Madison Arts Commission Seeks Artist-in-Residence for Thurber Studio

The Madison Arts Commission is looking for the next Artist-in-Residence for the Thurber Park Art Studio.

The artist will have 24-hour access to a free private art studio at Thurber Park for 11 months, with the opportunity to extend the residency for another 12 months. The artist will receive a $7,800 stipend per year to cover costs associated with required community engagement activities.

The primary goal of the residency is to provide an artist with the funding, time, and space to develop their artistic practice. The artist must also engage residents in the Darbo-Worthington neighborhood and build deeper community connections through monthly open studio sessions and twice-yearly hands-on programming. They will also research the public art industry, explore how their work can translate to the public realm, and potentially create and install a public art piece.

This residency is designed to support an artist interested in creating permanent public art. As Madison's public art program continues to grow (partly due to the Percent for Art Ordinance), many new opportunities are outdoors. We encourage artists to apply who already create work that is suitable for the outdoor settings or who are interested in adapting their practice for public, outdoor environments.

The Thurber Park Artist-in-Residence is open applicants from anywhere; however, the artist must commit to residing in Madison for the duration of the residency. The residency is anticipated to start October 1, 2026, and end August 31, 2027, with an option to renew for one year to August 31, 2028. We will consider artists of all disciplines and mediums that can safely work in the structure and are an appropriate fit for a residential area. Artist pairs will also be considered.

Applications are due by 2:00pm on May 7, 2026.

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By activating this space, the Thurber Park Artist Residency will give substantial support to an artist to develop their practice, including: