Additional Information / FAQs

Additional Information and General Policies:

At ART342 we seek the proper balance between collegial interactions and private time for the residents. Residents should respect each other's rights to uninterrupted work time. In this regard, we ask that residents use the studios for their personal use and limit visits that include family, friends, children and pets.

Communication:

We expect each artist to manage their own methods of communication. Internet access is provided in the studios and living spaces, but phone lines are not.

If you are living at the Douglas house on the ART342 site, mail can be sent to:

<Resident's name>
c/o ART342
342 W Douglas Road
Fort Collins, CO 80524

If you are living at the Sherwood house in Old Town, mail can be sent to:

<Resident's name>
c/o ART34
2208 S. Sherwood
Fort Collins, CO 80521

ART342 cannot be held accountable for mail that is delivered after a particular session is complete. Artists are responsible for making sure that their personal mail is forwarded before the end of their residency.

Living Accommodations:

All expenses associated with utilities and maintenance of the houses, studios and the grounds are covered by ART342. Please conserve energy by limiting your use of the fireplace, heating and air conditioning.

As with the studio spaces, we expect that the residents will respect the privacy of their housemates. There is no cleaning or domestic support service during the residency session; we ask that you do your own laundry, cooking, and general cleaning.

Financial Support:

We award weekly stipends to each resident that may be used for supplies or other expenses at the discretion of the resident. Stipends are only awarded for the weeks the artist is actually working at the site. When a resident is gone for more than five consecutive days, they forfeit the corresponding weekly stipend(s).

Visual artists will receive $50 for each week they are in residence. Stipends for composers and writers are negotiated before the session depending on their need for supplies.

We offer an additional $50 per week for non-local artists. Each resident awarded living space is given an initial $100 for staples.

Giving back:

If residents are interested in presenting a lecture or an informal workshop, we will do our best to help arrange for events off-site. Additionally, composers may be able to have a piece performed by the CSU music department or writers may be able to hold a reading. We are more than willing to act as the liaison between interested residents and the local arts community. We accept small pieces from the residents for the collection at ART342, but donations are optional. We are partial to miniatures, less than a foot square in dimension.

Giving back is certainly not a requirement, but it does provide more exposure and information for the local community to an otherwise private residency.

FAQs:

Are all sessions limited to 14 weeks?

Each full session (SUMMER, FALL and SPRING) lasts 14 weeks. Applicants who can only attend part of a session or anticipate working less than 40 hours per week put themselves at a disadvantage in the selection process. Occasionally we consider accepting two applicants who can easily split a session without overlap.

What type of work or media can you accommodate?

At this time our studios are primarily designed for visual artists, ceramicists, creative and scholarly writers, and composers. Unfortunately our facilities are limited and we are unable to accommodate welders, metal smiths, woodworkers, choreographers, and certain media that require specialized equipment and particular work spaces.

Will ART342 provide all the equipment I need?

ART342 supplies each studio with a chair, work table(s), work sink and some shelving. There are two large easels that can be moved between studios. The ceramics studio is equipped with a kiln and a wheel. The composer's studio has an extensive set of electronic music composition gear along with a Steinway B and a large Canon PRO9000 printer for scores.

Each studio and living space has wireless and Ethernet access to the web. However, we do not provide phones or personal computers. Communal ink jet printers are available for periodic use.

Additional equipment may be available. Requests and questions should be directed to info@art342.org

What is the site like?

ART342 is in a semi-rural area on a 4+ acre lot. It is situated about 10 minutes from Old Town and Colorado State University. It is just on the city border, so the city is accessible but the site is still somewhat protected and private. Fort Collins has an extensive network of bike paths. The ART342 site is at the extreme northern border of this map. We have three commuter bikes and helmets available for use among all residents.

All residents are welcome to use the barn, porches and kitchenette on the site. The barn houses several pieces of fitness equipment and a recreational room. Often these spaces are being used as studios and so residents are asked to communicate with their colleagues about coordinating between the usage of these spaces and the privacy of studio time.

What are the studios like?

