1708 Pilot Artist Residency Program

In its second year, the pilot Artist Residency Program, located on the second floor of 1708’s building at 319 W. Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia’s downtown Arts District, will help 1708 further define the full vision for its future Artist Residency Program, which will expand our mission to empower and support diverse artists’ voices. Currently, it is open ONLY to artists residing within a 500-mile radius of Richmond. The pilot residencies are free, and 2 or 3 months in length running from September 2025 through August 2026.

• A private live / work space that is furnished and includes a large open room with north facing windows, a full kitchen, three bedrooms or office spaces, 2 bathrooms, and a washer and dryer. Please note: at this time, the second floor is accessible via a staircase. Future plans include an elevator to provide accessibility for all abilities and needs.
• A $1250 monthly stipend.
• Access to basic equipment.
• Professional development opportunities.
• 1708 will work with each artist to plan and facilitate a public program to take place during the residency, for example an artist talk, open studio, or workshop.

About 1708 + the future Artist Residency Program

One of the longest-running nonprofit arts spaces in the US, 1708 was founded in 1978 by faculty members from Virginia Commonwealth University at 1708 East Main Street to present artists and projects that reflected their commitment to provocative contemporary art. Today, 1708 is located on Broad Street in the city’s Arts District and is a crucial member of Richmond’s art ecosystem, a leading organization in the region in providing significant resources to artists who are working in a noncommercial capacity, and an accessible platform for the community to experience contemporary art.

As part of our commitment to supporting artists, all participants have the option to receive up to 50% commission on any sale, with remaining proceeds going directly to support 1708’s exhibitions and programs.

At 1708, we believe artists are essential members of our community and necessary to move our culture forward. We believe artists’ work reflects upon, re-frames, and challenges contemporary thinking and issues. We believe artists provide transformative, unconventional, and exploratory experiences that expand perspectives for our audiences. We believe artists connect and build communities both locally and nationally.

In December 2021, 1708 purchased our building–a former storefront space on Broad Street in Richmond’s downtown Arts District with apartments on the second and third floors. This was an important milestone in our plans to develop an international artist residency program that will expand our current mission to empower and support diverse artists’ voices. For the full residency program, live/work spaces will be developed on the second and third floors to provide artists with time, space, and resources to develop new ideas and refine existing ones.

Pilot Artist Residency Program

The pilot Artist Residency program launched in September 2024. In the first year, we hosted six artists/artist groups for 1, 2 or 3 month-long residencies: Santina Amato, Bat-Ami Rivlin, Arit Emmanuela Etukudo, Mark Wilson, Chelsea Flowers, and ‘hollerin space.