Frequently Asked Questions About the Residency

What is the one most important aspect of a good application for FCINY?

Be specific on your purpose: Why this program? Why New York? Why now? In addition to offering the opportunity of residence for the artists, the FCINY also aims to find a good fit for the partnering organization or mentor.

What is the goal for the residency?

The goal of the residency is to make the most out of the time spent in New York and be present with the partnering organization or mentor. In addition to taking part in the programming happening during the time of the residency, the artists are encouraged to network with other local and international creatives. 

Regarding the maximum of three portfolio pieces, can an applicant include previous works, or do they have to be directly related to the focus of the application?

Best advice is to include your strongest works. If it ties to the focus, that can be beneficial, but not mandatory. Most important is to showcase your artistic practice so that someone who isn’t familiar with your work gets a good overview of your practice. 

How detailed is the required work plan, and does the residency allow for the project to evolve or expand in new directions? 

Since the working process is flexible and often evolves during the residency, rather than having a highly detailed working plan, it is encouraged to also describe one’s general artistic practice supporting the focus of the residency. 

Regarding the Fashion Design Residency, the open call describes the residency to be for research and networking, however should the proposal also include a practice component? 

The fashion residency program offers mentoring and an access to community building in New York. The primary objective of the residency is to provide the designer with a setting for research, learning from the US fashion industry, and advancing their career, but the residency doesn’t offer space or equipment for design practices.