Complete this application if you wish to be considered for a residency in 2025.
 

Residency Awards, up to 140 awarded in 2025:

18-day residency session for individuals. Based on personal financial considerations, artists determine their own residency fee, and may opt to pay according to our suggested income-based sliding scale.  No financial aid application is required. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel.
 

Fellowships: We currently offer 12 fellowships each year. All qualified applicants may apply for fellowships. A fellowship award includes an 18-day fee-waived residency for individuals and a stipend of at least $1000 to participate in the Ragdale Youth Engagement educational outreach program. All applicants who apply for fellowships will be considered. Please note that applicants may be awarded a residency without a fellowship award. Fellowship awards are disclosed upon acceptance.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

11:59 PM CST May 15. Late applications cannot be accepted.

ELIGIBILITY

Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

GUIDELINES
 All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.
2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background.
3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 
4. If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, we require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less for each fellowship you would like to be considered for. An eligibility statement explains how you qualify for the selected fellowship and how a fellowship would support your work at this time.
5. There is an application fee of $25. This amount covers the cost of application processing. Ragdale does not profit from application fees. If you are not in a position to cover the processing fee, please reach out to the Residency Manager, Deanna Miera at deanna@ragdale.org, to request a fee-waived application.

*PLEASE NOTE: Letters of Recommendation are no longer required or accepted.

EVALUATION

Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:

1. Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.
2. Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.
3. Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.
4. Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.
5. Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?

NOTIFICATION
 Applicants are notified of admission status via email in September.

COLLABORATIONS
 Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director at regin@ragdale.org, before applying.

TIMELINE
 May 15: Application Deadline
 September: Notification of Residency or Fellowship award.

QUESTIONS?
 All inquiries should be directed to Artistic Director, Regin Igloria (regin@ragdale.org), and Residency Manager Deanna Miera (deanna@ragdale.org). Please do not reach out through Submittable.

Complete this application if you wish to be considered for the HUMAN Fellowship Residency in 2025.

Ragdale seeks applications from all creative disciplines to partake in a thematic Residency, “HUMAN: Humanities Understanding of the Machine-Assisted Nexus.” 

Proposals should describe how a residency supports their work in the exploration of the intersection of the humanities and the domains of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation with an emphasis on questions of equity and social justice. 

Ragdale’s Curatorial Board, made up of artists and Ragdale alumni working in the humanities, along with Lake Forest College faculty, will review applications and select a cohort of artists who best address and attempt to answer questions including:  “In what ways does existing racial bias impact AI outputs?,” “How have dominant historical narratives influenced current AI technologies to the detriment of historically marginalized peoples?,” “What ethical considerations arise when integrating AI into daily human life, and how do the potential answers to those ethical questions intertwine with questions of race and class?,” and “How do different cultures and traditions interpret and respond to the rise of automation?” among many others. Ragdale’s standard selection criteria includes the review of work samples and how it is presented, a written work plan, and evidence of continued progress in the process. 

Benefiting from the interdisciplinary expertise of Lake Forest’s diverse faculty, HUMAN aspires to navigate the rapidly evolving technological advancements connected to AI and automation through a humanities lens that is historical, practical, and attuned to questions of ethics and social justice. At the highest level, HUMAN seeks to demonstrate that unchecked AI and automation can replicate and exacerbate social inequity and disproportionally impact marginalized populations.  

To this end, HUMAN will train participants in research, publishing, textual interpretation, visual analysis, interviewing, and related domains, via a suite of specific digital humanities projects (See “Planned Activities”) so that they may meaningfully intervene in their future careers to lessen inequality and promote justice. As part of this work, HUMAN aims to boost enrollment in humanities courses by demonstrating that the humanist skill set is essential for those who will play a key part in creating a better future in this age of AI/Automation. 

Residency Awards, up to 6 awarded:

An initial 6-day themed residency (as a cohort with other awardees) in 2025 followed by an individual 18-day residency session scheduled within the 3-year span of the project. Admitted residents are responsible for arranging their own travel.
 

