BolsterArts Residency

BolsterArts Residency

BolsterArts will award two visual artists with rent-free studio space in Chinatown, NYC for four months from September 1 - December 31st, 2025.

Plus exciting studio visits by curators, gallerists, & writers,

Open Studio event,

& a concluding group exhibition with all the BolsterArts residents at KAPOW in December 2025.

Scroll down to submit your application.

Application Schedule:

Application Opens: July 9th, 2025

Deadline: August 6, 2025, 11:59pm

Application Fee: $35

Make it stand out

We are looking for bold, boundary-pushing visual artists working in any medium who are ready to take their practice to the next level.

Are you eager to connect with the right people who can help propel your career forward?

We seek artists who have a strong understanding of their practice but need the right introductions and exposure to grow professionally.

If you're ambitious, fearless, and unafraid to take creative risks, this opportunity is for you.

Meet the Jurors

  • Maty Sall

    INDEPENDENT CURATOR

    & DEALER

    Maty Sall is a French-Senegalese art dealer and curator based in New York City. Her upbringing between Paris, Dakar, and New York shaped a singular curatorial perspective rooted in cross-cultural aesthetics and conceptual rigor. After early studies at Sorbonne University and completing her BFA at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Sall launched her career at Rosenfeld Gallery, specializing in the secondary market with works by Warhol, Basquiat, and Haring. She then became Director at Paul Nicklen Gallery, where she oversaw collaborations with the UN, WWF, and National Geographic-affiliated artists.

    In 2019, she joined Jason Jacques Gallery as Director, leading major curations at Design Miami/ Miami & Basel, TEFAF Maastricht and FOG Design+Art. She spearheaded the gallery’s relocation to Chelsea and curated the inaugural exhibition SMOKE, which raised funds for the Last Prisoner Project. In 2023, Sall became Director at Fridman Gallery, where she expanded the curatorial program and brought in new perspectives. Her 2024 exhibition A Billion Brilliant Points of Unity received acclaim for its exploration of polyculturalism and artistic lineage. Sall’s work champions contemporary African and diasporic artists, challenging reductive narratives and highlighting the Continent’s vast creative contributions to global culture.

  • Margarita Lizcano Hernandez

    CURATORIAL ASSOCIATE, DEPARTMENT OF DRAWINGS AND PRINTS,

    THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

    Margarita Lizcano Hernandez is a curator and scholar based in New York City focusing on Latin American Art and global artist networks. Currently she's the Curatorial Associate in the Department of Drawings and Prints at MoMA. Prior to that she was at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation as Curatorial Assistant, where she was part of the core team working on the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum, focusing on collection management and protocol building, collection strategy research, and proposing works for acquisition. She has presented her scholarship at the Midwestern Art History Conference and the College Art Association. Margarita earned her BA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her MA from the Courtauld in London.

  • SHIRLEY LAI

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,

    NICODIM GALLERY

    & INDEPENDENT CURATOR

    Shirley Lai is the Associate Director at Nicodim Gallery, where she has played a key role for over three years across artist relations, sales, exhibition logistics, and international art fair strategy. She is currently curating an upcoming exhibition at Lubov Gallery and maintains an independent curatorial practice focused on amplifying historically marginalized voices, with a particular emphasis on Asian diasporic artists and underrepresented narratives in contemporary art.

    Lai holds an Honors B.A. in Art History from the University of California, Berkeley, where she completed a thesis on Modern Tibetan Art and its political entanglements. Her professional background spans both commercial and institutional settings, including formative roles at Catharine Clark Gallery, Haines Gallery, and the Chinese Historical Society of America, where she developed educational programming and launched an artist spotlight series centering Asian American practitioners. Across her curatorial and administrative work, she is committed to building infrastructures of support for emerging artists and expanding the visibility of diverse perspectives within contemporary visual culture.

How do I apply?

See Program eligibility and FAQ at the bottom of this page.

Create a single PDF to attach to the form below and then pay the application fee to complete your submission.

