Artists’ communities (they also go by artists’ colony, retreat, workspace, studio collective, or residency program) are defined as programs that support artists by providing time and space for the creation of new work.

The field at a glance

• Number of artists’ communities: There are more than 250 artists’ communities in the U.S., and an estimated 800 in another 40 countries worldwide.
• Types of individuals served: Artists’ communities serve creative individuals of all kinds (visual and performing artists, composers and choreographers, playwrights and poets, creative and scholarly writers, architects and designers, historians, ecologists, scientists, and more). Two-thirds of artists’ communities are multidisciplinary, bringing together artists of different kinds.
• Number of artists served: Artists’ communities in the U.S. serve approximately 12,000 artists each year, and host an average of 9 artists-in-residence at a time. One-fifth host only 1 or 2 artists at a time, while 15% host 20 or more at a time.
• Amount of support: Artists’ communities in the U.S. provide more than $36 million in direct support to artists each year (in the form of stipends, travel, materials, room/board, technical support, etc.).
• Location of artists’ communities: An estimated 60% are in small towns or rural areas, while the rest are in or around urban centers. Artists’ communities can be found in 47 U.S. states and at least 42 countries.
• Length of residencies: Residencies vary from an intensive afternoon to several years, with the average around 2 months.
• History/age of the field: The earliest artists’ communities in the U.S. were founded around 1900. Only about 50-60 existed in the U.S. as of 1980, whereas there are now more than 250.
• Public programs: While many think of artists’ communities as isolated retreats, more than 85% also have public programming, including workshops, exhibitions, readings, open houses, performances, and more.
• Environmentalism: As some of the largest land-holders in the arts, more than 70% of artists’ communities are involved in eco-stewardship activities of some kind. One-fifth are on or adjacent to protected lands (national parks, nature preserves, conservation easements, etc.), 11% are listed on the National Historic Register, 4% are on working farms and ranches.