What does it take to create a residency program where artists and staff not only have access—but truly belong? At Artist Communities Alliance (ACA), we believe it requires more than new programs. It requires new capacities.

Coined by ACA President & CEO Lisa Funderburke in 2020, equitable capacity is the muscle an organization builds to embed equity across all policies, practices, and processes. It’s not a checklist or a single initiative. It’s a sustained, reflective commitment to transforming culture, from the inside out.

Through our 2021–2023 strategic plan, ACA placed equitable capacity at the heart of our work. In doing so, we invited our network into a shared project: to build a residency field that is inclusive, just, joyful, and accessible.

We operationalized this vision through the Five Pillars of a Healthy Residency—a field-tested, adaptable framework that helps organizations assess and grow their equity practice across five core areas: Identity, Program Design, Operations, Resource Development, and Stewardship. This tool is already reshaping how residencies think about climate, culture, and change—and it’s helping them make that change sustainable.

As part of this initiative, ACA has held Equitable Capacity Workshops over the last five years to provide a learning space designed specifically for residency staff, board members, and stakeholders eager to deepen their equity practice. Grounded in the Five Pillars framework, these workshops have supported organizations in developing shared language, building trust across teams, and applying equity principles to real-world scenarios. Participants leave with practical tools, peer support, and a renewed sense of accountability. The impact is tangible: many organizations report shifts in how they lead, listen, design programs, and how they show up for artists.

 

Thanks to your support, ACA has provided in-depth training, tools, and funding to help residencies develop equitable capacity, from shifting governance models to strengthening access for BIPOC, Deaf, and disabled artists.

But the work isn’t done.

 

If you believe in a residency field where artists of all backgrounds can thrive, we invite you to be part of this movement. Your donation helps ACA continue to offer vital support, develop new tools, and grow a field-wide culture of equity and care. Make a gift today to sustain this field-changing work. 

 

Together, we’re not just responding to the moment. We’re building the future.

ACA received a transformative $3 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, significantly enhancing our ability to support artist residencies and advance equity-driven initiatives. This funding has allowed ACA to expand internal capacity, ensuring that we can more effectively serve the residency field and strengthen our long-term impact.
 

A key outcome of this grant is the development of a new award system that recognizes artist residency programs committed to actively building their equitable capacity. These awards highlight organizations that demonstrate leadership in fostering inclusion, accessibility, and justice within their residencies, reinforcing ACA’s vision for a more equitable and sustainable arts ecosystem.
 

In addition to direct support for residencies, the Mellon grant has bolstered ACA’s research efforts, allowing the organization to explore, document, and advance restorative practices in the arts sector. Through this work, ACA is contributing to broader cultural shifts, helping the field reimagine policies and practices that create lasting change.

By combining direct investment in residency programs with research and advocacy, ACA is using this funding to drive systemic transformation. The Mellon Foundation’s support ensures that ACA can continue to lead the residency field toward greater equity, sustainability, and innovation, empowering artists and arts organizations to thrive in an evolving landscape.

ACA launched the Equitable Capacity Workshops (ECW) as part of our commitment to fostering inclusive, just, and accessible artist residencies. These three-hour intensive sessions provide practical tools and strategies for residency staff, leadership, and board members to develop and implement equitable policies, processes, and practices within their organizations.

Designed with a trauma-informed approach, ECW address key areas of equity, including artist outreach and selection, accessibility for disabled artists, and equitable engagement in rural contexts. Participants take part in interactive discussions, assessments, and action planning, ensuring that they can immediately apply these insights within their residency programs.
 

The workshops align with ACA’s Five Pillars of a Healthy Residency, a framework guiding organizations in assessing and strengthening their identity, program design, operations, resource development, and stewardship. By using this adaptable structure, residencies gained clear pathways for improving inclusivity and sustainability in their programming.
 

Open to both ACA members and non-members, ECW help expand access to equity-building resources across the residency field. Through this initiative, ACA reinforces its commitment to ensuring that all artist residencies are equipped to cultivate environments where artists and staff can thrive, advancing long-term structural change and equitable capacity across the sector.

ACA was awarded $720,000 from the McKnight Foundation to create a new consortium program that enhances equitable capacity in the artist residency field. This initiative connected McKnight Artist Fellows with national and international residency opportunities, providing generative spaces for creative growth, collaboration, and experimentation. Over the first three years, the program supported 98 McKnight Fellows at 20 partner residency sites.

AAC’s consortium model expands access to artist residencies, ensuring historically underrepresented artists can thrive in supportive and inclusive environments. Participating residencies will receive resources and training to assess and strengthen their equitable capacity, using AAC’s Healthy Residency Framework. Partners will also engage in peer learning groups to develop fair policies and practices that promote diverse and just creative spaces.

McKnight Artist Fellowships provide Minnesota-based mid-career artists with $25,000 unrestricted grants and professional development opportunities. This partnership allows fellows to extend their practice through immersive residency experiences.

This collaboration marked a significant investment in artist residencies, ensuring a stronger, more equitable future for artists worldwide.