Ragdale will award the HUMAN Residency Fellowship to 6 artists.  This award includes an initial 6-day Group Residency (dates TBD) with fellow HUMAN Residency recipients, and comes with a $1500 stipend. This AI-themed residency session will be followed by a full, individual 18-day fee-waived residency scheduled within the 3-year project span. Full residencies are cohorts made of up to 14 multidisciplinary artists working on their own projects. Awardees will receive a second stipend during the 18-day residency. All applicants who apply for the HUMAN Residency Fellowship will be asked to participate in a program such as a panel talk, visiting artist lecture, workshop, or other related event as part of a culminating AI symposium. Program details will be determined after cohort is selected.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

11:59 PM CST May 15. Late applications cannot be accepted.

ELIGIBILITY

Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

GUIDELINES
  All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:

A completed online application form includes:

1. A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.
2. A one or two-page CV or resume that summarizes your professional background.
3. Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted. 
4. There is an application fee of $25. This amount covers the cost of application processing. Ragdale does not profit from application fees. If you are not in a position to cover the processing fee, please reach out to the Artistic Director, Regin Igloria, at regin@ragdale.org, to request a fee-waived application.

*PLEASE NOTE: Letters of Recommendation are no longer required or accepted.

EVALUATION

Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board, staff, and Lake Forest College Faculty/Staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:

1. Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.
2. Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.
3. Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.
4. Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.
5. Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?

NOTIFICATION
     Applicants are notified of admission status via email in September.

COLLABORATIONS
     Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director at regin@ragdale.org, before applying.

TIMELINE
     July 31: Application Deadline
     September: Notification of Residency

QUESTIONS?
     All inquiries should be directed to Artistic Director, Regin Igloria (regin@ragdale.org), and Residency Manager Deanna Miera (deanna@ragdale.org). Please do not reach out through Submittable.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES for HIGH SCHOOL ARTS WEEK 2024

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
 High School Arts Week at Ragdale takes place July 15-19, 2024 and offers intensive workshops in creative writing, visual arts and dance. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE
 The deadline for high school students applying for all workshops is Sunday, May 5, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Notifications will be received May 15, 2024.

ELIGIBILITY
 High School students from Chicago and the surrounding region are welcome to apply (grade level 9-12, rising freshman and graduating seniors are eligible). Ragdale will be accepting 12 students in Creative Writing (Prose), 12 students in Creative Writing (Poetry), 12 in Dance,  and 12 in Visual Arts following a competitive selection process.

 We encourage students of all backgrounds and levels of experience to apply. Ragdale does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

WHEN & WHERE
 High School Arts Week will take place Monday through Friday, July 15-19, from 10am-4pm at the historic campus of The Ragdale Foundation, 1260 North Green Bay Road in Lake Forest. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Creative Writing:  Creative Writing students will be assigned to either a short form prose writing workshop under the guidance of instructor Margaret Hawkins, author and educator, or a poetry/creative writing workshop under the guidance of Kenyatta Rogers, poet and author. 

Dance: New this year to High School Arts Week, the Dance intensive presents students interested in movement an opportunity to investigate dance and choreography in Ragdale's Sybil Shearer studio. Instructor TBA

Visual Arts Intensive:  Under the guidance of a multidisciplinary visual artist, students are invited to explore the concepts of site, space, and place through guided investigations in art. Most projects will use the Ragdale grounds as an inspiration for creative engagement, working both indoors and outdoors to develop original works. Joelle Mercedes, multi-media and teaching artist, leads this course.  An exhibition of student work will be featured at the end of the week.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

 All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal.  Please note the following requirements to complete your application:

 1. A completed online application form.
 2. A letter of reference from a teacher or school official who knows you personally and can address your suitability for the week-long intensive. Reference letters are confidential and are submitted electronically through Submittable.
 3. Upload 2-3 samples of previous work. For the Writing workshops, submit any written works (essays, poems, short stories, etc.). For Dance, a short video of previous performances (1-2 minutes in length. If no documentation is available, please submit a short essay in writing why the Dance intensive would benefit you at this time). For Visual Art, digital photos of previous works in 2D or 3D.

EVALUATION

 Applications are reviewed by Ragdale staff and the program instructors.  Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:
 

1. Work samples show evidence of originality and inventiveness.
2. Work samples demonstrate quality and technical proficiency.
3. References reflect the student's ability to work well with other students.
4. Students will be selected from as large a range of area schools as possible, taking into consideration the merit of work samples submitted.

NOTIFICATION

  You will be notified of your admission status via email by May 1, 2024.

QUESTIONS?

  For further assistance, please email Regin Igloria at regin@ragdale.org or phone 847.234.1063 ext. 26.