Develop your next body of Work as an AIR At The Factory on Willow

A 12-week non profit program designed to bring new emerging and amateur artists from around the world to Manchester, NH. Our program fosters an environment that allows creative freedom to explore, define, and polish your working portfolio.

October Artist Series
8th/30th

Featuring Lance Armstrong and Rikardo Druskic

Join us for a two-part artist in residence series. Fall AIR’s Lance and Rikardo are showing their most recent bodies of work This event is taking place The Venues at The Factory (252 Willow St. Manchester, NH. The Venue is a 5000 sqft event space located on the south end of the restored mill building. The AIR program welcomes the community to come by for another chance to meet the traveling artists and see the full body of work they have developed during their time here in Manchester, NH. The exhibition will take place at 242 Willow St between 5:00 - 6:30pm

Manny Ramirez - AIR 2021

Fostering innovation & experimentation for amateur and newly emerging artists.

The Factory’s AIR program is designed to support emerging artists with a place to live for up to 3 months. During this time selected applicants can focus full-time on further developing their creative practice as they take steps to cross the bridge into becoming career professionals.

We curate stipends for supplies, food & travel. You curate art!

Selected applicants are provided a studio apartment with baseic household amenities, heat, hot water, electricity & internet provided. Additionally each artist is granted a $350 travel stipend and a $1600 stipend that covers food and art supplies.

Each residency concludes with an artist opening celebration.

The Opening acts as a solo or duo exhibition to feature each artist’s developing works. Our onsite event space is set up to feature your installations and presentations to the local community. AIR’s may also organize/host additional public events/programs (artist talks, community dinners, workshop, studio visits, etc.)  Preview the event space here

The AIR program Runs Three Times a Year

Session 1: March - May | Session 2: June - August | Session 3: September - November

Am I a Good Fit For This Program?

Assessing what level your creative practice is at

HOBBY ARTIST

Creating/performing just for fun
Lacks consistent style or technique
Blank resume/cv

You’re not a good fit for The Factories AIR program just yet.

AMATEUR ARTIST

Creating/performing regularly
Beginnings of a consistent style & quality
Starting to appear in exhibitions or at venues
Starting to network with other artists and organizations.

You’re a good Fit! Apply

EMERGING ARTIST

High quality of executions
Exhibiting in smaller art galleries/venues
Starting to have sales of high-grade work or tickets to performances
Some art world validation (institutional exhibitions, residencies, awards, etc.)
Regularly developing & maintaining relationships in the art world.

You're a good Fit! Apply

ADVANCED EMERGING ARTIST

Materials, tools, and quality of executions on a professional level
Represented by small to medium-sized art galleries
At least a half dozen group exhibitions + solo at high-end venues
Some art world validation (institutional exhibitions, residencies, awards, etc.)

You may be too advanced in your career for what this program can offer. Consider applying and talk with our team. Apply

Located inside a reimagined historic property.

The Factory on Willow is located less than a half mile from Manchester’s downtown scene. The property provides a multitude of amenities and is centrally located within the state making exploration to Boston, the White Mountains and the seacoast only a 45 minute drive. The property hosts a small gym, community garden, comic book shop, event space, dog park and a distillery.

Yes, The Factory on Willow is dog friendly! 🐶

Residency Live/Work Studios

Selected applicants are provided a studio apartment with basic household amenities like coffee pots, cookware, and utensils. The program also covers all, heat, hot water, electricity & internet provided to the artist unit.

Artist also have the option to expand their creative workspace area into our lower level commercial lot.

Expectations for Selected Applicants

  • Time to step out of your comfort zone: The program will create some introductions to the local artist communities but it is also necessity of each artist to this pursue avenues of growth themselves.

  • Project planning: Artists plan their creative executions with the programs stipends in mind. Works that go beyond the scope of the AIR stipends will depend on self funding or acquiring community partnerships/sponsors.

  • Exhibitions: Each program concludes with a capstone celebration to feature the progress of each artists creative practice during their time at the residency. This public showing gives emerging artists a date to invite friends, family, an the community to see their work.

  • Giving Back: The program requires for each artist to donate once piece created during their residency to be part of the Factory on Willow’s permanent collection. Works are displayed through the campas.

A City of Connection

Manchester, New Hampshire

Manchester is New Hampshire’s largest city and has experienced a sure in development and population growth over the last decade. Our reimagined Silicon Mill yard has pushed our traditionally historic mill buildings into an Eastern technological renaissance. Additionally, creative organizations like Mosaic Art Collective, See/Saw Gallery, Art at French, MHT Art Walk, Manchester Maker Space, The Currier Museum of Art, Studio 550, and The Palace & Rex Theaters.

Application Process

The applications are reviewed by an art committee whose efforts ensure that a broad range of artistic disciplines, styles, and national origins are represented. We ask that your application include your CV / artist statement, portfolio and a project proposal with a general idea of what you would like to develop during your residency. There is no applicant fee and the deadline is rolling, but we encourage you to apply as our spots fill up quickly

Download The Air Packet

And help us get the word out by sharing this opportunity with your friends and family.

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