Propose a Residency

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 51 residencies involving 55 artists-in-residence and more than 140 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 often brings together artists, faculty, staff, and students from various disciplines across the arts, sciences, and humanities. Integrated with curricular activities, all arts residencies in this program are proposed by academic departments or officially recognized interdepartmental programs, centers, or institutes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

While in residence, for semester-long or academic year-long residencies, artists teach an interdisciplinary course and participate in public programming with campus and Madison communities. The program provides students with extended learning experiences with a working artist, including options to earn course credit; increases diversity of teaching staff on campus; and strengthens programmatic ties among individual departments, programs, and other campus and community arts entities.

The Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program award includes both funding and staff support.

Funds up to $60,000 for semester-long residencies and $120,000 for academic year-long (9-month) residencies may be used for:

• Artist salary at the level of an associate faculty member
• Pre-residency planning visit
• Artist travel to and from Madison
• Course supplies and expenses
• Workshop and public event expenses
• Guest artist honoraria, travel, and expenses
• Lead faculty course buy-out
• Student residency assistant
• Residency publicity, documentation, and marketing expenses

The Division of the Arts provides staff support for:

• Residency planning and management
• Course listing and administration
• Residency-specific event management
• Publicity, documentation, and marketing communications

Units eligible to propose a residency are: 1) academic departments or 2) officially recognized interdepartmental programs, centers, or institutes at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Lead faculty and/or residency leads must be employees of UW–Madison. Organizations outside of UW–Madison may co-sponsor residencies.

Artists proposed for the Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program should meet the minimum qualifications for instructional staff. The Division of the Arts seeks artists-in-residence who:

• Will enrich campus with diverse lived experiences and arts practices
• Are excited to teach in a rigorous public research university environment
• Embrace and enjoy working across multiple disciplines and as a result may have a practice and body of work that does not fit easily into any one medium or area of focus
• Are passionate about working with curious students from a range of majors and creating spaces where novices and advanced arts practitioners can collaborate
• Will energetically seek collaboration with partners on and off campus

The residency is an intense and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Hosting as lead faculty or residency lead and host department/unit and participating as an interdisciplinary artist-in-residence requires significant commitment that begins during the proposal process.

Each residency comprises the following:

• A pre-residency planning period prior to the residency start, with a planning visit to UW–Madison the semester prior (for academic year-long residencies, the planning visit will take place in the spring semester of the previous academic year), and regular virtual meetings prior to and throughout the residency period
• Workshops, public events, outreach and networking with campus and community (for academic year-long residencies, this will begin in the fall semester and continue in the spring semester)
• Preparation for course instruction and teaching an interdisciplinary course (at least a 3-credit course) with a culminating public presentation of student work (for academic year-long residencies, the course will run during the spring semester)
• Collaborations with partner/co-sponsor departments and with The Studio Creative Arts Community, Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives’ First Wave Scholars, and/or Undergraduate Research Scholars

A culture of collaboration requires commitment, with each role fulfilling key responsibilities to realize the vision of the residency and program. Expectations for each role are detailed below.

Artist-in-Residence: Each artist-in-residence joins and continues the program’s legacy of bringing interdisciplinary artists to work directly with students and present innovative work to the public. The residency centers around the artist’s teaching commitment and community engagement, both on and off campus. Expectations of the Artist-in-Residence include:

• Set aside sufficient time for the residency; be available to meet with Division of the Arts staff for in-person or virtual planning meetings, both prior to and throughout the residency
• Be contactable and responsive throughout the planning process and residency; promptly respond to requests for information or input
• Notify the Division of the Arts and lead faculty/residency lead in advance of changes to schedule, public events, or class activities
• With assistance from lead faculty/residency lead, obtain a university ID card, or WISCARD, upon arrival in Madison in order to access other needed services and systems during residency
• Weekly teaching commitment is a minimum of 2.5 hours of contact time for lecture courses and 5 hours of contact time for studio courses, in addition to time for teaching preparation and for individual student interaction through meetings or email
• All aspects of teaching, including syllabus, prep, delivery during class time, evaluation of student performance (i.e. grading), and responding to student communications through meetings or email
• Produce, attend, and promote residency events
• Be available to give quotes and interviews for media or features throughout the residency
• Upon request, attend one or more faculty meetings in the host department/unit, as well as any Division of the Arts affiliate events
• Complete an end-of-residency evaluation form
• Cover the cost of housing out of salary; due to state rules, UW–Madison is unable to provide the artist with housing during their residency

Lead Faculty and/or Residency Lead: This faculty or staff member from the host department/unit is a key factor in a successful residency. The role starts with the proposal and lasts through the completion of the end-of-residency evaluation form. Expectations of the Lead Faculty and/or Residency Lead include:

• Be available to meet with Division of the Arts staff and the artist for in-person or virtual planning meetings, both prior to and during the residency
• Communicate information between Division of the Arts, host department/unit, co-sponsors, and students
• Provide support to Artist-in-Residence, both prior to and during the residency
• Assist the Division of the Arts in holding the artist accountable for all items in the artist contract
• Assist artist in creating their syllabus, ensuring that it adheres to university policy, and is reviewed and approved by host department
• Ensure artist is trained in using departmental resources and protocol
• Provide course assistance, including: introducing artist to course administration tools, monitor course progress and verify final grades, be available for student concerns/questions following the end of the course
• Recommend the course to students who may benefit from participation
• Assist in planning, producing, and promoting public events
• Attend and introduce artist at public events
• Introduce artist to fellow faculty and potential collaborators on and off campus
• Ensure artist attends departmental meetings or events, as requested by department
• Ensure expectations of the host department/unit (included below) are met
• Complete an end-of-residency evaluation form
• As lead faculty/residency lead, you have the option to factor into the residency budget funds to hire an adjunct instructor to cover one of your courses (up to $5,000 per residency). This Faculty/Course Buy-Out Option comes with additional responsibilities:
  • Receive approval for Faculty/Course Buy-Out from your department chair
  • Attend all residency classes, ensuring clear understanding of structure and course requirements between artist and students
  • In the event of artist’s absence, instruct or otherwise find replacement for course instruction
  • Assist the Division of the Arts in collecting course student evaluations at the end of the semester. These residency evaluations, provided by the Division of the Arts, will be in addition to any that are conducted by the department through which the course is offered

Host Department/Unit: One unit must serve as the primary sponsor and host of the residency. The host department’s Chair support is necessary for a successful residency. Expectations of the Host Department include:

• Provide or help to locate sufficient classroom for the course and outreach activities, as needed
• Provide the visiting artist with a regularly-equipped office and an appropriate studio, rehearsal, or performance space
• Provide staff support for the course and outreach activities, as needed
• Promote residency course to students
• Promote residency events to students, faculty, staff, and through the department’s network
• Handle all matters relating to the administration of the appointment, including hiring (the host department may opt not to process the appointment and hire, however the department will not receive the residency course credits for budget purposes, under current UW–Madison policies). The Division of the Arts will transfer salary funds.
• Invite artist to participate in department events, as appropriate
• Actively promote the residency course and public events to students, campus, and/or community by including all residency events on your website, enewsletter, and/or social media channels, and encourage students and others to attend (we ask that you reference not only the Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program by name, but also the Division of the Arts and any co-sponsoring departments)

Partner/Co-sponsor Departments and Organizations: In addition to the host department, departments and organizations may choose to partner or co-sponsor an artist-in-residence or specific events during the residency. Expectations for Partner/Co-sponsors may include:

• Participate in residency or specific event planning
• Recommend the course to students who may benefit from participation
• Review the course to count towards certificate or major requirements
• Provide recommendations on course day/time to ensure accessibility for department students
• Host a partner event
• Invite artist to participate in department and community events as appropriate
• Actively promote the residency course and public events to students, campus, and/or community by including all residency events on your website, enewsletter, and/or social media channels, and encourage students and others to attend (we ask that you reference not only the Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program by name, but also the Division of the Arts and any co-sponsoring departments)

Division of the Arts: The Division of the Arts staff facilitates the residency program by providing:

• Proposal assistance during open call period
• Residency funding
• Program coordination, including budget management, travel coordination, supply purchasing, course listing and enrollment management, and public programming and event implementation
• Advising with the hiring and payment process.
• Assistance in planning, producing, and promoting public events
• Publicity and marketing, including graphic design for residency campaign, press releases, email announcements, social media content, documentation (video and photography), print material production and distribution when needed, and media interview scheduling

The Division of the Arts acknowledges that living in Madison full-time for the duration of a 9-month residency period may not be an option for all artists and will discuss alternatives.

By sharing a proposal with the Division of the Arts, the lead faculty/residency lead, host department/unit, and artists are confirming their commitment to the residency as proposed, including availability for planning, instruction, and significant in-person engagement in Madison.

The call for residency proposals is currently open. Complete and share your proposal by Monday, November 20, 2023 at 12 p.m. Central. This call for proposals is for both semester-long (proposed for fall 2024 or spring 2025) and academic year-long (9-month) residencies to take place over the course of the 2024–25 academic year. Based on the strength of the proposals received, the Division of the Arts’ Academic Affairs Committee will award both one semester-long and one academic year-long residency.

• Read and understand this program guide (PDF).
• Prepare your proposal materials.
• Complete and share your proposal via this form by Monday, November 14, 2022 at 12 p.m. Central.

Residency proposals are reviewed once annually by the Division of the Arts’ Academic Affairs Committee for the following academic year and the decision for final residency awards is made by Division of the Arts staff.

