About IARP

The Division of the Arts’ Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program (IARP), originated through the Cluster Hiring Initiative of the Office of the Provost, brings innovative, world-class artists to the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Since 1999, the program has hosted 53 residencies involving 57 artists-in-residence and more than 155 guest artists from 20 different countries, engaging over 50 university units and over 40 community organizations. See past residencies.

All residencies center interdisciplinary arts, recognizing that interdisciplinarity can break down barriers and silos, advance intellectual artistic diversity, and give opportunities to people who do not fit into the traditional modes of inquiry and practice (see the Division of the Arts’ guiding principle of The Arts for Everyone, Everywhere). The program brings together artists, faculty, staff, and students from various disciplines across the arts, sciences, and humanities. Integrated with curricular activities, arts residencies in this program are proposed by academic departments or by officially recognized interdepartmental programs, centers, or institutes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Artists-in-residence offer an interdisciplinary approach that may include curricular coursework and provides public programming with campus and Madison communities. IARP provides students with extended exposure to a working artist, increases diversity on campus, and strengthens ties among individual departments, programs, and other campus and community arts entities.

Newly expanded host eligibility includes non-arts departments and non-curricular units, fostering interdisciplinary creativity across campus. The inaugural ‘visiting artist’ call for proposal will open in mid-November 2024. In spring 2025, the call will open for the full 2026-27 academic year, featuring both teaching and visiting artist tracks for either one semester or the full year.

Have an idea for a residency? Complete our ‘show of interest’ form!