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About

Activation Residency is a Black-led, artist-run residency founded in 2018. We host short residencies of three to seven days at Forest Fringe Farm, eight acres of working farmland in Bethel, New York. Artists get time on land with no pressure to make anything, along with meals, workshops and time with each other. We have hosted more than 450 artists and every program is free to attend.

Our 2027 program, Slow Work, brings twelve artists to the farm from June 27 to July 3. Mornings are open, afternoons are held by facilitators who work with ecology, the body and relationships, and evenings gather around the fire. Two meals a day are cooked by working chefs.

Past facilitators include Meenadchi and Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry. Before moving to the farm we held programs at the Outlier Inn in Woodridge, New York.

We gather on Lënapehòkink, the traditional territory of the Esopus Lenape (Munsee-speaking), the Mohican or Muhhekunneuw (people of the waters that are never still) and the Haudenosaunee peoples.

Mission and values

Our mission is to create the conditions for artists to rest, experiment and imagine new ways of living with each other and the land.

Autonomy
Artists set their own pace, and no one is asked to produce anything.

Access
Every program is free, and we plan around each artist's access needs from the start.

Artistry
We make room for practice in every form, including work that defies category.

Affinity
Artists meet as peers, and many come back to host programs of their own.

Abundance
Time, meals and care are given freely.

Accompaniment
We stay with artists before, during and long after a residency.

Testimonials

"Activation Residency opened my orbit to a level of care that is tender and pure. I wasn't sure what I was walking into, and having left the weekend feeling recharged and loved, I ultimately didn't know I needed something as special as this to get a better understanding of how we extend care to others, but also to our caretakers." Zenat Begum · 2020

"Activation Residency is a rare space that actually shows up for community care. Every aspect of the residency is made with so much intention, safety, and vibrance. This space offered a balance of solo rest and play while creating time for connection. I feel completely changed by this experience." Annika Hansteen-Izora · 2020

"My time at Activation Residency was transformational. That weekend affirmed for me that we can create a radically healing community by gathering together with open hearts, clear communication, and healing intentions. As a Black femme I rarely feel safe to show up fully as myself. But at Activation Residency, I felt and witnessed acceptance, safety, and healing." Rochelle Wilbun · 2020

Q&A

Who is it for?
Artists, musicians, writers and cultural workers across disciplines and stages of practice. Our roots are in centering Black, queer, trans and disabled artists.

What does it cost?
Nothing. There is no application fee and no program fee. Travel is not included.

Where do residents stay?
Everyone camps under the canopy of trees and highbush blueberries at the farm. Accepted artists get directions and a packing list.

Is the site accessible?
The farm is rural with uneven ground, and wheelchairs and most mobility devices can't get around it as it stands. Email us before you apply and we will tell you what is possible.

Do I keep the rights to my work?
Yes. Sharing anything made in residence is opt-in and credited.

When is the next open call?
Applications for Slow Work 2027 are closed. Follow us on Instagram to hear about the next one.

Support

Every residency is free for the artists we host. Gifts through our fiscal sponsor, the New York Foundation for the Arts, are tax deductible. Our funders include the Amy P. Goldman Foundation, Trans Justice Funding Project, Dance/NYC and the New York Community Trust.

Support via NYFA

Venmo · PayPal · Cash App

activation residency

Slow Work

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