Duncanson Artist in Residence for Painters

The Duncanson Artist-in-Residence will be actively engaging the Cincinnati community for two weeks in Spring 2026. The ideal candidate will not only be an outstanding visual artist who uses paint as their primary medium, but also a dynamic educator who is comfortable working with a variety of audiences including students ranging from grades K-12, families, and adults. Throughout the Residency, the artist will share their creative vision/talent by leading a variety of public programs including lectures, workshops, gallery talks, school visits, and other signature events. Flexibility will be key to execute the roster of innovative and collaborative programs. Artists will have the opportunity to advance their work, actively pursue their career ambitions, and foster connections within the Cincinnati community.

The Duncanson Artist-in-Residence will also collaborate with Taft Museum of Art staff to present an exhibition of their artwork in the museum’s Sinton Gallery, positioning the Artist’s work in conversation with Robert S. Duncanson’s landscape murals and the Taft’s historic collection of paintings and decorative arts. 

Previous Duncanson Artists-in-Residence include, poet/essayist Nikki Giovanni, filmmaker William Greaves, playwright/screenwriter Keith Josef Adkins, violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama, soprano Adrienne Danrich, actor/playwright Nikkole Salter, and visual/performance artist Vanessa German, among others. 

Dates of Residency: April 11 through April 26, 2026

Honorarium: $10,000 plus a per diem of $69/per day to cover meals and incidentals, paid in two installments. This honorarium is intended to fund the preparation and execution of the Residency. In addition to the honorarium, the Taft will provide lodging and transportation for the Artist and cover fees for the community events and workshops during the Residency.

The Artist’s exhibition will open on April 11, 2026, concurrent with the opening of the Residency, and run for approximately 15 weeks. The Taft will assume all costs of transportation and insurance for the artworks exhibited.

Responsibilities include:

• Communication with Taft Museum of Art staff leading up to the Residency and exhibition.
• Assistance with planning and confirming Residency events.
• Publicity appearances and/or media interviews prior to and during the Residency.
• Participation in daily Residency events including:
  • Reception(s) to open and close residency.
  • Evening and/or weekend public presentations.
  • Up to ten school visits.
  • Weekend programs for families.
  • Master classes/workshops for teens/adults.
  • Appearances and/or presentations at donor events in support of the Residency.
  • Additional programs for targeted audiences, to be determined.

Note: These responsibilities are subject to some flexibility, and the Taft Museum of Art will work with the Artist-in-Residence to develop a roster of events that fulfills the needs of the museum while highlighting the talents of the artist. Artists are expected to work 6-8 hours per day 6 days a week. It is our mission to reach the broadest possible audience and to form as many community collaborations as possible.

Applicants should submit the following:

• A cover letter outlining interest in the Residency and an explanation of how you foresee your potential residency and proposed programming being inspired and/or influenced by Robert S. Duncanson’s legacy.
• A current résumé. Please include link(s) to online presence, including social media and a professional website, if applicable.
• An artist statement.
• Artist Portfolio – The portfolio should include 10-15 examples of your best and most recent work.  Your portfolio should reflect your mastery of technique, creative and compelling ideas, and strong conceptual development.
• Description of potential public programs for school, adult, and family audiences (e.g., workshops, artist talks, painting demonstrations) that may become a part of your Residency.
• Three professional references who can attest to your public speaking and/or teaching experience.

Application Instructions

All application materials must be submitted via the Taft Museum of Art Careers page. We strongly recommend that you begin your online application well before the due date to familiarize yourself with the online system and to address any technical concerns. While completing your application, remember these tips:

• Be brief, clear, and direct, focusing on what is most important.
• Those who are reviewing your application may have little or no prior knowledge of you as a visual artist.
• We recommend that you prepare your responses offline in a word processing program and then copy and paste them into the appropriate sections of the online application.

Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of Taft Staff, members of the Duncanson Society, community members, educators and awarded by the Taft Museum of Art using the following criteria:

• Artist’s programming is participatory, social, and part of an overall plan to engage the Greater Cincinnati community.
• Programming and potential exhibition of the Artist’s work align with the Taft Museum of Art’s Duncanson Program mission to affirm an ongoing Black presence within the structure of the Taft Museum of Art, and to celebrate Robert S. Duncanson’s artistic contributions.
• Programming engages members of the Greater Cincinnati community in the development, implementation, and marketing of this program.
• The Artist presents an outstanding portfolio of paintings that showcases their unique and compelling perspective.

Requirements

Upon verbal notification of the award, the grant recipient must complete a background check and have a positive reference report from each reference. When complete, a formal Letter of Agreement will be sent. This agreement must be signed and returned within (3) three days. W9 and ACH forms will be provided by the Taft Museum of Art to be completed by the recipient of the award prior to April 2026. 

Key Dates

Application Deadline: January 31, 2025

** Application closes at 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date; late and/or incomplete applications will not be accepted 

Selection Announced: April 2025 

Contact the Taft

Additional application questions may be directed to Kareem A. Simpson, Duncanson Program Manager, at (513) 684.4525 or duncanson@taftmuseum.org.

Qualifications

• Communication with Taft Museum of Art staff leading up to the Residency and exhibition.
• Assistance with planning and confirming Residency events.
• Publicity appearances and/or media interviews prior to and during the Residency.
• Participation in daily Residency events including:
  • Reception(s) to open and close residency.
  • Evening and/or weekend public presentations.
  • Up to ten school visits.
  • Weekend programs for families.
  • Master classes/workshops for teens/adults.
  • Appearances and/or presentations at donor events in support of the Residency.
  • Additional programs for targeted audiences, to be determined.

Note: These responsibilities are subject to some flexibility, and the Taft Museum of Art will work with the Artist-in-Residence to develop a roster of events that fulfills the needs of the museum while highlighting the talents of the artist. Artists are expected to work 6-8 hours per day 6 days a week. It is our mission to reach the broadest possible audience and to form as many community collaborations as possible.