Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) was founded in 1991 by a coalition of 18 artist residency programs responding to a moment of urgent need. In the face of widespread cuts to public arts funding, these visionary leaders backed by startup support from the MacArthur Foundation came together to build a national consortium committed to strengthening the support systems that artists rely on to create and thrive.
Founding organizations included 500 Capp Street (formerly Capp Street Project), Atlantic Center for the Arts, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Centrum, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Fine Arts Work Center, Headlands Center for the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, MacDowell, Mattress Factory, Millay Arts, MoMA PS1, Palenville Interarts Colony, Ragdale Foundation, Sculpture Space, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Yaddo. These institutions were among the most influential residency programs of their time, many rooted in retreat-style models that offered artists the gift of time, space, and solitude.
While the founding network did not yet reflect the full range of artists, communities, and residency models that shape the field today, it laid critical groundwork for what would become a global and equity-centered alliance.
Today, ACA includes more than 300 members across all 50 U.S. states and 20 countries. Our work is driven by a deep commitment to justice, access, and care—values that continue to evolve in dialogue with our community. From that early coalition to the present day, ACA remains focused on building the conditions artists need to thrive, and on imagining a future where creative practice is supported, valued, and sustained everywhere.