is OpenDoor offering this program?