VCCA: Mt. San Angelo in Virginia
VCCA’s artist residency program at Mt. San Angelo in Amherst, Virginia, hosts up to 360 writers, visual artists, and composers each year in residencies of varying lengths with flexible scheduling (up to six weeks with no minimum length of stay). Applications are accepted three times a year for three distinct scheduling periods.
A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals each day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence at a time. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mt. San Angelo is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails.
The solitary time artists receive at VCCA allows them to focus on their work without interruptions. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible. All opportunities to engage with other residents and the wider community through readings, open studios, etc., are entirely optional.
154 San Angelo Drive
Amherst, VA 24521
United States
Residency Program Information
Residency Program Summary
Application Information
VCCA encourages applications to Mt. San Angelo from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives. Emerging and established artists creating original work in a variety of literary, visual, and musical/sound arts are eligible to apply.
Applicants who are enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs are eligible to apply, although projects that involve pure academic scholarship are not accepted.
VCCA Fellows are selected by peer review on the basis of professional achievement or promise of achievement in their respective fields. Separate review panels are created for each genre/discipline. Panelists undergo periodic review and rotate regularly to ensure VCCA admission decisions are guided by high caliber artists who represent a diversity of styles and tastes.
Artists are accepted to VCCA based on the quality of their work and not on their ability to pay. If you are accepted for a residency, VCCA will work with you in good faith to be sure you can come.
The actual cost of a VCCA residency is $240 per artist/per day which includes an individual studio, private bedroom, private bath, and three meals each day. VCCA residencies are supported in part by its Annual Fund which covers at least 56% of the cost of all residencies. VCCA asks accepted artists to help offset the remaining cost to the best of their ability. VCCA requests a payment of $105 per day (44% of the cost of the residency) and welcomes a per diem payment up to the full daily cost of $240 if you are able. Paying at least $105 per day helps VCCA make improvements to the overall residency experience. Anyone who can not pay $105 per day will be considered for financial assistance.
VCCA distributes $150,000 of financial assistance every year and offers a rotating selection of fully-funded fellowships at each of its three annual application deadlines (January 15, May 15, and September 15). At each deadline, applicants will be considered for a VCCA residency and as many fully-funded fellowships for which they are eligible; only one application with a single application fee is required per deadline. Accepted artists demonstrating financial need who do not receive a fully-funded fellowship are supported through financial assistance.
If the application fee presents a hardship, applicants should reach out to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com to request an application fee waiver in advance of the deadline.
Certain fully-funded fellowships offer stipends/honoraria.
Accessibility
The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts is committed to helping Fellows and visitors participate in our artist residency program and any on-site events as fully as possible. As VCCA works to raise funds to improve accessibility on our campus, please contact Artist Services by phone at 434.946.7236 or by email at vcca@vcca.com to address specific accessibility concerns and/or accommodation requests.
If you are a wheelchair user, be sure to mention this in your application so that we may best accommodate you.
Those with limited mobility can participate in all key aspects of a VCCA residency, namely unstructured time to pursue creative work in a private studio, private accommodations, three meals a day, and opportunities to engage with fellow artists.
Multiple private bedrooms, the dining room, laundry facilities, and other common areas (library, TV room, living room) are located on the ground floor of the Fellows Residence, including one bedroom that is fully wheelchair accessible with a low sink and a roll-in shower. Almost the entire Studio Barn complex is on one level, with wheelchair accessible studios available for each discipline (i.e. writing studio, visual art studio, composer studio). It is a five- to ten-minute wheelchair ride along a private lane from the Fellows Residence to the Studio Barn. Accessible parking at each building is marked.
The second floor and basement of the Fellows Residence are not accessible; the second floor contains only private bedrooms, and the basement includes a small recreation room with table tennis. Some studios in the Studio Barn complex are not accessible. While there are paths connecting all buildings, much of VCCA's expansive grounds (412 acres with hiking trails, outdoor art, gardens, and swimming pool) may not be easily accessible to those with limited mobility. Readings, open studios, and performances among Fellows in residence at VCCA are mostly impromptu gatherings, for which VCCA can not guarantee visual or audio aids.
Housing & Accomodation
A dining room, laundry room, living room with fireplace, TV room, and library are located on the ground floor of the Fellows Residence and are wheelchair accessible. A small recreation room with table tennis is located in the basement, which is not wheelchair accessible. Patios offer outdoor dining areas.
There are washers and dryers, laundry detergent, an ironing board, and iron available for use in the laundry room. A refrigerator and cabinets are also available in the laundry room where Fellows may store refrigerated items and heat water for tea or coffee.
Studio & Facilities
Each Fellow is assigned a private studio. VCCA studios are simple, comfortable spaces that inspire the creative process.
Most studios are located in a renovated 1930s Normandy-style barn, which has newly upgraded WiFi and is heated and air-conditioned with individual thermostats in each studio. The Studio Barn and Fellows Residence are a five-minute walk along a natural, tranquil trail from each other.
Three Fellows kitchens in the Studio Barn stock a few utensils, cups, and supplies for use in studios. Fellows may store refrigerated items and heat water for tea or coffee in any of these kitchens. Lunch is delivered daily to the main kitchen in the Studio Barn.
Accessible parking is marked, and short-term parking is available near the studios for loading/unloading.
Each visual artist’s studio has work tables, white walls, a sink, a shelf for supplies, and a bed. The use of the Dickerson combination printing press or the black-and-white darkroom can be requested during the application process.
Each composer’s studio is equipped with a piano, a desk, desk chair, and a bed. VCCA has three baby grand pianos: a Yamaha Disklavier; a Kawaii; and a Knabe.
Each writer’s studio has a desk, desk chair, reading chair, printer, and a bed. There are also several live-work spaces for writers.
VCCA cannot guarantee specific studio requests. All buildings are smoke-free.