Caldera's Artists in Residence Program

Caldera's mission is to inspire and support youth from historically underserved urban and rural communities by awakening the potential of their creative voice. Our residency program supports the mission by showcasing diverse adult learners with a regular creative practice and sometimes connects artist residents with Caldera youth for direct instruction.

Through our residency program, Caldera supports artists, creatives, and cultural workers to build skills, relationships, and projects that inspire growth, combat oppression, and activate change. Residents draw inspiration from the residency community and the natural world surrounding our Arts Center in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Caldera's organizational theme in 2025 is Stars: 

Stars are the myths we use to better understand ourselves. They are the outlines of animals, and the objects of time, music, and art. Their meanings are detailed differently across cultures, but they are also what we share. What we have navigated by. What we wish upon. And as we continue to grow and observe, we find new sections of the universe. Billions of stars igniting the farthest reaches of our understanding. 

What can we discover next, if we keep our heads high. What new truths and ways of being will unfold, if only we are willing to brave the darkness to see the light.

While applicants are not required to connect work to our annual theme, panelists will give special consideration to competitive applications that do.

 Residencies are open to U.S.-based creatives and cultural workers in any discipline. Artists at any stage of their careers, who are not current students, are eligible to apply. Residencies are also available for parent artists who would like to bring their children.
 

Residents will receive private lodging, studio, and artist stipend. Please note: transportation to and from the residency site is not provided by Caldera Arts. 

2025 Residency Dates
      January 9 - February 2, 2025  -- 3.5 weeks
      January 9 - January 22, 2025  -- 2 weeks
      February  6 - March 2, 2025 -- 3.5 weeks
      February 6 - February 19, 2025 -- 2 weeks
      March 6 - March 30, 2025 -- 3.5 weeks
      March 6 - March 19, 2025 -- 2 weeks

      If you have questions about the residency or application, please contact Air@CalderaArts.org

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AiR Priorities - PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY BEFORE APPLYING
    Caldera has identified the following as priorities for our AiR Program, and selection is made with these in mind:

• Artists and cultural workers who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or People of Color). Caldera’s benchmark for 2024 is for BIPOC artists to make up 90% of our residents.
• Artists and cultural workers advancing cultural and social change through their work.
• Artists who have experience working with and teaching racially/ethnically diverse groups of young people. Teaching artist applicants are invited to propose workshops, skill-share sessions, and or other public engagements during their residency.
• Parents, particularly parents of color are invited to apply (see details below).

Stipends
 Stipend amounts vary based on funding available in a given year, but on average will range from $700 -$1200 depending on the length of the residency.
Setting
 The Caldera Sisters campus is located at an altitude of 3,500 feet in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. We sit on the shores of Blue Lake, one of the deepest lakes in Oregon, among 120 acres of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir surrounded by Deschutes National Forest. By design, residents form a small community of 7–12 artists. Collaboration, community building, and exchange are encouraged.
 

Residents are given 24-hour access to all facilities and the time and space to create. All residents have access to the Hearth Building including a Library common areas with fireplaces, A/V systems, and a well-equipped commercial kitchen. Residency periods are in winter and early spring when weather is variable in the Cascades. Applicants should prepare for up to 4 feet of snow on the ground, heavy snowfall, rain, and temperatures from the 50s to the teens. Due to our rural location, applicants should be comfortable with a high degree of solitude and disconnection from the outside world. The closest town, Sisters, is 25 minutes away by car.
 

Additional elements that applicants should be aware of:

• There is little to no cell service at Caldera. Dependable service is a 20-minute drive away in Sisters. A landline phone is available for emergency calls only.
• Wi-Fi is available throughout the Hearth Building, Tamarack Hall, studios, and cabins however, due to our rural location, it can be slow and unreliable and is not appropriate for streaming media.
• We regret that pets are not allowed at this time.
• We are a child-friendly residency and welcome children to participate as part of our residency community. Applicants should be comfortable with children in shared common areas, at weekly shared dinners, and all other gatherings.
• Overnight guests are not allowed. Accommodations for visitors are available in the local area and range from 2–16 miles from Caldera. Exceptions are for parent artists who may have their children and a caretaker stay overnight in their cabin and artists being dropped off the first night of the residency.

Accessibility
 Caldera’s Studios and the Hearth Building are ADA accessible however, our cabins are not. Winter weather including ice and snow on the ground and walkways also impacts accessibility at our facility. Please contact us directly with specific questions or provide information about your needs in your application.

Accommodations
 Residents are provided a private A-frame cabin with a sleeping loft, living room/work area, kitchenette, bathroom with shower, and a porch overlooking Link Creek. Wireless internet is available in all cabins. Cabin kitchens have a coffee pot, two-burner stove, toaster oven, Instant Pot, microwave, small refrigerator, dishes, and pots and pans. Cabins are heated by electric heat and wood stoves (wood provided). Linens and towels are provided.

Studio Spaces
 Writers and others not needing an expansive workspace are often assigned to work in their A-frame cabins, which contain a table and living area. A shared loft space in the Hearth Building is optional for writers and artists not needing traditional studios.

 Performing artists work in the Hearth Building Grand Room, which is a large, light-filled semi-private space with a sprung wood floor, audio/visual system, and lighting system. The main floor area is 65′ x 40′ and the stage is 24′ x 20′

 Visual artists work in one of Caldera’s two studios which feature natural light and large white walls:

• The Campbell Studio is a private studio for visual artists of all kinds. One side of Campbell Studio has two electric kilns, a slab roller, a pottery wheel, drying shelves, a work table, sink, and counter; the other side has large walls, a work table, a large and small sink, and counters. The main floor is 42′ x 27′. This studio also has an 18′ x 26′ loft for additional workspace.
• The Photo Studio has large walls, a sink, counter, work table, a darkroom with related equipment, and an etching press. The main floor is 48′ x 26′. This studio also has a 10′ x 18′ loft for additional workspace.

Artists should be able to practice their work independently without Caldera or artist assistance and provide their own materials and tools.

Meals
 A welcome lunch will be provided for all residents following a mandatory orientation. Residents will provide all other food. Caldera staff will provide scheduled trips to the grocery store, roughly once per week.

Equipment
 Caldera’s visual arts studios include some equipment that is available for residents including: two kilns, a pottery wheel, a slab roller, drying shelves, a darkroom, a projector, and an etching press. Our performing arts studio includes a full audio/visual system with microphones and large screen projection, and a lighting system. Extra tables and chairs are also available for residents if needed.

Residents provide all other tools and materials.

Parent Artists
 Offering residencies that welcome children to attend with their parent(s) is a natural extension of our mission, and we honor children as a part of our residency community.

• Parent artists are welcome to attend with their children and another caretaker. Children and caretakers can come and go from Caldera as needed.
• Artists in residence should plan to reside at Caldera for the entire duration of the residency.
• Caldera does not provide childcare.
• Caldera has two pack-and-plays, two high chairs, baby gates, and outlet covers for families to use in their cabin and/or studio upon request.
• We are in a rural area in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and travel can be difficult in the winter due to the amount of snow we receive. That said, the snow provides lots of opportunities for outdoor fun for children (sledding, snowshoeing, building forts, etc.). We are about 25 minutes away from Sisters, the closest town.

      If you have any questions about the program or application process please email us at AiR@CalderaArts.org