Vermont Studio Center’s Displaced Artists Fund exists to assist visual artists and writers displaced due to natural disasters, climate change, or political turmoil or threat by providing residencies in a safe and supportive community of creative peers.

By providing a creative community of refuge in Vermont, these residencies restore normalcy to studio practice, ease the isolation that often accompanies displacement, and extend VSC’s founding spirit of “artists supporting artists” to those most in need.

Artists and writers from anywhere in the world who have been directly affected by natural disaster may apply for Displaced Artist Fund residencies. These residencies are 4- to 6-weeks in duration.

Artists and writers based outside the U.S. who have been displaced due to political turmoil or threat must work through one of our program partners to receive application sponsorship.

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PROGRAM HISTORY AND VISION

The Displaced Artists Fund at VSC was first established to support artists whose studio practices had been disrupted by California wildfires. The Studio Center has since hosted artists directly affected by the events of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Tropical Storm Irene, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and superstorm Sandy. Funding these residencies has been based on partnerships with individuals and foundations (including the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation) in the wake of specific disasters.

Thanks to generous support from the McComb Foundation, from 2017-2019, VSC will provide up to 20 displaced visual artists and writers with fully subsidized 4- to 6-week studio residencies along with necessary and appropriate travel support ($600 maximum US, $1,000 internationally). Artists who require additional support for materials and/or shipping may be eligible for supplemental funding on a case-by-case basis.

If your organization is interested in partnering with VSC to assist displaced artists, please contact Program Director Kathy Black at kblack@vermontstudiocenter.org for more information on how to get involved.

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INFORMATION FOR U.S. & INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTER

If you are an artists or writer from anywhere in the world who has been directly affected by a natural disaster, you may apply for a residency lasting from 4-6 weeks to restore normalcy to your practice.

To begin the application process, email VSC Admissions Manager David Grozinsky at

admissions@vermontstudiocenter.org:

In the email, briefly describe your eligibility, including:

•The disaster affecting you

•The nature of your artistic or writing practice

•Why a residency would be helpful at this time.

Applications will be reviewed twice annually: May 1st and November 1st. Priority review may be available to applicants with immediate verifiable need (manuscript deadline, gallery show, or other time-sensitive professional opportunity).

There is no fee to apply for these opportunities.

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INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AFFECTED BY POLITICAL TURMOIL OR THREAT

If you are an international artist or writer who has been displaced due to political turmoil or threat, your application must be sponsored by an established partner organization working to connect eligible artists with opportunities for creative refuge.

For more information about current partners, please contact Program Director Kathy Black at kblack@vermontstudiocenter.org.

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ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY RESOURCES

While VSC acknowledges the tremendous cost of personal tragedy, the Displaced Artist Fund is unfortunately not able to provide assistance to individuals affected by illness, injury, unemployment, sudden loss of income, eviction, or other personal emergencies at this time.

If you are seeking support related to a personal emergency, there are a number of resources available. Organizations that maintain updated lists of emergency assistance resources for artists and writers in need include:

NYFASource (all disciplines)
Authors League Fund (all disciplines)
WomenArts (all disciplines)
CERF+ (craft artists, visual artists, musicians, actors + performing artists)
Pen America (primarily writers, some resources for all disciplines)

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