Residency FAQs

Can International Artists Apply?

Yes, both our Individual and Communal Residencies are open to international artists. We are unable to advise on the visa application process, and it is required for Individual cottage applicants to provide their own transportation for the duration of their residency.

Is this residency only open to established artists?

No, we welcome and encourage artists from all different stages of their careers. Artistic community and connection are pillars of our residency program and we strive for a mix of emerging, mid-career, and established artists.

Can I bring my pet?

We allow properly documented service animals to our program pending we receive the proper legal documentation well in advance of arrival.

Can I bring guests?

We allow day guests to visit resident artists in our communal and individual programs with advance notice. All residents expecting a guest must fill out our visitor registration form and get prior approval from our operations manager. While overnight guests are permitted to our individual residency, they are not permitted to our communal residency.

Can residents reapply the following year?

Everyone is welcome to apply multiple years in a row. Awarded fellowships and grants are not given to an artist consecutively.

Is there an application fee?

There is a $30 application fee for each application.

Can collaborators or artist teams apply together?

We require everyone looking to come to the Byrdcliffe Residency to fill out their own application. Please make note of collaborators/ co-applicants in each application.

Can I stay for longer than 1 residency session?

Communal artists are not allowed to stay longer than their program. Individual applicants are welcome to apply for an additional season, however cottages are not guaranteed.

Does the communal program have private rooms?

Yes, artists in our communal program each are provided with a private bedroom. Our bathrooms and kitchens are communal.

Is Byrdcliffe ADA accessible?

Eastover, Barzin, and our individual cottages are not ADA accessible. Our Villetta Inn is accessible on the first floor and has an ADA compliant bathroom and shower.

Is there Wifi/ Internet?

Our communal buildings have wifi and internet. Artists in our Individual Cottage Program are required to set up their own wifi/ internet accounts. Due to our location, service can be limited at times.

Are there any program fees, and what do they cover?

Our individual cottages are priced differently and residents are responsible for setting up their own utilities. The Communal Residency fee is $800 and covers room and board.

Does Byrdcliffe cover travel expenses?

Byrdcliffe does not cover travel expenses, but Artists who fill out our need-based grant application may be awarded a travel stipend on a first come, first serve basis.

What should I bring with me?

Artists must bring all relative tools and materials needed for their work. There is a hardware store located in town and an art supply store in Kingston.  

Are there laundry services on campus? Do I need to bring linens and toiletries?

No, Byrdcliffe does not have laundry facilities. Residents are advised to bring towels, linens appropriate to their assigned bed, and toiletries need during their residency duration. For those in need of bedding, a separate linen rental package is available upon request.

What facilities are offered?

During the summer residencies, we offer 32 select visual artists a studio with work walls and a slop sink. Byrdcliffe ceramic residents have access to gas kilns, electric kilns, pottery wheels, and slab rollers. We offer jewelry and ceramics classes to residents at a reduced rate.

I’m Interested in the Individual Residency Program, what cottages are best suited for specific art practices?

For clean and contained art practices: 

Farmhouse, Yggdrasil, Echo, Varenka, Fleur de Lis, Serenata, Little Angelus, Chipmunk, Eveningstar, Morningstar

For a variety of disciplines:

Quartette, The Forge, Skylights East, Skylights West, Sunrise

Are meals included?

No, meals are not included. Residents must provide their own food, prepare their own meals, and clean up afterwards. Communal residents will have a complimentary dinner on arrival day.

Do I need to bring a car?

While it is not required to have a vehicle for the communal program, it is helpful to have one. For trips, residents will need to make arrangements with a taxi service, fellow artists, or enjoy the walk into town.

For Individual Residencies, artists are required to have a vehicle during their stay.

Can I smoke at Byrdcliffe?

Smoking of any kind, including vaping, is not permitted inside the buildings at Byrdcliffe. However, you may smoke outside only in the designated smoking area. No flames of any kind (candles, etc.) are permitted in the buildings.

How do I get to Byrdcliffe?

Trailways Bus 800.858.8555, stops in Woodstock. The bus stop is about 1.5 miles from the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony, and across the street from Byrdcliffe’s administrative offices and the Kleinert James Gallery. Ulster County Area Transit also has a local bus to Woodstock; call UCAT at 845.340.3333 for more info and schedules.

For communal residents coming north from the city, the Trailways bus from Port Authority to Woodstock is the best option. Arrangements can be made in advance for pick up with the Byrdcliffe AIR Manager. 

If flying, Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, NY and Albany International Airport (ALB) are the nearest airports, but direct flights to these airports are scarce. John F. Kennedy (JKF) in NYC; LaGuardia (LGA) in Queens/NYC; and Newark (EWR) in Newark, NJ offer more direct flights, but require additional transportation to get to Woodstock. Please check with your flight carriers.

Artists are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from campus.

I am concerned about ticks and wildlife in the area, how do I prepare for my stay?

Please familiarize yourself with governmental suggestions for information about ticks:

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/pests/tick.htm

Find out additional information about wildlife in the area at the link https://www.catskillmountaineer.com/nature.html

Please review information provided by the government on safety when encountering a bear belowhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htm.

I’ve paid my residency fee, but my plans have changed. Is this fee refundable?

No, the residency fee is non-refundable. In the case of a cancellation, we will consider a refund of the residency fee only if the space can be filled with another resident.