The mission of the Roman J. Witt Residency Program is to support an artist in the production of new work in association with the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design. The program awards one residency per academic year to a visiting artist/​designer to create new work at the school while engaging the university community.

During the Witt Residency it is expected that the resident actively engages with the Stamps and IH community. To this end, a portion of the resident’s time at the university will be spent in direct interaction with students and faculty. Possibilities for interactions include but are not limited to: students working directly with the resident on artistic production; students interviewing resident; students observing resident’s process; resident dialoguing with students and faculty both in and outside of classes; resident providing critiques of student work; resident giving public talks/​lectures/​workshops; resident hosting open studio hours.

The Institute for the Humanities will provide their renowned contemporary gallery as an installation and project space. The gallery has long been a nimble and progressive place, a space for critical inquiry with the ability to respond to complex and timely issues. Each exhibition offers a point of accessibility for public engagement, making more visible the connection between humanities research and real-world problems, with a deliberate commitment to social practice. The Institute for the Humanities Gallery presents five to six visually driven art projects annually which can include artist residencies, community and student engagement, cross-campus collaborations and artist/​curator led classes. 

The residency is expected to culminate in the realization of the proposed work, as well as its presentation. The cumulative exhibition will open in Fall 2027 and will occupy the IH Gallery — with possibilities for additional programming to extend beyond the gallery space. Plans should show consistency conceptually regarding the inherent overall structure of the project, have a strong visual impact and potential for engagement. This, along with the proposed exhibition, will strongly determine selection of the artist/​designer.

It is expected that a significant portion of time during the residency will be spent in direct interaction with students. Ideas for student interactions include but are not limited to: allowing students to work with the artist/​designer; be in dialogue with the artist/​designer; provide critiques on student work; engage in student-led interviews; or allowing for student observation of artist/designer’s process. Creative methods of engagement to animate the gallery space as a focal point of campus activity are highly encouraged. The exhibition stage of the residency project will also include artist/​curator led class visits to the IH Gallery, artist talks and public engagement.

The 2026 – 2027 resident will conduct planning sessions remotely during the Fall 2026 academic semester; they will be on-site in Ann Arbor during the Winter 2027 academic semester, with the exhibition opening in Fall 2027. The exhibition component includes a second residency of a minimum of one week, to include installation, exhibition opening, and engagement. The IH Curator and IH Gallery Coordinator will work collaboratively with the artist, providing curatorial and installation support. De-installation is the responsibility of the Institute for the Humanities: the work created is the property of the artist.

Witt Residents receive an honorarium of $20,000 for up to twelve weeks in residence served over an academic year. In addition to the honorarium, residents will be provided with housing, studio space, and up to $10,000 materials, research and development funding to support the creative process.

Applications are encouraged from individuals as well as from artist collectives or creative teams, but please be advised that the resources listed above are ﬁnite, including the travel budget. If teams apply, the award will be shared between its members.

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