As part of ACA’s ongoing reflection on the people and places that shape the artist residency field, we remain guided and inspired by the practitioners who create spaces for artists to gather, work, and exchange. In this column, we speak with members and colleagues whose perspectives illuminate the evolving possibilities of artist communities. For this issue, ACA's Communications Manager Ellena Basada spoke with Marina Merli, founder and director of Arte Studio Ginestrelle in Assisi, Italy, about hospitality, the relationship between residency and place, and what she has learned from welcoming artists from around the world.

In honor of ACA’s 35th Anniversary, we are sharing 35 stories from field leaders. We asked Tamara Ross, who served on ACA’s Board from 2015–2024, to share a short memory, artifact, or reflection that captures what ACA has meant to her—or how she imagines the future of artist support. Tamara is Associate Director, Administration + Academic Operations at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture (SALA), where she supports a new generation of creative practitioners. Previously, she spent 13 years supporting artists as Director of Operations for Arts Programming at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Her career has also included roles as a high school teacher and Manager of Artistic Operations with Ballet British Columbia. A graduate of UBC and HEC Montréal, Tamara brings a longstanding commitment to supporting artists, creative communities, and the institutions that sustain them.

In this column, ACA staff members reflect on what we are reading, what we are thinking about, and how our work and creative lives intersect. For this issue, we asked Flannery Patton, ACA’s Director of Engagement + Outreach, to reflect on hospitality and what it means to create the structures, spaces, and conditions that allow people to feel supported, connected, and ready to take a leap.

As part of ACA’s ongoing reflection on our history and evolution over the past decades, we remain guided and inspired by the leaders who have shaped this field. In this column, we speak with members and colleagues whose perspectives illuminate the past, present, and future of artist communities. For this issue, we talk with Alana Hernandez, Senior Curator at the ASU Art Museum, whose work is dedicated to expanding access, centering Latinx artists, and reimagining what institutional support can look like.

In honor of ACA’s 35th Anniversary, we are sharing 35 stories from field leaders. First up is Sanjit Sethi, who has served the ACA board since 2017 and has been co-chair since 2022. We invited Sanjit to share a short memory, artifact, or reflection that captures what ACA has meant to him—or how he imagines the future of artist support. Sanjit currently serves as Head of Campus at Green Schools Bali.

As part of ACA’s own reflection on our history and evolution over the past few decades, we remain inspired by our members. In this column, we will speak to members about their experiences with ACA and with the residency field. For this issue, we talk with Ruth Adams, Executive Director of Art Omi.