The Friends of Sheldon Jackson Museum have extended the deadline for applications for the 2023 Alaska Native Artist Residency Program. The new deadline is Jan. 5, 2023. Residencies are 21-22 days long and occur: July 7-July 28th, August 18-September 9th, September 15-October 6th, and October 7-October 28th. All four residency positions include a $2,000 artist stipend, a $660 food stipend, travel to and from Sitka. While in residence, artists create art in an open studio-like format in the museum gallery and engage with the community through: 1) Cultural Consultations; 2) Artist Talks; and 3) teaching an art form or art forms. Positions will be filled as funding allows and is contingent upon grant awards.
Artists may focus on traditional or contemporary Native art forms including but not limited to wood carving, ivory carving, silver engraving, beading, skin, gut and fish skin sewing, drum making, and basket or textile weaving, drumming, and dancing. Outstanding beginners and experienced artists are welcome. Artists benefit from utilizing the museum’s collections for research and meeting visitors from around Alaska, the world, and local Sitka community members while working in the museum gallery.
During Cultural Consultations artists and culture bearers help further document the museum’s artifacts, providing invaluable information and insight. Artists benefit from onsultations as the paid study time offers tremendous inspiration for new works of art and connections to the works of ancestors. Paid time accessing and studying the museum’s exceptional Alaska Native ethnographic and art collection occurs in the museum gallery and in collections storage. Artists’ insights are documented and added to records.
While in-residence, artists are encouraged to give several artist talks. Artists give biographical presentations, sharing their art form(s) and cultural background; speak in detail about specific artifacts at the museum; and have the option to give a talk on a topic of their choice. Artists may opt to present on a wide variety of topics from decolonization and cultural appropriation to personal reflections and research on Sheldon Jackson, the museum founder, his collecting, and the boarding school, the Sitka Industrial Training School, formerly located on the Sheldon Jackson campus. All artists give an informal presentation at the end of the residency to showcase what artworks they created or began creating during their time at the museum.
Individuals who wish to obtain an information packet on the Alaska Native Artist Residency Program outlining pay and benefits, position expectations, the residency schedule, and other details may call the museum at (907) 747-8981 and request a packet be emailed or mailed. The packet is also available at www.friendsofsjm.com and http://museums.alaska.gov/artist_opportunities.html . People may visit the Friends of Sheldon Jackson Museum Facebook page and Instagram page for information.
If you have questions about the program or application, please email Jacqueline.Fernandez- Hamberg@alaska.gov or call (907) 747-8904. Applications are due Jan. 5, 2023.