ACA + Mellon Foundation Research Project on Artist Residencies and the Criminal Legal System
Invitation to Partners to participate in a short survey
Dear Partner,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing with a request.
Throughout my tenure at Artist Communities Alliance (ACA), I have focused on advancing equity in artist residencies. This often means addressing barriers to participation for vulnerable populations, specifically, BIPOC, disabled, and/or trans people. It is not lost on me that artists who have been impacted by the justice system have been historically excluded and, for one reason or another, have not had access to opportunities in the artist residency field.
Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) is reaching out as part of a research project we are conducting in partnership with the Mellon Foundation's Imagining Freedom initiative. We are reaching out to artists who have faced negative consequences from their interaction with the criminal legal system (including through arrest, prosecution, conviction, incarceration, surveillance, false accusations, detainment due to immigration status, persecution based on religious or political beliefs and other non-custodial forms of punishment), as well as their loved ones, siblings, and immediate families.
I am reaching out because I need your support. Firstly, will you complete this short poll to share how you have worked with artists that have been impacted by the justice system? Secondly, if you have hosted or are aware of artists impacted by the criminal legal system in your network, can you share with them a link to this confidential artist survey or, with their consent, share their contact information with ACA? Lastly, if you know of other artist residency programs that may not be on our radar will you share the partner poll with them.
We are working with deep care and precision out of respect for the artists and residencies and developing recommendations for artist residencies interested in deepening their work with this vulnerable population.
ACA values and honors consent and confidentiality in all of its work. Your general participation as a collaborator in this project will be recognized and shared with my research team, which includes our partners at the Mellon Foundation. This survey is a high-level scan to identify programs that have experience in this area. We will check in regularly as our work continues, to ensure that you are continuing to consent to your participation.
Please note that your participation in this information-gathering activity and research does not imply any promise or expectation for funding from the Mellon Foundation now, or in the future.
As always, please reach out to me with any questions.
In community,
President + CEO
Artist Communities Alliance
*Definition of an artist residency: Artist residencies provide artists, scholars, educators and other creative professionals with time, space and resources to work, individually or collectively, on areas of their practice that reward heightened reflection or focus. They can often be referred to as fellowships, apprenticeships, research projects or training programs. Residencies can be found in urban or rural areas, serving one artist at a time or fifty. They vary in nature from their residency structure and program type to their offerings and facilities.