The residency term is nine months, from September to May, and fellows may apply for a second term. Because the program is intended to foster intensive participation in an active peer group, including biweekly seminar meetings, Core fellows must reside in Houston for the duration of the Core term. Tuesday mornings are reserved for group discussions, and public lectures take place on Thursday evenings. Each spring the program mounts an exhibition of work produced during the current residency term. Critical studies residents may apply for support for a curatorial project in their second year. Residents receive a $20,000 stipend, 24-hour access to a private studio or office, and borrowing privileges at the MFAH Hirsch Library and Rice University Fondren Library. Limited administrative and financial support is available for successful international applicants seeking J-1 visas through the program’s partner organization, International Arts & Artists. No support is provided for other visas.
Offering a modest stipend and studio or office space, the program encourages residents to challenge one another to develop their practices within an intensive peer group. During the Core term, residents participate in a yearlong seminar and meet with an array of distinguished artists, critics, curators, and scholars who are invited to meet individually with the residents, lead group seminars, and deliver public lectures. Recent visitors include Stan Douglas, Charles Gaines, Hannah Feldman, Martha Rosler, Lauren Berlant, Sharon Hayes, Fred Moten, Emily Jacir, Hamza Walker, Kaja Silverman, David Hartt, Gerard Byrne, Huey Copeland, Tania Bruguera, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, and Helen Molesworth. Follow this link to view a PDF version of the 2020 Core publication, released in conjunction with the program’s annual spring exhibition. We’ll be happy to mail you a copy for your bookshelf upon request.
Because of the pandemic, we waived our residency requirement for the 2020-2021 term and we’ve been conducting our seminars and studio visits remotely. However, we hope to return to our usual residency model with the start of the new term in September.
Visit www.mfah.org/core for more information. The application deadline for the 2021-2022 residency cycle is April 1. Please get in touch with our Associate Director Mary Leclère at mleclere@mfah.org or 713-639-7859 if you have any questions.
Application and Submission Process
Annual Application Deadline: April 1
Application filing period begins each year on January 1. All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received no later than midnight on April 1. The Core Program does not retain application materials from previous cycles (including letters of recommendation).
Applications for admission are accepted once per year. Applications and portfolios are reviewed and evaluated by a jury of professional artists, art historians, critics, and curators. Acceptance is based on the quality of the work and demonstration of a commitment to critical dialogue, which is integral to participation within the peer group. Successful applicants begin the program in September. Notification letters are sent on or before June 1.