Due to financial limitations we cannot offer any more fee waivers except in dire cases. For example, if you are facing eviction, homeless, facing food scarcity, etc., we will work with you to accommodate your application. Please email bolsterartsresidency@gmail.com to request a waiver. If you’re able to provide support of need, please do so, to expedite your waiver.

PDF Instructions

Organize a PDF on a white background in the following order and please use 12 pt font. Label your PDF: FirstName_LastName_BolsterArtsResidency. Files may be no larger than 10MB.

  1. Name, Email, Location

  2. 10 Images, 1 image, 1 artwork per a page (Video may replace an image, please include YouTube or Vimeo link, the jurors will watch up to 1 minute per a film)

  3. 150 Word Artist Statement

  4. CV, no more than two pages

  5. Two References - Name, Phone Number, Email (no letters required)

Incomplete PDFs or PDFs that don’t follow instructions will be disqualified. All application fees are non-refundable. No late applications will be accepted. No emailed applications will be accepted unless you’re experiencing technical difficulties and emailed us first.

Top 10 finalists may be asked to submit additional materials or have an interview. An interview does not guarantee acceptance.

Contact bolsterartsresidency@gmail.com for questions.

APPLY NOW

Residency Program FAQ

What is the program?

Two visual artists will be awarded a shared, rent-free, non-living studio space from September 1 - December 31, 2025. Each artist will receive a monthly one-on-one studio visit with a curator, writer or gallerist for professional development, totaling four visits per artist. We will also host an Open Studios event. Artists will participate in a group exhibition with all the 2025 BolsterArts artists at KAPOW gallery in Manhattan in December 2025.

How are artists selected?

Artists will be selected based on merit by a professional jury. The jury will consider:

  • Cohesion within the artist’s body of work. Please apply with one body of work, or work that is clearly in conversation, not multiple disjointed series.

  • Work ethic and ability to prepare for an exhibition.

  • Ambition and boundary-defying creative practice.

  • Artists who are willing to take risks and are motivated to succeed.

  • References and ability to work well with others.

Where is the program located?

The residency studio is located in Chinatown, New York City off the B/D trains at Grand St or the N/Q/R/W/6 at Canal St.

What is the studio like?

The space is 360 square feet or roughly 12 by 25 feet, located on the fourth floor of a walk-up building (no elevator). It will be shared between the two selected artists. Studio access is 24/7.

Who is eligible?

  • Artists must be 21 years or older.

  • Artists may not be currently enrolled in a BFA or MFA program. Graduates of Spring 2025 are eligible to apply.

  • Artists must be able to live in the United States during the residency and able to sustain living here through the end of the residency program. At this time we cannot assist with Visas. If you cannot stay the duration of the entire residency, you are not eligible.

  • Artists must not maintain a separate studio or participate in another residency during this program. You may still apply if you have a home studio or you plan on subletting your studio during the residency program.

  • Collaborative duos are not eligible.

Do you provide housing?

No. Artists are responsible for their own housing. The studio is for work only and cannot be used as a living space.

What are my responsibilities as a resident artist?

  • Spend a minimum of 20 hours per week in the studio.

  • Attend all scheduled studio visits with gallerists, writers or curators and Open Studio events.

  • Maintain the condition of the studio, including shared areas like the restroom and sink.

  • Meet with the residency director once per month to assess work progression and proof of work being completed.

  • Provide and transport all materials and artwork at your own expense.

  • Work with the residency team to provide social media content and visuals to promote the residency program and your art.

Are there limitations on materials or media?

  • Fume- or dust-producing materials may be used with mutual agreement between the two artists.

  • No excessive noise or power tools (allowed within reason).

  • No materials or tools that pose a fire risk.

  • No pets or groups of 3 or more in the studio.

Is there a financial award or stipend?

No. The residency does not offer financial assistance, stipends, or material support.

Can I share my studio with a spouse/partner?

No. The studio is only for the artists awarded the residency.

If you have additional questions please contact us at bolsterartsresidency @ gmail.com