Fall 2025
Artists' Residencies
Session #1 | September 2 - 9
Visiting Artist: Amy Bennett
Visiting Scientist: Katie Castagno
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New this year:
Session #2 | September 11 - 17
Professional Practices Focus
Visiting Mentor: Matthew Deleget
Visiting Artist: Aleah Chapin
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Applications due May 15th, 2025
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In an inspirational setting removed from the distractions of daily life, CIAR’s Fall Residency Programs offer visual artists focused time and a uniquely supportive environment to develop their work. On a small island off the coast of Massachusetts, CIAR hosts groups of twelve artists, who are invited to use the island itself as their studio. Living together in the historic Avalon Inn, the residents have uninterrupted time to become immersed in their creative process. Many use the time to reflect, learn from one another, and find inspiration from their coastal surroundings. Residents build insight and camaraderie as they sit down to meals together, cooked by CIAR's wonderful chef.
In 2025, we are offering two Fall Residencies:
Session #1 (September 2 - 9) features painter Amy Bennett as Visiting Artist and coastal geologist Dr. Katie Castagno as Visiting Scientist. Both will give talks open to the community during the week.
New: Session #2 (September 11 - 17) offers the CIAR residency experience with an added Professional Practices focus, with Matthew Deleget as Visiting Mentor and painter Aleah Chapin as Visiting Artist. Matthew will meet with each participant for one-on-one sessions offering guidance on their individual career goals and development. Aleah will give an artist talk open to the public.
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Both residencies will center on CIAR's core experience: time to explore Cuttyhunk Island, make work, and create connections with the other residents.
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Apply
Facilities and Media
Cost
Scholarships
Sample Schedule​
Apply
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At CIAR, we believe that residencies are valuable for artists as a time to build community, find new inspiration, and create work in a supportive and unique environment. We welcome visual artists in varying stages of their life and career to apply.
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Applications for the Fall Residency Programs can be filled out on Submittable. Applications are due May 15th. Click the button below to begin the application.
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Facilities and Media
CIAR accepts visual artists working in all mediums. We encourage applicants who will benefit from nature as a tool in their creative process, especially those who will use the unique natural environment of Cuttyhunk Island as their studios. Our facilities are conducive to artists with a portable studio practice, an ability to work on projects with easy set-up and break-down methods. Artists may also set up temporary work spaces on our large wraparound, covered porch overlooking Vineyard Sound. We also see this time as a way for artists to wander, think, and sketch. The beautiful nature trails and quiet beaches offer a sense of escape from our busy lives. On Cuttyhunk, one can forget what day of the week it is and leave the house without keys, wallets, phones.
Examples of work methods supported by our facilities:
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drawing
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painting
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collage
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small sculpture projects (not needing special tools or shop space)
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photography
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video
Feel free to email info@cuttyhunkartists.org with questions about our facilities and what to expect.
We recommend that you bring a laptop and thumb drive with examples of your work. This will be helpful to show the visiting artists your work and gather feedback. Previous participants have also enjoyed sharing their work in 10 minute slide presentations to the group.
Cost
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CIAR program costs account for:
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Accommodation at the historic Avalon Inn (including all linens and towels). Read more about the accomdations here.
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Meals, which includes three daily meals prepared by our chefs and the transportation of all food from the mainland
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Visiting professionals and residency programming
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Access to Cuttyhunk Island, including the complementary use of golf carts at the Avalon
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Residency costs are based on whether you choose a shared or private room. We also offer fellowships to cover or offset the cost of attendence (in the next section):​
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Triple room (large room shared with two others): $1,950 - $2,100
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Double room (shared with one other): $2,500 - $2,800
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Single room (private bedroom): $3,300 - $3,600​​​
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Please note that participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the residency, including their ferry tickets and luggage from New Bedford, MA. Participants may need to spend the night in New Bedford to catch the morning ferry. ​
Fellowships
Cuttyhunk Island Artists' Residency accepts visual artists, in varying stages of their career, working in any medium with exceptional quality of work and who show profound commitment to their practice.
A full fellowship covers the entire cost of residency including tuition, housing, and all meals. All participants will need to provide for their own transportation to and from Cuttyhunk, whether or not they receive a fellowship. Please note that fellowship recipients will be placed in a shared room accommodation.
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The Open Merit Fellowship is given to an artist based on artistic merit and covers the full residency cost.
The Wellspring Fellowship is given to an artist who is also a parent with a child under the age of 18 yrs and covers the full residency cost.
​The Paul Cuffe Fellowship, named for Cuttyhunk’s historic resident, is dedicated to an artist of color and covers the full residency cost.
Partial / Work-Study Fellowship offers a reduced residency cost in exchange for working up to one hour each day with our wonderful kitchen crew (usually washing pots). Amount of award will depend on the number of recipients.
Sample Schedule
(Participation in scheduled activities is optional)
Day 1
9:00 am - Ferry from New Bedford
10:00am - Arrive to Cuttyhunk!
10:30am - Welcome meeting and introduction on the front porch
11:30am - Tour of the house and grounds
12:30–1:30pm - Lunch
3:00pm - Walking tour around the island (good footwear recommended)
4:00pm - Afternoon work time
6:15pm - Social “hour” in the living room
6:30pm - Dinner
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 2
7:30am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30am - Buffet style breakfast, morning work time
12:30–1:30pm - Buffet style, take-away lunch; afternoon work time
6:15pm - Social hour
6:30pm - Dinner
7:45pm - Resident Slide Presentations
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 3
7:30am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30am - Buffet style breakfast, morning work time
12:30–1:30pm - Buffet style, take-away lunch
6:15pm - Social hour
6:30 pm - Dinner
7:45pm - Resident Slide Presentations
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 4
7:30am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30am - Buffet style breakfast, morning work time
12:30–1:30pm - Buffet style, take-away lunch
6:15pm - Social hour
6:30pm - Dinner
7:45pm - Visiting Artist Talk (members of the community invited)
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 5
7:30am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30am - Buffet style breakfast, morning work time
11:30am - Visiting Professional Practice talk in the living room
6:15pm - Social hour
6:30pm - Dinner
7:45pm - Night walk
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 6
7:30am - Coffee and tea
10:00 - 11:00am - Brunch
2:30pm - Meet to set up art show on front porch. Please come with your works ready (including prices if you want to sell your work)
4:30 - 6:30pm - Art show and happy hour on the porch
6:30pm - Dinner, information about departure day
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 7
7:30 am - Coffee and tea
8:00 am - Buffet style breakfast, pack up
10:00 am - Bedroom needs to vacated; cleaning staff arrives
12:00 pm - Lunch
2:00pm - Meet on back porch to load truck with luggage and head down to the ferry
3:00pm - Ferry departs Cuttyhunk - Farewell!