CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Now, You Can Apply to a Cross Country Road Trip Arts Residency

Creators: Idyllic retreats to Wi-Fi-equipped wilderness sanctuaries and half-year paid stays at large institutions are what most artists hope and crave when applying for a residency. But the nature of these programs often leads artists into stasis, placing them in fixed locations on the premise that they will be wholly inspired by a retreat from their usual surroundings to make a body of work. Dripped On The Road, an artist residency that hosted its inaugural session late last year, is the antithesis to these more stagnant artistic retreats, incorporating almost nonstop travel throughout its 6 week duration.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

This article is amazing! I personally would love to take a part in a residency such as this. So often I become blocked when creating art because I feel disconnected from what I am creating. Yes, it takes talent to create or paint with only an image in your head, but think about how strong one’s work could be if they were able to reach out and touch. This would bring so much sincerity and emotion to the art. I can imagine being able to sit in Colorado and actually paint the mountains opposed to my dorm room, or go to the actual location in which my clay comes from. That is how genuine art is made. In addition to the art actually made, this residency allows the artist to grow and become molded as a person. By traveling, one is able to empathize and learn from people and communities that may be foreign to them, making them a more grounded and well-rounded individual.

Alex Talbot said...

While I'm not looking exactly for an artistic residency since I'm not, strictly speaking, an artist that would benefit from a residency such as this, a cross country trip is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I'm sure for anyone studying or doing art, especially art that is more tangible than theatre or theatrical design, this would be a fantastic inspiring opportunity. In some ways, I wish Carnegie Mellon Drama offered these types of opportunities, or at least study abroad options more often. There's only so much, in terms of art, that you can learn in a classroom and in one place, and in my opinion there is much to learn by traveling elsewhere, especially abroad. While I may not pursue this particular opportunity, I certainly think that opportunities to expand boundaries, especially for art students, are very important and I'd love to pursue one in the future.