The call for proposals and review process for 2024–25 residencies is as follows (please make note of these dates to ensure availability when proposing a residency):

• September 12, 2023: Call for proposals opens for 2024–25
• November 20, 2023 at 12 p.m. Central: Proposals due
• December 11, 2023, 2–4 p.m. Central: Prospective lead faculty and/or residency lead present at Academic Affairs Committee
• December 18–22, 2023 and January 2–5, 2024: Artist and reference interviews take place via Zoom
• January 23, 2024: Spring semester starts; selected 2024–25 resident(s) and  lead faculty and/or residency lead notified

Prepare your proposal by gathering the following about the proposed residency. When complete, share your proposal via this form by Monday, November 20, 2023 at 12 p.m. Central.

The required proposal materials are:

• Proposal Information Summary
• Proposal Narrative
• Artist Resume/CV
• Work Samples
• Course Syllabus
• Budget
• Letters of Agreement and Support
• Additional Information

Expectations for each of these required proposal materials are detailed below.

Proposal Information Summary is to be assembled and shared as one, single-page PDF document and must include all of the information below:

• Artist name
• Availability and proposed length of residency by indicating one of the following: Fall 2024; Spring 2025; either Fall 2024 or Spring 2025; or Academic Year 2024–25. Planning in any instance would begin in Spring 2024.
• Residency Lead/Lead Faculty (list separately, if more than one)
• Host Department/Unit
• Chair of Host Department/Unit
• Other Co-sponsoring Department/ Program/Organization(s)

Proposal Narrative is to be assembled and shared as one PDF document and must incorporate the following:

• Artist’s biography, career summary, and how they would be an outstanding artist-in-residence
• Artist’s relevant experience with teaching at the university level
• Artist’s purpose in undertaking the proposed residency, including expected outcomes
• Description of the collaborative and/or interdepartmental design of the proposed residency
• Expected benefits to students, host department/unit(s), university, and local community
• Brief description of proposed course, including course guest artist biographies, if known
• Descriptions of proposed public events and workshops in conjunction with the residency, including programming with The Studio Creative Arts Community, Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives’ First Wave Scholars, and/or Undergraduate Research Scholars
• Proposed residency’s contribution to increasing diversity of UW–Madison’s faculty, course content, and outreach

Artist Resume/CV is to be shared as one PDF document.

Work Samples are to be assembled and shared as one PDF document and must include the following:

• Images, including a headshot, with photo credits (for media or performance work, include stills with description)
• Links to artist website and public social media account(s)

Course Syllabus is to be assembled and shared as one PDF document and must take into account the following:

• Syllabus proposal must incorporate a course description, learning outcomes, topical outline, representative list of readings, and potential guest artists
• Minimum of one 3-credit course, either lecture or studio, over one semester (14–15 weeks)
• If the residency is selected, the Host Department/Unit’s curriculum committee must approve the syllabus prior to start of residency
• Final syllabus will need to be developed to adhere to UW–Madison’s Course Syllabi Requirements if residency is selected

Budget, detailing the proposed residency elements and associated costs, is to be assembled and shared as one PDF document. Total request may not exceed $60,000 for semester-long residencies and $120,000 for academic year-long (9-month) residencies. See this sample budget, with tabs for both semester-long and academic year-long residencies (while this sample is provided, the budget provided should reflect the residency programming being proposed).

Letters of Agreement and Support from the Host Department(s) and Partner/Co-sponsoring Department/Unit(s) and Organizations are to be assembled and shared as one PDF document and must include the following:

• Letter from the Host Department/Unit should come from the Department Chair and confirm the department/unit’s commitment to the residency as proposed and the expectations outlined in this Program Guide.
• Partner/Co-sponsoring Department/Unit(s) and Organizations Letter(s) should formally state the intention to co-sponsor and the nature of any monetary or in-kind support that the co-sponsoring unit will provide and confirm the commitment to the residency and/or event(s) as proposed and the expectations outlined in this Program Guide.
• Additional faculty or community letters of support are accepted but not required.

Additional Information is to be assembled and shared as one PDF document and must include the following:

• Artist contact information, including mailing address, email address, and phone number
• Contact information (email address and phone number) for 3 current references that can speak to the artist’s suitability for this residency program (cannot be the proposing residency lead/lead faculty or from host department)
• ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Does the artist have legal status or a visa to work in the United States?

If you would like to share any additional information or supplementary material, you have the option to include these with your proposal.

Successful interdisciplinary residencies require engagement and excitement from a variety of departments and their faculty, staff, and students. Significant planning and relationship-building occur before the residency proposal is shared with the Division of the Arts’ Academic Affairs Committee for review.

Division staff are available for consultation and offering feedback on proposals. Contact residency@arts.wisc.edu.

Lead faculty/residency leads who have shared proposals that were not awarded in a previous selection review are encouraged to reapply. Be certain to review all current guidelines and update proposal materials as needed.