This opportunity offers artists nine months of studio space, exposure, and engagement through exhibitions, community events, and marketing support. To qualify, applicants must be 18 or older, not currently enrolled in an academic program, and submit an application with a CV, recent work samples, a project proposal, references, and a small fee. Selection is based on artistic merit, originality, and commitment, with finalists interviewed before final decisions are made. While the recent application period has closed, artists can prepare for the next cycle by developing a strong portfolio and project concept that reflects creativity, technical skill, and a willingness to engage with the community.
KEY INFORMATION:
- Eligibility: Open to all individual artists in the U.S. who are at least 18 years of age and not currently enrolled in an academic program.
- Applications for this year are closed. Next application period opens in March 2026.
- Questions can be emailed to Laura Atria at Laura.Atria@copbfl.com
WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:
- Submissions will be uploaded to https://artist.callforentry.org. A complete application consists of the following:
- Tell us who you are and how to contact you
- Upload your artist CV or resume, including five (5) images of your recent work
- Tell us about your past work and why you desire this studio residency
- Tell us about the residency project you propose to complete while at BaCA ( Bailey Contemporary Arts Center)
- Share any social media handles, public usernames, personal websites, blogs, vlogs, etc.
- List three references
- Payment of the $25 application fee.
WHAT’S OFFERED THROUGH THE RESIDENCY:
- 24-hour access to affordable studio space. Studios range from 96 - 196 square feet in size. A participation fee of $250/month will be charged during the residency, no fee will be charged for the final month in June. ALL participating artists will pay this amount, regardless of the size of the studio they are assigned. After the conclusion of the 9-month residency, the artists in residence will be reimbursed 30% of their paid participation fee, without including any late fees that had been applied. Artists in residence must complete the full 9-month residency in order to receive the reimbursement. The 30% reimbursement is contingent on the returned condition of the studio space, i.e. any significant damage done to the studio. The studios are not for housing. Participants in the AiR Program will be responsible for their own housing, transportation, supplies, and other expenses.
- One-time feature as “Artist of the Month” (AoM) during residency withsupporting advertising and PR visibility. Focus will be provided to the artist of the month at the “Old Town Untapped” event outside BaCA that occurs the first Friday of the month which attracts crowds of 2,000+ patrons to a street festival environment with live music, a local DJ, craft beer, food trucks and merchandise vendors. During the AoM’s month, the artist will have a retail window on the first floor of BaCA in the West Gallery to showcase their work. The AoM will receive a $500 stipend to use during their month for expenses related to their exhbit, retail window, activation, etc.
- Additional marketing and public relations support during 9-month residency including artist profile on PBCAD website and support through marketing, advertising and social media.
- Additional space within BaCA’s 2nd floor gallery will be provided to the AoM during their “Artist of the Month” showcase. The gallery space available is not of a size that allows an artist to feature their entire body of work but will instead be curated from the work(s) created during their residency. Artists are permitted to exhibit their artwork within their studio or may invite guests to their studio to view their artwork. Any art sales resulting from the City’s exhibitions (including the 2nd floor gallery) shall result in the City retaining thirty percent (30%) of the total from the sale as commission with seventy present (70%) paid to the Artist.
- Group exhibition and supporting event with substantial marketing/PR/social media push.
- Additional opportunities for artists to sell their art at different PBCAD events including Green Market Pompano Beach which occurs the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month November – April.
- Use of shared utility sinks in hallways; mail delivery; free WiFi; a breakroom w/ a microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker; a lounge area and a conference room.
ELIGIBLE MEDIA:
Eligible artistic disciplines and media include drawing, painting, sculpture, dance, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction & nonfiction writing, spoken word/poetry, interdisciplinary, social practice, ceramics, architecture and urban design/placemaking. Musical disciplines and theater will also be considered although PBCAD cannot accommodate these uses onsite at BaCA. While digital media is welcomed, artists will need to bring their own equipment as the facility doesn’t offer these resources. PBCAD is willing to try and accommodate artistic disciplines that do not clearly work at BaCA by exploring the use of other facilities it operates including two nearby facilities: the Ali Cultural Arts Center and the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. Media that produce toxic fumes are not permitted, as well as artwork that involves nonstop continuous loud noise. Artists using media of a toxic or hazardous nature that do not produce toxic fumes or nonstop continuous loud noise shall follow all applicable laws and regulations.
SELECTED ARTISTS AGREE TO:
- Create proposed project/body of work/series during their residency, and agree to unveil it in an exhibit or performance as part of a culminating event to occur in June on the first Friday. The eight artists selected for the AiR program will work with the AiR program manager and staff to create the culminating event.
- Attendance/participation at BaCA during each monthly Old Town Untapped event held the first Friday of the month from 6-10pm. PBCAD staff hopes to work with AiR artists to explore further integrating them into the Old Town Untapped event, providing additional visibility to the artists and making for a better public event.
- Spend at least six (6) hours in-studio each week during BaCA’s regular hours of operation [10am-6pm Tues. – Fri., 10am-4pm Sat., closed Sun. and Mon.]. Beyond this commitment, artists will have 24/7 access to their studios to work at their convenience.
- Use the studio space as a working studio space, not as a gallery.
- Attendance at a bi-monthly meeting of the AiR artists where participating artists network with other artists, share progress of their original artwork in development, explore collaborations, and plan the culminating event.
- Lead or participate in at least one “lunch with art” program or another talk, workshop, seminar, or public program at BaCA.
- Lead or participate in at least one offsite program possibly including Pompano Beach public schools, community centers, parks, or other PBCAD venues.
- Assist PBCAD with marketing their participation in the AiR program including radio, TV and print publications in addition to social media [‘like,’ ‘tag,’ ‘share’], personal websites, blogs, vlogs, etc.
- Consent to a Level 1 background check if selected into the AiR program.
SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA:
- Initial review of submissions by PBCAD staff to ensure completion and eligibility.
- Submissions will be evaluated electronically by the jury which is comprised of knowledgeable and esteemed artists and art professionals.
- The jury evaluates each artist’s past work and their proposed residency project and then selects finalists to be interviewed. The jury will evaluate submissions according to the following criteria:
- Artwork reflects an understanding of, and personal place within, the current art scene, aesthetically and conceptually, as well as a desire to contribute to it.
- Artwork clearly reflects and expresses the artist’s conceptual ideas and reveals something about the world, communicating unique perspectives, inviting the viewer to question, discover and explore.
- Artwork reflects a strong understanding of presentation, technical skill, and mastery of chosen mediums.
- Artist shows commitment to and displays clear ability to produce a comprehensive body of work showing an authentic relationship to the work.
- Artist produces original concepts and artwork expanding the use of media and technique.
- Finalists will be required to participate in a 30-minute individual interview with PBCAD staff conducted via Zoom videoconference. At this stage, an applicant should demonstrate:
- A strong interest in being at BaCA while expressing a positive work attitude, professionalism, an interest in working with a community of artists, and a desire to engage with the public.
- An ability to market themselves and to be marketed.
- Final selections will be made following the interviews.
