Crosstown Arts Residency Program

Crosstown Arts is in the Crosstown Concourse building, a 10 story, 1.1 million square foot former Sears distribution center. It has a cement courtyard with young trees and the image shows a bright orange sign in the foreground.

Crosstown Arts is in the Crosstown Concourse building, a 10 story, 1.1 million square foot former Sears distribution center. It has a cement courtyard with young trees and the image shows a bright orange sign in the foreground.

An interior courtyard of the Crosstown Concourse building that has natural light, lounge furniture and various plants. Above this area is a view of the windows of two rows of microunits that are used by residents.

An interior courtyard of the Crosstown Concourse building that has natural light, lounge furniture and various plants. Above this area is a view of the windows of two rows of microunits that are used by residents.

Resident Jasmine Marie sits in her studio at Crosstown Arts with a table to her right with various computer screens and a computer keyboard and a tall spiky plant in the background on her left.

Resident Jasmine Marie sits in her studio at Crosstown Arts with a table to her right with various computer screens and a computer keyboard and a tall spiky plant in the background on her left.

In a ¾ portrait, playwright and comedian Lucy Wang holds a microphone and leans on the banister in a bright red spiral stairwell. Her black t-shirt says “Stop AAPI Hate.”

In a ¾ portrait, playwright and comedian Lucy Wang holds a microphone and leans on the banister in a bright red spiral stairwell. Her black t-shirt says “Stop AAPI Hate.”

Resident Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo crouches on the cement floor in her studio holding a drill, next to her sculpture. The sculpture is a twisted mass of chicken wire tubes filled with a cream-colored substance and adorned with some dark material and spiky pig hairs.

Resident Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo crouches on the cement floor in her studio holding a drill, next to her sculpture. The sculpture is a twisted mass of chicken wire tubes filled with a cream-colored substance and adorned with some dark material and spiky pig hairs.

Fiber artist, Sharon Havelka is sitting in a chair in her white-walled studio stuffing fiber through holes cut into the back of her white quilt piece.

Fiber artist, Sharon Havelka is sitting in a chair in her white-walled studio stuffing fiber through holes cut into the back of her white quilt piece.

Guitar Gunter Guapp strums a guitar in the sound-dampened space inside a Studio House for Musicians surrounded by various instruments, vintage barrel-chairs upholstered with bright diamonds and a shaggy rug in variegated orange, yellow and brown.

Guitar Gunter Guapp strums a guitar in the sound-dampened space inside a Studio House for Musicians surrounded by various instruments, vintage barrel-chairs upholstered with bright diamonds and a shaggy rug in variegated orange, yellow and brown.

Crosstown Arts Residency Program

Memphis, TN, United States

Crosstown Arts, situated in Memphis, TN, welcomes both visiting and local artists and curators to its multidisciplinary artist residency program, spanning various creative disciplines including visual arts, music, film, and literature. Set in an urban environment with shared spaces, the residency program promotes connection and socialization among residents and encourages engagement with the broader community.

Residencies afford artists 24/7 access to private studio spaces, along with complimentary use of shared art workspaces and music production suites. For live/work residencies, private living quarters are provided, complete with kitchen, laundry, and communal living areas.

Residents gain access to Crosstown Arts’ on-site Shared Art workspace, equipped with a range of analog and digital fabrication tools and production resources.

All residencies are granted without charge, though artists are responsible for their own studio materials, travel expenses to and from Memphis. 2025 residencies sessions will run in Spring (three months), Summer (two months), and Fall (three months).

Applicants must be at least 21 years old at the start of their residency, and there are no specific project requirements, fostering an environment conducive to experimentation and artistic exploration. *Crosstown Arts Residency is not considering applications from alumni for the 2025 application. 

Contact

1350 Concourse Ave
Suite 280
Memphis, TN 38104
United States

Year Founded
2017
Context
Urban
Residency Structure
Embedded in an arts or cultural organization (including theater + gallery)
Residency Program Type
Studio-based (with housing)
Residency Length
2 months - 3 months
Languages
English
Spanish
Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time
5
Collaborative Residency
Must apply and be accepted individually
Discipline
Acting
Animation
Augmented Reality
Book Arts
Choreography
Computing
Costume/Fashion Design
Criticism
Dance
Digital Media
Documentary
Drawing
Electronic Arts
Fiction
Film
Installation Arts
Interdisciplinary Arts
Journalism
Literature
Literary Nonfiction
Mixed Media
Moving Image
Multimedia Arts
Music
New Genres
Nonfiction
Painting
Paper Arts
Performance Art
Photography
Playwriting
Poetry
Printmaking
Screenwriting
Sculpture
Social Practice
Textile & Fiber Arts/Weaving
Theater
Virtual Reality
Visual Arts
Woodworking
Writing
Companions
Pets are not allowed
Country of Residence
Open to artists based anywhere in the world
Family Friendly
N/A
Stage of Career
Any stage of career
Additional Expectations/Opportunities
Participate in open studio with fellow residents
Give artist talk or presentation
How does your residency program support artists?
Opportunity to be in another context
Opportunity to travel
Immersion in new culture and/context
Unstructured time
Access to studio space to create new work
Access to equipment, specialized facilities and/or technical support
Inspiration from cultural context
Opportunities to collaborate with other artists/residents
Opportunities to develop relationships with other artists/residents
Additional Eligibility Information

Applications are open via Slideroom from May 15 - July 15 each year for all residencies the following year. Applicants submit up to 10 work samples, an artist statement, and residency goals. 

