The 9th Art for Change International Artist Residency. June 2025
Two weeks that could last a life-time!
The Art for Change International Artist Residency is an intense 2-week opportunity for seven international artists to live, learn, and create art alongside Indian artists in a collective exploration of the theme ‘Boundary Crossings: Artists in Interfaith Dialogue’. The residency will take place in the Himalayan hill town of Mussoorie, a site ideally suited to engage this theme with a rich diversity of historic and contemporary religious sites and communities, from ancient sacred forests and nearby pilgrimage sites to contemporary Hindu, Jain, and Muslim temples and shrines, from historic Christian churches built by the British to contemporary Indian Christian communities, and a large thriving contemporary Tibetan Buddhist community that was established by the Dalai Lama when he first left Tibet before establishing his base in India at Dharamsala.
Participants will explore how artists can consider spirituality, faith, challenges within it and through it open dialogue for interfaith and intercultural dialogues in local and global contexts in relation to role of art and artists in society. In addition to site visits, the program invites resource people who have explored these subjects, speaking through their personal and professional experiences to foster dialogue and fruitful conversations and feed the artists’ work in studio throughout the residency. While considering these thematic directions, the program brings together artists to interact, share, and build connections with each other, receive professional mentorship, take part in critical conversations, daily reflections, and through this process make artwork that will be exhibited in a culminating exhibition open to the public, at the end of the program. Rachel Hostetter Smith (Gilkison Distinguished Professor of Art History at Taylor University, USA), who has led international intercultural artist programs in places as diverse as Indonesia, South Africa, China, and, previously, with Art for Change in India, will serve as the residency’s mentor. International participants will have a couple of days of orientation in Delhi before joining the national participants for the residency in Mussoorie.
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Distinctives
International! Located between Mussoorie and New Delhi, India. Explores issues and ideas in a local context with a global relevance.
Inter-cultural! Seven international artists working alongside seven Indian artists, resulting in life-long learning and friendships.
Educational and Challenging! Emphasis on coming together as learners, collective exploration and creativity along a given theme.
Professional! A competitive residency, run by established local arts organization, working with highly-skilled professional artists, ending with a professional gallery exhibition.
Purposeful! Requirement is to simply be yourself: an artist, open to learning, open to others. Everything else flows from that. Collectively we ask: What does it mean to be an artist? What does it mean to be human? How can art shape society for the common good?
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See more about the 2023 International Artists Residency ‘The Nature of Differece’ here.
For further information about Art for Change International Artist Residencies click here.
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What Artists have to Say About it
“The Art for Change residency was unique in its ability to bring artists from diverse backgrounds together, mix things up and let things blossom. Beginning with museum and gallery visits in Delhi, a thrilling bike tour of the city to the breathtaking beauty of Mussoorie, with hikes through the landscape, it was a dream like experience. It was a truly unforgettable and enriching time, leaving most of us hungry for more!” - Sono Kuwayama. New York City, 2023 participant.
“I recommend the Art for Change residency for any creative who wishes to be transformed by a culturally rich adventure. Learning from experts in a variety of fields related to our theme helped focus inspiration. Creating new works in a community of international artists was exhilarating. Interacting with our neighbors and introducing many of them to the idea of an art show was heartwarming. Our group of artists quickly became a family, and most of us still keep in touch via Zoom and WhatsApp. I want to apply again someday.” - Dan Cooper, Indianapolis, 2020 participant.
“I believe my experience last year in India was one of the most profound experiences of my life and I am so very grateful for it.” - Kimberly Hocking, California, 2017 participant.
“Art for Change was the perfect residency for me! It offered an incredible opportunity to connect with amazing artists from India and around the world. The structure of the program allowed us to explore the vibrant local art scene while getting to know each other's practices, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
One of my favorite moments was chai time—it was the perfect opportunity for a heartfelt check-in, and I found it to be a source of inspiration. My artistic practice truly blossomed during this experience, and I am so grateful to the team for creating such a welcoming and invigorating environment. This residency has left a lasting impact on my work, and I couldn’t recommend it more!” - Liz Braid, Australia, 2020 participant
“I cannot say enough good things about the people in and associated with this residency. We were magic. We pushed and helped each other create honest and heartfelt works of art. I could be completely vulnerable with each person verbally and visually. Our impact on each other as a group continues today! I still keep in contact with most of the residence and I am making a vow to stay in contact with them.” - Ash Robinson, Indianapolis, 2018 participant
“Living and working alongside artists of so many different backgrounds, practices, and life stories provided pathways for growth in the way that I understand the world and our global art community.” - Betsy Melchers, Budapest, Hungary, 2018 participant
“I don't even know how to do justice to explain how India and all those I've met and Art for Change have changed me internally and enlarged my heart. It was amazing! Art for Change cares for artists in a relational, real, and organic way and I fully support and respect their approach. It was an absolute wonderment to be able to be a part of the residency and then continue the artistic journey with my new friends!!” - Elyce Elder, Indianapolis, 2018 participant
“Doing life with these people, especially the Indian residents, caused us to grow closer together, and go from simply ‘co-residents’ to friends. Another aspect of these formed relationships was the artistic ‘mirror,’ meaning that by getting so close to these other artists—seeing their work, watching them work, their process, hearing them talk about work—became a clear indicator of how ‘other’ you were in comparison. At times this was scary (“I don't know if I fit in here....”), but in the end it was very validating.” – David Hicks, Indianapolis, 2018 participant
