SUNY Oswego Artist-in-Residence Program
2026/27 Call for Applications
The Artist-in-Residence Program at SUNY Oswego is in search of an artist to bring to campus for one academic semester (Spring 2027) to produce a body of work, teach in the area of their specialty, and to conduct research. The resident artist is given the opportunity to pursue research and realize a specific project while drawing on the University’s resources, including its facilities, faculty and student body, practice and performance space, studios, libraries and collections.
A central focus of this residency program is on artistic work that engages with issues of diversity, intersectionality, inclusion, and belonging, including but not limited to the experiences and lived realities of marginalized or minoritized communities or individuals. Candidates who are members of underrepresented or minoritized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
Candidates for the program include both emerging and established artists. For the 2026-2027 academic year (one semester), the Artist-in-Residence Program is open to artists in the field of dance. Artists with an emphasis on theatrical storytelling in their work and proficiency working with new and inexperienced dancers is preferred, as dance courses at SUNY Oswego are supported by the Theatre Department. Areas of focus may include (but are not limited to) dance composition, performance, and/or solo performance, in the form of hip hop, contemporary, jazz, world and/or cultural forms. The Artist-in-Residence will have access to space in two of the dance studios on the SUNY Oswego campus, the 400+ seat Waterman Theatre proscenium space, and the intimate black box Lab Theatre space. We particularly welcome creative artists whose work engages with diverse communities. Artists who work across multiple genres in the aforementioned categories and who demonstrate the ability to collaborate across disciplinary fields are also encouraged to apply.
During the residency, the Artist-in-Residence would be welcomed into a vibrant creative theatre arts community at Oswego, which has five full-time faculty members, four professional staff, and approximately 100 majors and minors. The Theatre Department at SUNY Oswego places students at the center of the creative experience. Our core and elective curriculum allows students of theatre to focus on their specific area of interest, encourages opportunity to branch out, and lets them gain valuable skills across a range of theatrical areas. We offer dance courses in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Dance History, and Anatomy for Dancers. In addition to the Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, the Department also supports a Theatre Minor, Live Arts Design Minor, and Expressive Arts Therapy Minor.
Goals for the Artist-in-Residence program are as follows:
- Create opportunities for students to have longer/more impactful experiences with visiting artists
- Highlight current work of underrepresented artists
- Increase the number of faculty from historically underrepresented or marginalized populations
- Host collaborative/interdisciplinary arts programs with multiple avenues for audiences within and beyond the campus community
During the course of this residency, the artist will complete a project in their field that engages with the campus and greater community, including two open workshop sessions and an artist talk or performance. Resident artists are also required to teach one course per semester in their specialty as an Adjunct Instructor. The selected Artist-in-Residence will receive use of campus facilities and studios, an honorarium of $14,000, in addition to adjunct pay of $5,500 per course. Housing is not provided. Expenses associated with the workshops and final performance will also be covered by this program, up to $1,000.
Application Instructions:
Applications are due Jan. 25, 2026 by 11:59pm. A complete application submission will consist of the following:
- Work Samples: Provide a link to your portfolio of videos and/or provide a reel of your past choreographic or performance work
- CV or resume
- Diversity Statement (which should focus on the artist’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how this commitment informs their artistic work)
- Description of possible new creative work to be completed during their residency, and potential topic(s) for community workshops
- List of three references with contact information
- Identification of areas you would feel comfortable teaching (see list below for current areas of need)
- Beginning levels of Modern Dance or Jazz Dance Technique, Dance Composition, or a Special Topics course in Movement-Based Storytelling
Materials must be submitted electronically (PDF format) to: Emily Junker, Assistant Director of Arts Programming - [email protected]
Applications will be reviewed by a diverse committee of campus faculty, staff, and students from various academic departments. Candidates should possess a terminal degree in Theatre or Dance (MFA), or a BA + substantial performance, or production history. Previous teaching experience is preferred but not required.
Announcement of selected Artist-in-Residence will be made by April 2026.
Questions regarding the SUNY Oswego Artist-in-Residence Program should be emailed to: Lowell Hutcheson, Director of Arts Programming - [email protected]