There are up to seven studios on site that vary in size and function: two completely private studios, one double studio that can be divided or alternatively used as one large space for a resident with special needs or a collaborative team, a ceramics studio, a composer's studio and a smaller office usually used for writers. The majority of the studios offer around 550 square feet with two regular doors and a north-facing garage door with glass panels. Each artist will have a key to their personal studio space.

Studios are assigned based upon individual needs for equipment and space. We try to accommodate everyone, however ART342 is responsible for the final decision.

What other accommodations can I expect in the studio building?

The studio building houses a kitchenette with a coffee maker, sink, microwave, and beverage cooler. A set of utensils, dishes and glasses are also provided. An adjacent bathroom has a toilet and sink. We ask that each resident clean up after themselves and regularly take out the trash. Please clean your dishes, rinse out wine and beer bottles and place them in the recycling bin.

The sinks, bathroom, and kitchenette in the studio building empty into a sealed vault which is pumped out periodically. We ask that residents consider this and manage their use of these facilities. In the efforts of conservation, please keep your water use down as much as possible. The vault has an alarm that alerts us when it is 90% full. There are red tanks in each studio that are used for mineral spirits, etc. Let us know when these containers are full and we will arrange for safe disposal.

Am I expected to work certain hours?

Residents have access to their own studios 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week. Upon arrival you will be issued a key to your studio. Usually there are between one and three resident artists living in the on-site house. The studios are safe and the neighbors are close, though not affected by late night studio lights.

Staff will be on-site periodically but tend to avoid interrupting your work. The staff is available through email and if there is a need for immediate response, you can reach them by phone.

Can I play music as I work?

The walls provide a certain level of sound insulation. But, again, please respect the needs of the other residents for uninterrupted concentration.

What type of living space can I expect?

The Douglas house on site has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is also a two bedroom house in Old Town with one shared bathroom, about 10 minutes from the site. We cannot guarantee which house you will be assigned. However, we consider your preference or need for in-town or country living since there are advantages to both.

Towels and bedding are provided. Each live-in resident will have the use of one bedroom and most rooms share a bathroom. We expect a 1:1 ratio of resident to bedroom.

As a general guideline, residents should not entertain overnight guests for an extended period of time. This is one of the few rules we strictly enforce! Please do not bring a spouse or significant other into the living space for more than a few nights. Failure to demonstrate this respect to fellow housemates and residents will result in quick termination of your stay.

Each house has a fully equipped kitchen with a generous supply of cooking gear, dishes, appliances, and basic necessities. The resident is expected to provide their own groceries and to cook for themselves.

There is one television, with basic cable, in the shared living room of the Douglas house. Both houses have washers and dryers, patios, porches, and shared desks with printers and internet access.

What is Fort Collins like?

Fort Collins has a population of about 130,000. It has an Old Town area, as well as the usual large chain stores. Colorado State University (CSU) is located near the center of town. Fort Collins is regularly included in the top 10 'places to live' lists of Money Magazine, and other national periodicals. There are numerous hiking trails, camping areas, and ski slopes all within 3o minutes to 3 hours by car. You can find more information at www.fortcollins.com.

We provide maps of the city, the university, bike trails, and local wilderness areas with hiking and camping opportunities. We also have a list of restaurants, events and places of interest that are recommended by the staff and past residents.

Will I be required to attend events while at ART342?

We request that the residents join us for an informal gathering at the beginning of each session where they are asked to present their work to each other. We also ask that each resident participate in two studio visits with the board toward the end of the session concerning the work that has been explored during their residency.

We often host optional dinner and/or cocktail parties during the session. They may occur on or off the site. As an active foundation in the community, ART342 engages in larger fundraising events on site. These events may or may not affect the time and space of residents. We ask for your cooperation when these special events are scheduled, and in turn we will be as unobtrusive as possible. Attendance is always optional, significant others are welcome, children are discouraged.

From time to time, we will invite the residents to community events. They are under no obligation to attend. Visibility within the community allows us to connect with potential donors. In the long run, this can help current and future residents.

What am I responsible for at the end of the session?

We ask that you leave the living space and your studio in the condition in which you found it. We supply paint, wall patch, cleaning supplies, etc. A checklist will be provided at the end of the session outlining the specifics of your final responsibilities. You will also be asked to participate in a final exit interview with the executive director and board members.

Further questions? contact: info@art342.org