CIAR Fall Artists' Residency 2026
Cuttyhunk Island Artists' Residency (CIAR)
Funding
Fellowships available
Opens
1 April 2026
Deadline
15 May 2026
Location
Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, US
Entry Fee
NZD ~44 (USD 25)
Travel Support
Yes
About
A week-long island residency for visual artists on Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, with communal meals, visiting artists, and fellowship funding available.
The Cuttyhunk Island Artists' Residency (CIAR) invites visual artists to apply for its Fall 2026 session, running 9–16 September 2026 on the remote and beautiful Cuttyhunk Island off the coast of Massachusetts, USA.
Twelve artists are hosted at the historic Avalon Inn, sharing communal meals prepared daily by a chef team and enjoying uninterrupted creative time in a setting removed from everyday distractions. The island itself serves as your studio — a rare opportunity to immerse deeply in your practice with the support of peers and visiting professionals. The Fall 2026 Visiting Artists are Claudia Keep and Randall Exon.
Who can apply?
Visual artists working in any medium and at any career stage are welcome. Artists must have a portable studio practice — there are no shop spaces or facilities for large-scale or intensive sculpture projects. Due to the island's remote location and limited medical infrastructure, life-threatening food allergies cannot be accommodated by the kitchen.
Program costs (per person):
- Triple room (shared with 2 others): $1,950–$2,100 USD
- Double room (shared with 1 other): $2,500–$2,800 USD
- Single room (private): $3,300–$3,600 USD
Participants are responsible for their own travel, including ferry tickets and luggage fees from New Bedford, MA.
Fellowships available:
Several full and partial fellowships are offered to help offset costs:
- Environmental Artist Fellowship — for artists focused on nature and ecology
- Open Merit Fellowship — open to all applicants on merit
- Paul Cuffe Fellowship — for an artist of colour
- Wellspring Fellowship — for an artist who is a parent with a child under 18
- Partial / Work-Study Fellowship — reduced cost in exchange for one hour of daily kitchen work
Fellowship recipients are placed in shared room accommodation.
How to apply:
Submit your application and portfolio materials through the official Submittable portal. The application fee is $25 USD. It is recommended that accepted artists bring a laptop with examples of their work to share with visiting artists and fellow residents.
Application deadline: 15 May 2026
Residency dates: 9–16 September 2026