Applications are scored by a rotating selection panel comprised of creative professionals and residencies are offered in early fall, based on the panel’s scores and recommendations with an emphasis on inclusivity and diversity.  

 

Number of Artists Accepted in Most Current Year
15
Total Applicant Pool in Most Current Year
330
Artist Stipend
0
US Dollar (USD)
Travel Stipend/Material Stipends
Residency Fees
200
US Dollar (USD)
Fee Details

A $200 refundable deposit is required per residents. 

Grant/Scholarship/Other Funding Support
Application Fee
20
US Dollar (USD)
Application Type
Open application
What does your program provide during the residency experience?
Manual / handbook before arrival
Communication before arrival to discuss accommodations, medical conditions, or other health needs
Orientation upon arrival
Contact information and available accommodations for programs, events, and campus
Staff/volunteer providing guidance to help locate facilities or activities
Is your campus wheelchair accessible?
ADA Compliant
Additional Accessibility Information

Crosstown Arts is located in the Crosstown Concourse which was redeveloped and reopened in 2017. The building is ADA compliant and the residency offers some accessible housing including an accessible family apartment. Several apartments also have a doorbell that also flashes a light. Many studios are wheelchair accessible but Studio Houses for Musicians are not currently accessible. 

Caregiver/Aide/PCA
N/A
Accessibility Contact Name
Johana Moscoso
Accessibility Contact Email
Residency@crosstownarts.org
Accessibility Contact Phone Number
Other Services/Aids Offered in Residency + Other Programming

Support in Spanish

How much of the residency experience can artists with limited mobility participate?

Artists with limited mobility can participate in the majority of experiences within the residency and at Crosstown Arts but Studio Houses for Musicians are not currently accessible. 

Please briefly describe the facilities and areas of the campus that are NOT accessible.

Two Studio Houses for Musicians with sound dampened interior rooms that have 4 or fewer stairs required for access are located off-campus. 

Type of Housing
Private housing on campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Private housing off campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus
Accessible Housing
ADA Compliant
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Housing for Companion And/or Caregivers
Case by case consideration
Accessible Communal Spaces
ADA Compliant
Common/Communal Spaces Information

Microunits share accessible laundry, kitchen and living area. 

Additional Housing Information
Access to laundry on campus
Access to laundry in housing
WIFI available in housing
Air Conditioned Housing
Heat and Cool control managed by resident
Meals Provided
Residents have access to shared kitchen
Residents have access to private kitchen
Additional Meals Information
N/A
Computer/Internet Access
Computer and internet connection provided in common area (shared)
Computer and internet connection provided in studio area (private)
Wireless Internet (WIFI)
Ethernet provided in living or studio area
Studios/Facilities Details

All studios are private. One is embedded within the Shared Art facility, others are on the second floor down hallways adjacent to Crosstown Arts facilities. All on-campus studios have large sinks and floor drains and a basic tool kit. Two Studio Houses for Musics with sound-dampened interior rooms are located across the street. Each Studio House for Musicians has an older piano and a variety of spaces that can accommodate bringing in other (non-over night) musicians.  Residents have the privilege to reserve and utilize the Musician & Artist Services production spaces at no expense.

Studios/Special Equipment
Private Studios
Dedicated Studio/Shop Technicians - Part Time
Piano
Large Format Printer / Plotter
Large Format Scanner
Printers + Scanner
Photo + Video Editing Suite
Music/Media Studio Non-recording
Easels
Silkscreen Studio
Light Tables
Large Sinks
Dedicated Wood Shop
Woodworking Tools
Tablesaw
Bandsaw
Router Table
Jointer
Planer
Wood Vises And Wood Working Table
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
ADA Compliant
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Studio Support/Tech
Studio/facility orientation provided
Air Conditioned
Additional Studio Information

Crosstown Arts staff manages and supports facilities spaces but does not offer dedicated project support. Residents have access to Share Art facilities only during open hours. Shared Art is a community workspace with a range of analog and digital fabrication and production resources, including a woodshop, multiple CNC/laser cutters, a Mac-based computer lab, a large-format digital printing service, and a silkscreen print shop. Residents also have access to various music services and spaces, including a sound mixing studio, that are run by the Music Services Department.