LMCC’s Open Call for Applications to the NEW Governors Island Residency Initiative is now Open!

The Arts Center at Governors Island, photo by David Sundberg/Esto
The Arts Center at Governors Island, photo by David Sundberg/Esto

In recognition of the pandemic's devastating impact on the NYC cultural landscape and supporting the artist communities embedded within, LMCC is launching an Open Call starting today to provide free, temporary residency and work space at the Arts Center at Governors Island to eligible artists and small arts groups based throughout the five boroughs. This Open Call is part of the Governors Island Residency Initiative, in partnership with the Trust for Governors Island and 18 other cultural organizations on the Island.

The residency period at the Arts Center at Governors Island will begin when relevant safety restrictions allow access to the Island for residency participants and staff, and will continue through mid-November, the end of the Island’s public season.

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.

Please note that this open call is meant specifically to apply for an LMCC work space based at the Arts Center at Governors Island and not any of the other affiliated organizations’ houses on the IslandVisit LMCC's website for more information on eligibility, program offerings, studio facilities, and selection criteria.

Application Timeline

Application Opens: Thursday July 23, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST
Applications Close: Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM EST
Selections by lottery & subsequent remote interviews:
Monday, August 10 – Monday, August 24, 2020
All applicants notified by Monday, August 31, 2020
Residencies begin on a rolling basis in early September through early December 2020.


About the Governors Island Residency Initiative in Response to COVID-19

For the 2020 season, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), The Trust for Governors Island, and 18 other cultural organizations with space on Governors Island have partnered in the Governors Island Residency Initiative, repositioning indoor cultural programming space into temporary, free work space for artists and cultural practitioners that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

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