Governors Island Residency Initiative in Response to COVID-19

Applicants to this Open Call at LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island should understand that the available spaces will likely vary in size, available amenities, and degrees of accessibility. The selection committee will work with selected participants to address unique needs specific to each artist.

Residency participants will be provided the following basic amenities:

• Access to free, temporary, daytime work space in LMCC’s Arts Center (please note that there is NO weekend access at this time)
• Basic work tables and chairs
• Basic overhead lighting
• Electricity
• Wi-Fi
• A/C

Please note:

• There is NO stipend offered as part of the opportunity
• Studios facilities do not offer access to medium- or technique-specific amenities such as a woodshop, print or media lab, or a dance floor
• Artists must provide their own supplies and tools; restrictions apply
• Participants will be required to observe mandatory health and safety guidelines in light of the COVID-19 public health pandemic

To be eligible, applicants must be able to answer "yes" to all of the following prompts:

• I am a practicing artist and/or creative practitioner able to demonstrate a sustained commitment to my work, career, and a public audience;
• I can demonstrate a temporary loss of studio or a general need for space due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
• I am 21 years of age or older;
• I have been living and working in one of the five boroughs of New York City for the past one (1) year;
• I am not an LMCC artist currently being supported by its residency programs (specifically Workspace and Arts Center Residency);
• I am not affiliated as a full-time employee, board member, director, officer, or immediate family member of any of the participating organizations.

LMCC strives to ensure that artists and cultural practitioners of different disciplines, racial identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, disability statuses and socioeconomic positions across the five boroughs have access to this opportunity and are being represented. To this end, people who are of color, indigenous, disabled, LGBTQIAP+ and from diverse economic backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness, then entered into a random drawing process for remote interviews with LMCC staff. Interviews will gauge feasibility and appropriateness of the applicant’s practice and proposed scope of work.

LMCC, the Trust for Governors Island, and participating organizations will commit to upholding a shared set of values that guide outreach to and selection of residency participants. The preliminary guiding principles are as follows, which will continue to be updated to reflect the participating organizations’ values and priorities: 

• Serving artists and cultural workers most in need of space in the wake of COVID-19;
• Ensuring the opportunity is available and accessible to a diverse range of individuals of varying disciplines, practices and demographic and socio-economic backgrounds;
• Prioritizing artists and cultural workers whose practices give back to, or aim to make positive change within, the NYC cultural community and/or the City at large;
• Prioritizing artists and cultural workers whose practices address important socio-political issues, including but not limited to public health, gender discrimination, immigration, racial equity, climate change and environmental justice;
• Providing space to artists and cultural workers whose practices will benefit from working on Governors Island as a public space serving diverse audiences.

The application for LMCC's Governors Island Residency Initiative in Response to COVID-19 is now closed for 2020 and 2021.

If you have any questions about the application and/or the program, please contact info@lmcc.net with the subject heading, “RE: GI COVID-19 Response Cultural Residency.” 

Please note that LMCC Staff are presently working remotely and at a reduced schedule, hence there may be delays in responding to inquiries.