Residencies

A residency is a program that provides time, space, and often financial support for individuals to pursue work, study, or research within a host organization or community. Residencies aim to protect creative or scholarly time from routine obligations and to foster exchange between residents and hosting institutions. They span a wide range of disciplines, including the arts, humanities, sciences, and medicine.

In the arts, artist-in-residence programs offer artists time and space to develop new work, sometimes with mentors, studio space, stipends, and exhibitions or public presentations. Research and academic residencies support scholars and scientists to pursue projects, write, or collaborate, often with access to facilities and libraries. Medical residencies, in contrast, are professionally oriented training programs for physicians following medical school, focusing on clinical practice under supervision. Other residency forms include writer's residencies, composer residencies, or museum and library fellowships.

Typical terms vary by program but common features include a defined period (ranging from a few days to a year), housing or housing stipends, workspace, and a selection process based on a proposal or portfolio. Some residencies provide ongoing affiliation, while others are autonomous fellowships. Outcomes may include finished works, research results, publications, performances, or reports, and participants often engage with local communities or institutions.

Residencies are used to foster creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development, while also enabling institutions to attract new ideas and talents. Access is uneven across regions and disciplines, and funding and visa considerations can affect participation.