Charlotte Street Foundation Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program

Charlotte Street Foundation is a non-profit, Kansas City-based organization dedicated to making the city a place where artists and art thrive. Established in 2003, its Urban Culture Project initiative creates new opportunities for artists of all disciplines and contributes to urban revitalization by transforming spaces in downtown Kansas City into new venues for multi-disciplinary, artist-driven contemporary arts programming and studio space for visual and performing artists.

The Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program provides free studio spaces to talented and dedicated area artists. The program currently provides studio space to more than 30 artists in three facilities in downtown Kansas City: Center City Square, 1100 Main, 5th floor (providing large, shared studio/rehearsal space for several performing artists/groups and private studios for 12 visual artists); pARTnership Place, 906 Grand, 13th floor (providing space for 7 visual artists in a large, open space); and Town Pavilion, 1100 Walnut, 6th floor (providing private studios for 8 visual artists). Studios are granted to selected artists for one-year terms. No full-time students will be considered. Studios are work spaces only; the program does not provide residential accommodations or access to specialized equipment, tools, or materials. A dance stage with Marley floor is provided for dancers and choreographers.

Applications are due February 28, 2011, for studio residencies with terms beginning in May 2011. Approximately 7 visual artist resident spots and 2 performing studio resident/group spots are available. Artists participating in the program host public Open Studios on Third Fridays, 6-9pm, every other month, and volunteer 5 hours per month assisting with Urban Culture Project efforts, including gallery sitting at UCP's nearby galleries. Each resident completes a goal-setting worksheet at the beginning of the residency and is paired with a studio mentor (an artist or arts professional from the community) who meets with the resident several times over the course of the year to offer feedback and guidance.