Artist’s Book Residency Grant

The Artist’s Book Grantis a six- to eight-week residency for artists to produce a limited edition book work. Working intensively in our studios, artists print and bind their own books, and are encouraged to create an edition size no larger than 100 and no smaller than 50.

The grant includes a stipend of $350/week, up to $1000 for materials, up to $250 for travel within the Continental US, free onsite housing, and 24/7 studio access. WSW can provide technical advice; training on new equipment, techniques, and materials; and production assistance.

Specifics of the sales contract will be finalized between the artist and Executive Director upon receipt of the award. The current standard contract stipulates that 20% of the edition goes to the artist, 20% of the edition (at least nine copies) stays with WSW for archival and sales to standing order and repository institutions, and 60% of the edition goes to general distribution and sale. The artist may ask WSW to sell any number of this 60% or the artist’s own 20%. If the artist chooses to sell books through WSW, then WSW will receive a 30% commission from the sale of each book, plus an additional 20% per sale for marketing costs. WSW holds the right to sell from the distribution copies at a 20% discount to standing order and repository institutions. The artist will receive a 50% commission from the sale of each book, which will be paid out once a year around June 30.

WSW’s artists’ books are held in over 450 collections world-wide, and in eleven repositories that have the majority of our collection: Scripps College, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Indiana University (Bloomington), Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Delaware, Vassar College, Virginia Commonwealth University, Yale University, University of Michigan, The Library of Congress, and Bucknell University.

An outside jury of artists and curators choose the grant recipients.

Key details:

Applications Open: November 15th
Applications due: January 15, 11:59pm EST
Notification date: March
Residency length: 8-10 weeks
Residency occurs: September through June, one year after application

Application must include:

1.  A current resume
2.  A brief description of your proposed project, including the media required. 200 word maximum.
3.  WSW’s materials budget form: use Google Sheets or download as an Excel doc or PDF
4.  Up to ten images of recent work (digital specifications here)
5.  An image script, which should include title, medium, dimension, and date of each image
6.  A physical, book mock-up of your proposed book to demonstrate how it will be bound or function when handled. This mock-up does not have to be a finished piece, but it should represent the book’s actual size and include at least 1-2 fully realized spreads.
7. The shipping form, which must be included in the mock-up mailing, so that we can match application materials, and determine return shipping procedures with each artist. Make sure that you download the PDF and open it locally on your computer. Changes will not be saved if you edit in your browser.
8. If you would like to be considered for the BIMA Artist’s Book Residency Grant for Indigenous Artists please check the appropriate box on the Submittable form.

The first five items must be uploaded to the Submittable portal (click the APPLY HERE button on our website), and the last two must be mailed to WSW at the following address.

Please mail to:
Artist’s Book Application
Women’s Studio Workshop
PO Box 489
Rosendale, NY 12472