This year, the off-season long-term residency at the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts runs from October 1st, 2026 until May 31st, 2027. Timeframes and length of residency can be tailored to the unique needs of the resident. Residencies are on a monthly or multi-monthly basis. Rates are determined based on the length of a resident's stay. Please reach out to islandcolony@nisda.org to discuss options.
The NISDA Artist Community welcomes emerging and professional artists, and educators in all fields including, but not limited to, classic photography, painting, ceramics, textiles, writing, music, performance and any alternative projects committed to the creative process. NISDA is especially interested in interdisciplinary art, art in the environment and conceptual works. We welcome educators pursuing the integration of the arts and interdisciplinary projects in their classrooms. NISDA’s residency is an on-your-own, self-structured experience that provides time and your studio for personal renewal. In October and early November, you may arrange to work in NISDA’s studio barns or the Long Shed Ceramics Studio at SeaView Farm, in addition to working in your Atlantic House Residency Studio or in the Nantucket landscape.
This long-term residency on Nantucket Island will give an artist an opportunity to settle into this unique community and landscape.
The off-season on Nantucket is beautiful and serene, and yet a good number of the cultural activities and opportunities are still accessible. As the fast pace of the summer subsides, the island's small town community comes alive. The museums, the library, the film community, and the music venues continue to offer programs, but the pace is slower, and there is time to savor everything that the island has to offer. As autumn turns to winter, the landscape makes its subtle changes, and the ocean shifts in its intensity. For the artist, this is an opportunity to find inspiration and have the time to cultivate their work.
NISDA’s OAR Atlantic House is just a short mile down the road from our Historic Seaview Farm Art Center facilities – we welcome you to create, work and collaborate with the other Artists, and enjoy our Cultural Arts Lectures and Events! SeaView Farm Art Center is open through mid-November, and then it is closed for the winter.
Off-season long-term residents are strongly encouraged to bring a personal car. Public transportation is not available on Nantucket in the off-season The residency is across the harbor from the town in a beautiful, pastoral area of the island. There are many wonderful things to do in the off-season on the island, however, most of them take place in Nantucket town.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
Additional information about OAR Residency: https://www.nisda.org/artist-residencies
Application: https://www.nisda.org/artist-residencies
Residency fees depend of the size of the live/work studio space. Additional work space is available at the Seaview Farm Studios or the Long Shed Clay Studio for a fee (Oct.- Mid Nov.) . Find more information regarding fees at www.nisda.org
Applications are processed on a rolling basis. Please fill out the application at www.nisda.org. After your preliminary application is received, we will reach out to you to further discuss your residency plans. At that time, we can discuss the duration and the timeframe of your residency.
Accommodations and costs range from one-room live-in studios, to large open living & studio spaces. Some studio spaces may be shared by 2 artists. Studios 4 and 5 may be shared by collaborating applicants. Artist Residents may always elect to bring a spouse, partner, collaborator, or adult children {18+} with them to the residency. NISDA does not assign strangers to shared studios.
All units have private kitchenettes and baths. Studios 3, 4 and 5 have fully functional kitchenettes with cook tops. Studios 1 and 2 have a fridge, a microwave, and a sink. All studios have access to a fully equipped community kitchen for cooking, a common living room, and dining area.
Studio #2 has partial accessibility: Ramp entrance to studio, ACA friendly bathroom with compliant fixtures and turning radius. ACA friendly kitchenette. Wheelchair access to shared living room, dining area and (non compliant) community kitchen.
Use of additional studio space at the Seaview Arts Center is available to residents for a fee. These studios are open for use until mid-November before they close for the winter.
Bicycles and helmets are made available to all residents for use at no cost. Please consider bringing a vehicle, as in the off-season, the island's public transportation diminishes and some routes are discontinued until spring.
The residency at 55 Wauwinet Road is in a beautiful, serene, and pastoral area of the island. It is across our great harbor from the town of Nantucket. In the off-season, there are so many interesting cultural and entertaining activities in town for you to enjoy.
Residents are kindly requested to donate a piece of artwork to NISDA. Each year, we have a great auction full of interesting artwork and other items that our community looks forward to every July. This auction helps us to raise money for our community programs. Thank you.
For specific details, please refer to www.nisda.org.
Feel free to reach out with questions to islandcolony@nisda.org.