Death as Culture: In-Person Artist Residencies in New Orleans

Kolaj Institute invites artists to apply for Death as Culture: In-Person Artist Residencies in New Orleans, a one-week collage residency offered in two sessions: 27–31 October or 1–5 November 2026. Each session begins with two virtual Zoom meetings, listed on the call page as 21 and 22 October 2026, 7–9PM EDT. The residency takes place at Kolaj Institute Gallery in New Orleans. The program investigates how death is expressed across cultures through folklore, ritual, and art. Participants will consider stories about the origin of death, the afterlife, grief and loss, and the liminal spaces between life and death, including ghosts and spirits. The October group will experience New Orleans during Halloween. The November group will begin by observing Fet Gede celebrations of Haitian culture and ancestry on Day of the Dead at the New Orleans Healing Center. Both groups will visit St. Roch Cemetery. Through interactive sessions, collections research, discussion, and collaborative collage making, artists will explore how research informs process and how artwork can speak to contemporary issues. Participants will present their work and receive supportive, critical, curatorial feedback. The residency also addresses appropriation, copyright, fair use, and how material choices shape the stories artwork tells. Artists will have 24-hour access to the gallery studio and the Kolaj Institute Material Library. The cost is $750 USD per artist. A limited number of grants are available to offset the fee for artists in need. Travel, accommodations, and meals are the artist’s responsibility.