ARC + ATHENA Artist Residency 2027: Three International Artists, $1,500 Support and Chicago Solo Exhibitions
Chicago's ARC Gallery & Educational Foundation has announced the ARC + ATHENA Artist Residency, a new international programme selecting three individual artists for ten months of remote studio development, mentoring and exhibitions in 2027. Applications run from 25 October to 15 December 2026, closing at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time. Each selected artist receives a $1,200 artist stipend and an additional $300 allowance for shipping or materials, a combined support package of $1,500. The outcome is a series of three simultaneous solo exhibitions at ARC Gallery in November 2027. Although exhibitions take place in Chicago, the residency itself is remote: applicants do not relocate to a shared studio there.
Who can apply and what practices are accepted?
ARC's official FAQ says applications are open to individual artists in any medium and at any education level, including current students and artists without formal art degrees. Applications are international rather than restricted to Chicago residents. The organisers evaluate artistic quality, experimentation, the strength of the proposed research, the ability to participate in sustained critique and suitability for a group of three artists. A collaborative collective or curator-only proposal is not eligible: the programme is for individual artists. An independent record of studio practice may be demonstrated through exhibitions, writing, talks, residencies or other serious artistic work.
Ten months of online development
The residency operates from February to November 2027. The three selected artists form a cohort and attend weekly online meetings, with monthly mentoring sessions from ARC artist-members and professional-development opportunities relating to exhibition planning, documentation, writing, networking and career sustainability. Each artist develops an independent body of work within a shared conceptual exchange. Residents need time and reliable access to an internet connection; this is not simply a cheque offered in exchange for completing a form.
The financial package, travel and shipping
The programme lists a USD $40 application fee. Limited fee waivers may be requested in advance via info@arcgallery.org. Applications are not reviewed until payment is received unless an approved waiver applies. The total advertised support is USD $1,500 per resident, divided into $1,200 for the artist and $300 toward shipping or art supplies. Relocation to Chicago is not required, but artists are expected to travel to Chicago for installation and the opening. The official page says travel is not currently covered, and shipping costs beyond the allowance are the artist's responsibility. ARC provides gallery assistance with installation and de-installation under its conditions, and the artist must prearrange return shipping. The gallery says it does not take a commission on sales; payment processing fees may still apply. Crucially, unclaimed artwork may become ARC property after the stated period, so applicants should read the delivery and collection contract before sending valuable originals.
Work samples and application quality
The current online application permits up to ten individual images plus four links for time-based work, such as video, sound or digital projects. The organisers explicitly do not want a single image file made from a collage of multiple artworks, because such compilations will not be reviewed. A coherent concept proposal should explain what the artist hopes to investigate over ten months, why that research needs critique and what the eventual Chicago solo exhibition might contain. A concise CV, honest descriptions of previous work and realistic fabrication requirements help the selection team understand the project.
Physical-gallery limits and conservation responsibilities
ARC's physical gallery is divided into three solo exhibition areas. Experimental media and digital work are welcome in principle, but artists must account for the limits of electrical power, installation time, volume, daily maintenance and safe public presentation. The official FAQ discourages live animals, hazardous gases, material particles and projects requiring intensive upkeep or major structural changes. The gallery does not assume full liability for damage; individual insurance may be advisable. Installations with complex digital equipment should be proposed with a clear technical plan and a budget that fits the support available.
About the organiser
ARC Gallery is a long-running, artist-run contemporary art gallery in Chicago, with a history of more than five decades of cooperative exhibitions and professional exchange. The ATHENA partnership funds this residency to create a sustained relationship between three participants and the gallery, rather than a single short open-call exhibition. The final presentations are a genuine part of the programme, but being chosen does not mean a commercial gallery will sell the works or a collector will purchase them.
Original official guidelines
Important: consult the original organiser's conditions
This article independently summarizes an outside organisation's programme. Conditions may be amended and the current application fee is USD $40, with limited advance fee-waiver requests handled by ARC. Verify this fee and all eligibility rules on the live form before payment. Before applying, confirm the CST deadline, intellectual-property permissions, exact funding, delivery and return shipping, insurance, 2027 exhibition dates and artist responsibilities directly with ARC. The organiser's official rules take precedence. Information checked 26 October 2026.