Apply to Join the Liberation Studios Founding Studio Cohort

Liberation Studios is a small, artist-run gallery and studio project launching in February 2026 at 4113 Utah Avenue NE, Washington, DC.

We are inviting applications for the Founding Cohort: a cohort-based, shared studio program for artists and cultural workers interested in equity-driven practice, collective study, and building new cultural infrastructure together.

This is not a traditional residency or a commercial studio rental. Liberation operates as a participatory, non-extractive model, where modest fees support access to space, tools, programming, and visibility—while underwriting a longer-term cultural intervention rooted in care, rigor, and accountability.

About the Founding Cohort

Founding Cohort participants are not simply renting space; they are helping establish the norms, practices, and direction of Liberation Studios.

The cohort includes artists, curators, writers, and culinary practitioners working across visual, spatial, social, and food-based practices. Participants are expected to work seriously in their own practice while engaging thoughtfully with others in a shared, evolving environment.
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What Participation Includes

Founding Cohort participants may receive access to:

--Semi-private studio bays (approx. 10×10 to 10×20) facing a shared workshop

--Shared tools and fabrication resources (wood, metal, 2D/3D, fabrication-friendly processes), with required orientation and care practices

--Weekly or biweekly programming, including studio visits, conversations, critiques, and collaborative community-facing work

Opportunities to engage with:

--Curatorial micro-residencies (1–6 weeks)

--Digital residencies (for non-DMV artists, when applicable)

--Collaborative exhibitions and programs

--Priority involvement as the Shipping Container Gallery and Culinary Residency pilot launch in later phases

--Participation is offered in 3–12 month terms, depending on studio format and project alignment.
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Who This Is For

Liberation Studios is best suited for artists and cultural workers who:

--Value process, critique, and study

--Are interested in equity-centered, socially engaged practice

--Want access to tools, dialogue, and shared infrastructure

--Are comfortable working in a collective, evolving environment

--Understand participation as mutual responsibility, not consumption

The project is inspired by artist-organizer models (including Carol Bebelle, Margaret Boozer, Rick Lowe, Theaster Gates, and Amanda Williams), rather than market-driven studio rental systems.
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Structure, Fees & Access

--Participation is application-based

--Fees are transparent and scaled, generally ranging from $500–$900/month, depending on space, duration, and format

--Fees support access to space, tools, programming, and shared infrastructure

Participation includes light community expectations, such as:

--Open studios or public moments

--Engagement in dialogue and critique

--Care for shared tools and space

--Willingness to participate in collective repair when needed

Liberation operates at break-even and does not extract profit from participants.
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Application Process

This application is intended to assess alignment, intent, and readiness, not prestige.

Applicants will be asked about:

--Their practice and current work

--Why this model resonates

--How they imagine participating in a shared studio community

--Practical considerations (timeline, space needs, tools, availability)

An optional processing contribution ($0–$10) is included to help cover application software and admin costs. Choosing $0 will not affect your application in any way