Collaborate with students and create community-engaged work through the College and
Community Artist in Residence (CAIR) program at College of DuPage, which supports
professional artists in developing collaborative projects with COD students.
Over two to eight weeks, the artist in residence will work alongside students in College of DuPage’s visual arts and design programs—from ceramics and sculpture to photography and fashion—to produce new work that bridges their professional practice with hands-on learning. The residency emphasizes sustained mentorship, giving students real experience participating in an artist’s creative process while providing the artist with time, space and funding to develop a personal project. Interdisciplinary connections across other fields of study are encouraged.
What We're Looking For
Successful applicants will develop a concrete plan for meaningful student engagement—whether through collaborative making, skill-building workshops, or sustained mentorship—that gives students direct experience working within a professional artist’s practice. The residency includes an introductory artist lecture within the first week and concludes with a public event, exhibition or presentation of work created during the residency.
Program Details
Each residency lasts two to eight weeks and includes an introductory artist lecture within the first week and a public event, exhibition, or presentation of work at its conclusion.
- Stipend: Up to $3,500
- Residency Periods: Fall 2025 or Spring 2026
- Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
Eligibility
The residency is open to individual artists and collectives of up to three members working in any medium. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S., as we are unable to sponsor visas. College of DuPage employees are not eligible to apply.
How to Apply
The application is released yearly in December. Applicants need to submit:
- Detailed project proposal explaining student engagement (minimum six hours) through workshops, studio visits, collaborations, or hands-on activities.
- Timeline and budget (up to $3,500).
- Specifics about which studio areas or classes align with the project.
- Portfolio (10-20 images or up to 5 minutes of video/sound work)
- CV, biography and artist statement.
Facilities and Resources
We don't provide private studio space or housing, but we do offer access to state-of-the-art facilities across our art and design studios and can work with you to accommodate project needs.
Studio Highlights
- Painting and Drawing: Dedicated studios overlooking our campus lake and prairie preserve Sculpture: Full woodshop, dedicated plaster room, and spacious critique area designed to support both traditional and contemporary approaches to making
- FabLab: 4’x4’ CNC router, 3 Prusa FDM printers, 2 Bambu FDM printers, 1 Fusion 3 FDM, and Formlabs resin 3D printing, and a 75w 18”x32” Universal laser engraver for precision fabrication and digital experimentation.
- Printmaking: Full print shop supporting intaglio, litho, screen, relief printing, and papermaking Ceramics: 8 electric kilns, 2 Blaauw computer-controlled gas kilns, raw materials lab, and outdoor kiln yard supporting wood and raku firing
- Small Metals: Well equipped jewelry and metalsmithing studio with handtools, high temp soldering stations, full casting set up with option for centrifuge or vacuum casting, 2 Vcella enameling kilns, selection of smithing stakes and hammers, electric hydraulic press, electric and hand rolling mills, lapidary machine, GRS holding devices, laser welder, bead blaster, rotary tumblers, sheet metal shears
- Moving Image: Projectors, Immersive Visualization Lab (360 screen), camera and equipment check out
- Photography: Photo Equipment, Digital Editing /Printing Lab, Digital Large Format printers, Silver Gelatin Darkroom, and Alt Process Darkroom
- Fashion: Industrial sewing machines (straight stitch, overlock, coverstitch, walking foot), industrial embroidery machines, industrial quilting machine, table knitting machines, weaving looms, laser cutter, large format printer for fabric printing.
- Interior Design: Material library with organized samples including upholstery, wood, tile, glass, leather, stone, etc. In program 3D Printer and lighting booths. Computer labs with Adobe and AutoDesk software access.
- Architecture: Architecture studio spaces with drafting tables. Computer labs with Adobe and AutoDesk software access. Construction Lab shop space with woodshop equipment and an 18”x32” Universal laser engraver.