The goal of this program is to provide individuals with the time and space to pursue their own creative projects alongside other Residents who may be examining plants, landscapes, gardens, and the natural world from different perspectives. Artists, conservation practitioners, researchers, scholars, scientists, and/or writers are encouraged to apply to our Interdisciplinary Residency Program. This is our flagship Residency program that was started in 2021. Now, in 2023, we have hosted over 50 Interdisciplinary Residents, and we plan to award 40 Interdisciplinary Residencies annually. We hope our Residents will develop meaningful relationships around shared creative interests, and find abundant inspiration while at OSGF.
Interdisciplinarity is a key value of OSGF, and this Residency provides ample opportunities for Residents to explore our various resources. Beyond the time devoted to their projects, an Interdisciplinary Resident’s typical day at Oak Spring might include a walk to enjoy the landscape or birds; an appointment to visit the Oak Spring Library; and/or a morning spent volunteering at the BCCF or in the formal garden. These optional activities provide Residents time to learn from, and interact with our staff. None of these kinds of activities are required, and we understand that many Residents might want to spend most of their time in their writing or studio space. This program supports varying Residents, needs, and strikes a balance of socialization, and independent work time.
Residents are not required to make work that addresses our site specifically, but they should work on projects related to OSGF’s mission. We often find that Residents who use their time for research and inspiration are most satisfied with this Residency experience.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
We recognize that individuals may be at different stages in their lives when they arrive at a point where a dedicated period of focused activity may be helpful for their work. There is no expectation that residents be at a particular point in their career to apply for this residency. We do, however, expect that residents be considerate, able to live with a housemate who might be in a different stage than themselves, and residents must be interested in interacting with the other members of their cohort, as well as other program participants who might be at OSGF.
The application portal is now open and will close May 31st, 2024. Please note that there is one application for all of our 2025 Residency and Fellowship programs, and you will be prompted to select which programs you would like to be considered for. You will be asked to submit:
- a resume/curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages),
- a 200 - 300 word statement on your artistic practice,
- a 200 - 300 word statement about how your work relates to Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s mission to “perpetuate and share the gifts of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon, including her residence, garden, estate and the Oak Spring Garden Library, to serve the public interest. OSGF is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being,”
- a 200 word or less response to the prompt: Please describe a time that you were part of a community. What role did you serve in the community, and what aspects of being in community did you enjoy the most?
- work samples
For visual artists: 5 - 10 images, please include the dimensions, year, medium, and title of each work sample.
For creative non-fiction, fiction, essayists, or other writers: 7 - 10 pages total that demonstrate your current interests. Please use 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and double-space your writing sample. Do not include photocopies of published work, title pages, tables of contents or HYPERLINKS. Please be sure to state the genre of the work sample.
For time-based artists, including: filmmakers, musicians, dancers, and performance artists: 10 minutes cumulatively of work samples. OSGF encourages video files to be uploaded directly to Submittable, but when necessary, we also accept links to vimeo or other external sites as long as the appropriate passwords are provided.
For poets and playwrights: you may submit 7 - 10 pages total. Poetry may be spaced as needed, and scripts should follow standard script formatting.
Individuals selected for a 5-week residency receive a $2,000 individual grant, and individuals selected for a 2-week residency receive a $800 individual grant.