Villa Barr Art Park

Aerial view of the 4-acre property

Aerial view of the 4-acre property

Sunswirl

Sunswirl

From the balcony

From the balcony

Equiknossos

Equiknossos

Villa Barr Art Park

Novi , MI, United States

Villa Barr is the most recent addition to the parks and recreation division of the City of Novi, Michigan. The four-acre property, previously owned by internationally recognized artist David Barr and dancer Beth Dwaihy Barr, includes a home, studio and multiple sculpture installations in a park setting. The home was designed by Chicago architect Lawrence Booth to reflect David Barr’s personal aesthetic, one that was “…germinated by constructivist principles of art, fascination with nature’s innermost structural processes, and a belief in the promises of the American democratic experiment.”

Novi, Michigan (population 66,000) was founded as a township in 1832. Novi is equidistant (25 miles) from the centers of Detroit and Ann Arbor. The City’s public art program is designed to enrich the visual environment of the City of Novi by placing works of art that inspire the community and engage the mind and senses.

Three residency periods per year (6 to 15 weeks) *Shorter residencies are available on a case-by-case basis.

  • Residencies are available April 15-December 15

Villa Barr provides to the artist:

  • Full use of the house and studio at no cost
  • All tools existing in the studio
  • An honorarium of up to $1,000
  • Opportunity for immediate family to reside at Villa Barr during the residency

The Artist will provide or be responsible for:

  • Day-to-day living expenses including meals
  • All supplies and materials used to create artworks
  • Maintaining the house in a clean and orderly
Contact
Year Founded
2018
Context
Suburban
Residency Structure
Stand-alone
Residency program within a government state or municipal partnership
Associated with a foundation
Residency Program Type
Studio-based (with housing)
Community-engaged
Residency Length
6 weeks - 15 weeks
Languages
English
Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time
1
Collaborative Residency
May apply as a team
Discipline
Drawing
Interdisciplinary Arts
Mixed Media
Painting
Printmaking
Sculpture
Visual Arts
Blacksmithing
Book Arts
Ceramics/Clay Arts/Pottery
Costume/Fashion Design
Digital Fabrication
Fine Metals/Jewelry
Glass Arts
Installation Arts
Paper Arts
Textile & Fiber Arts/Weaving
Woodworking
Fiction
Literary Nonfiction
Literature
Nonfiction
Playwriting
Poetry
Screenwriting
Choreography
Dance
Performance Art
Music
Animation
Digital Media
Documentary
Film
Multimedia Arts
Photography
Sound Art
Graphic Design
Illustration
Industrial Design
Architecture
Environmental Arts
Landscape Architecture
Public Art
Storytelling
Biology
Ecology
Environmentalism/Conservation
Science
Art Education
Art History
History
Mathematics
Philosophy
Companions
N/A
Country of Residence
Open to artists based anywhere in the world
Family Friendly
Residents granted leave during residency
Spouses/partners allowed for full stay (non-collaborators)
Stage of Career
Emerging
Mid-career
Established
Additional Expectations/Opportunities
Donate a work of art
Participate in public programming
Give artist talk or presentation
Lead workshop for the public
Lead a skill share
How does your residency program support artists?
Opportunity to be in another context
Unstructured time
Restricted funding
Access to studio space to create new work
Access to equipment, specialized facilities and/or technical support
Inspiration from natural environment
Inspiration from cultural context
Opportunities to develop relationships with local or regional artists/arts organizations
Opportunities to collaborate with local or regional artists/arts organizations
Opportunities to collaborate with other artists/residents
Opportunities to develop relationships with other artists/residents
Opportunities for work with the local community
Opportunities to exhibit or perform new work
Additional Eligibility Information

Application Deadlines:

April 15: For Late Summer/Fall Residency

July 15: For Spring and Early Summer Residency.

For artists looking to participate in a residency during an educational sabbatical, send your application and dates up to one year in advance.

Number of Artists Accepted in Most Current Year
3
Artist Stipend
1000
US Dollar (USD)
Travel Stipend/Material Stipends
Residency Fees
0
US Dollar (USD)
Grant/Scholarship/other Funding Support
0
US Dollar (USD)
Application Fee
0
US Dollar (USD)
Application Type
Open application
What does your program provide during the residency experience?
Pre-orientation
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
Written and or hard copies of text being presented
Is your campus wheelchair accessible?
Inaccessible
Caregiver/Aide/PCA
N/A
Accessibility Contact Name
Tracie Ringle
Accessibility Contact Email
noviparks@cityofnovi.org
Accessibility Contact Phone Number
How much of the residency experience can artists with limited mobility participate?

The house, studio and much of the property is not accessible.  

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

The house, studio and much of the property is not accessible.  

Type of Housing
Private housing on campus (individual apartment/cabin/house)
Accessible Housing
Inaccessible
Housing for Companion And/or Caregivers
No housing accommodations available
Accessible Communal Spaces
N/A
Additional Housing Information
Access to laundry in housing
No WIFI in housing
Air Conditioned Housing
Heat and Cool control managed by resident
Meals Provided
Residents have access to private kitchen
No meals are provided
Computer/Internet Access
No WIFI available
Studios/Facilities Details

A variety of tools available for use for wood working and sculpture. List available upon request. 

Studios/Special Equipment
Private Studios
Dedicated Studio/Shop Technicians - Full Time
Piano
Dedicated Metal Shop
Fine Metals / Jewelry Making
Washer And Dryer
Woodworking Tools
Tablesaw
Wood Vises And Wood Working Table
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
Inaccessible
Studio Support/Tech
No studio support provided
Air Conditioned
Heat and Cool control access