10 Lessons I Learned Running an Artist Residency

When I started The Verdancy Project, I didn’t have a roadmap. I had an idea, a piece of land, and a deep belief that artists need spaces where curiosity, rest, and experimentation are possible. Over the past several years, I’ve hosted dozens of artists and learned a lot along the way.

Here are a few of the lessons that shaped the journey.

1. You don’t have to replicate what bigger organizations are doing
Many well-known residencies have large budgets, staff, and infrastructure. That doesn’t mean your program has to look like theirs. Some of the most meaningful residencies grow from small, personal visions.

2. Your values matter more than your facilities
Artists remember how a place felt far more than the square footage of the studio. A clear ethos creates a stronger experience than fancy amenities.

3. Start before you feel ready
If you wait until everything is perfect, you may never begin. Residencies, like creative work itself, grow through experimentation and learning along the way. Progress is far more important than perfection.

4. Artists are often looking for permission to slow down
Many artists arrive carrying pressure to produce. Offering time for rest, exploration, and reflection can be just as valuable as providing a studio.

5. Community can be a really meaningful
While artists come for time and space, they frequently leave talking about the conversations, shared meals, and connections they made.

6. The structure should support creativity, not control it
Residencies work best when expectations are clear but flexible. The goal is to create supportive conditions, not rigid programs.

7. The right artists matter more than the perfect program
Thoughtful selection and alignment with your values will shape the culture of the residency more than any schedule or offering.

8. Every place has something unique to offer
You don’t need a remote retreat center or pristine wilderness. Urban neighborhoods, libraries, farms, studios, and community spaces can all become meaningful sites for creative exploration.

9. Let the residency evolve over time
Some of the most successful aspects of a program emerge through experimentation. Allow room for change and discovery.

10. Creativity flourishes where curiosity and care are present
At its heart, an artist residency isn’t just a program. It’s a place where people can gather, explore ideas, and nurture creative work in ways that might not be possible elsewhere.