Artpace (also known as Artpace San Antonio) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

contemporary art Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a ...

foundation located in downtown

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

that is free and open to the public. Founded by artist, collector, and philanthropist Linda Pace, Artpace opened its doors in 1995, and focuses on nurturing the creative and artistic processes of both established and emerging artists. Fostering opportunities for dialogue and social interactions between artists and community members of all ages has always been central to the various programs at Artpace. Once a former 1920s Hudson automobile dealership, Artpace utilizes its 18,000 square feet of industrial space to exhibit contemporary art in five separate exhibition spaces including: the Hudson Showroom the Main Space gallery and three separate artist exhibition spaces. There are also three furnished apartments for visiting artists and curators to use, an in-house archives and research library, a workshop, and other areas for special events including social gatherings and lectures.

International artist-in-residence program

Artpace is known for their International

Artist-in-Residence Artist-in-residence (also Writer-in-residence), or artist residencies, encompass a wide spectrum of artistic programs that involve a collaboration between artists and hosting organisations, institutions, or communities. They are programs that pr ...

(IAIR) program. The IAIR artists are chosen by a guest

curator A curator (from , meaning 'to take care') is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the particular ins ...

and the program invites nine artists per year to live and work at Artpace in three different four month cycles. Each guest curator selects one artist from

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, one from the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and one from around the world to Artpace to create original works of art. Each artist is provided with furnished accommodations, 24/7 studio and exhibition site access, living expenses, a grant to purchase materials, and travel reimbursements. The IAIR program provides artists with the resources and support needed to create art without restrictions. Each residency begins with an informal potluck dinner introducing the artists to the people of the local community, and at the end of the residency, a curator/ artist dialogue is held in conjunction with the opening of the exhibitions to help viewers contextualize the work. Since 1995, over 250 artists from around the world have participated in the IAIR Program, and more than 80 curators have selected the resident artists. Former IAIR participants have gone on to receive numerous prestigious art awards including four

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...

s, nine

MacArthur Fellows The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and ...

, fifteen Guggenheim Fellows, and over 84 artists have made appearances at the

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale ( ; ) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy. There are two main components of the festival, known as the Art Biennale () and the Venice Biennale of Architecture, Architecture Biennale (), ...

and

Whitney Biennial The Whitney Biennial is a biennial exhibition of contemporary American art organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932; the first biennial was held in 1973. It is considered ...

Educational programs

The education department at Artpace has

K-12 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993 by karateka Kazuyoshi Ishii. Originally under the ownership of the Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), K-1 was considered to be the largest Kickboxing organization in the world. ...

programs, community programs (including Chalk It Up), U of Artpace (university programs), family day and adult programs. ''Chalk It Up'' promotes the importance of collaborative public art on the streets of downtown San Antonio. Each year, Houston Street in downtown San Antonio is transformed by the creation of original, non-permanent

chalk Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Ch ...

mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...

s by artists of all ages and abilities. The event facilitates informal learning interactions between the community and contemporary artists.

References

{{Authority control 1995 establishments in Texas Art museums and galleries established in 1995 Contemporary art galleries in the United States Art museums and galleries in Texas Buildings and structures in San Antonio Culture of San Antonio Tourist attractions in San Antonio Linda Pace

International artist-in-residence program

Educational programs

See also

References