Many museums are hiring people to serve as artists in residence to help them promote their institutions and provide marketing advice. These individuals or groups produce work for the museum that employs them. In some cases, an artist in residence is hired for a brief period of a few days, while other opportunities can last up to an entire 12 month period.

Duties are Detailed in Advance

Even before a museum hires an artist in residence, they take the time to outline the specific duties of the individual they will employ. This may require them to assist with a specific collection, develop content for online display, produce particular types of artwork, or head up workshops. In creating a specific description of the position, the museum more accurately meets their needs. The museum can use this type of program to connect with local artists or the community at large.

Establishing Long-Term Goals is Important

Before the museum can recruit individuals for their artist in a residency program, they must think about what they ultimately expect from the experience. This includes determining the length of the residency and how it will be concluded. Additionally, they should know what benefits they want to experience from the program’s fulfillment. This may include raising interest from the local community, creating new opportunities for emerging artists in the local area, or cultivating new art for display in the museum.

Recruiting Artists for the Program

In some cases, the museum may already have an artist in mind, and they may try to entice that artist to accept the position. In other cases, the museum may publicly announce the opening. This involves creating an ad that resembles a job listing in that it describes the position and expectations. The museum’s staff reviews applicants and the best candidate is chosen through an extensive vetting and interviewing process.

A museum that establishes an artist in residency program creates an opportunity that benefits everyone. The museum gains the services and products that the artist provides during their residency. The artist benefits from having access to the pieces on display in the museum, including special access to collections and their workspace—even the community benefits in that they can enjoy the work produced by the artist during their residency.