ACRE’s Residency Program takes place every summer in the Driftless region of Wisconsin. Set on 1,000 acres of wetland, hills, and farmland, the residency hosts artists who live and work in a communal setting that includes expansive work spaces, kitchen serving three meals per day, performance stage, wood shop, art and tech facility, and sound, fiber, screenprinting, metalwork, and ceramics studios. Residents are encouraged to balance their time between producing work, contemplating their practice, and engaging with the community. The Visiting Artist program invites established artists to conduct studio visits and present lectures and other experimental programs. Studio staff also offer demos and in-depth workshops to residents. Each year ACRE welcomes approximately 60 emerging, often underrepresented, artists of all disciplines to attend one of three 14-day residency sessions. Residents are selected through a rigorous review process by respected panelists who work in the visual arts from Chicago and across the country.
ACRE practices a participatory leadership structure that enriches our operations and programs, by inviting participants to become key decision-makers for the organization, facilitating community-centered evaluation, soliciting feedback, and practicing a shared dedication to making iterative improvements. Every artist who has participated in the residency is invited to return as staff, serve on a committee, and ultimately direct the future of the organization.
