Arts/Industry resident Salvador Jiménez-Flores (2019) (photo by Kohler Co., courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center)
Arts/Industry, one of the most remarkable collaborations between art and industry in the United States, is accepting applications for twelve 2021 residencies through March 13, 2020.
Hundreds of artists have benefited from Arts/Industry since its inception in 1974. “I can do here in an afternoon what would take me a week in the studio, if I could even do it [there],” said previous artist-in-residence Dave Cole.
Arts/Industry offers artists the time and space to focus on creating new work in studios located within the Pottery and Foundry at the Kohler Co. factory in Kohler, Wisconsin. It is open to both emerging and established artists. Applicants need not be trained ceramists or metal sculptors; the only requirement is a demonstrated interest in the materials and how an industrial environment and manufacturing processes can influence their creative practice.
The residency emphasizes exploring new materials and processes in a hands-on way while also building relationships with the skilled craftspeople who work for Kohler Co. Artists, four of whom are in residence at a time, are exposed to a body of technical knowledge that enables and encourages experimentation. Participants spend three months working in either the Kohler Co. Pottery or Foundry to develop a wide variety of work in ceramic, cast iron, and brass.
For more information about the program and application process, or to see resources provided to residents and videos made by alumni, visit jmkac.org/artsindustry.
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI, administers the Arts/Industry residency program. Kohler Co. generously hosts and funds the program.
