Vashon Artist Residency offers artists space and time to create, connect and live in a community of artists on spectacular Vashon Island on the shore of the Salish Sea in Washington State. This opportunity is a self-directed residency and we welcome artists at all stages of a creative career.

We strive to make this opportunity accessible and include artists of varied economic, cultural and geographic backgrounds to stimulate an insightful, respectful and compelling communal experience.

APPLICATION OPENS: We will open our next call to artists on July 2, 2025 - for our 2026 sessions.

ELIGIBILITY: All artists who apply must be a minimum of 21 years of age. Applicants may not be enrolled in a full-time, matriculated, degree program. We strongly recommend applicants have the ability to read and speak English.

SESSIONS: All sessions are 3.5 weeks long except for Session 1 and Session 8, which are 2-week sessions. We have four artists in each residency session.

EXPECTATIONS: We do not place productivity or public presentation requirements on residents. Artists are free to experiment, research, create new work and rest as they wish. Any work artists make at Vashon Artist Residency will be theirs.

APPLICATION CRITERIA & REVIEW: Invitation to Vashon Artist Residency is based on demonstrated commitment to your artistic practice, the strength of past artwork, the feasibility of residency goals and the ability to co-create a positive communal life and work environment in a rural setting.

Applications are reviewed by a new panel of artists each year. Some panelists are alumni of Vashon Artist Residency and bring knowledge of the facility and location to the review process. Other panelists bring the experience of a discipline, culture or creative practice to the evaluation and conversation.

We request applicants provide the name and email address of one (1) reference who can speak to your ability to live and work in a positive way with others.

APPLICATION FEE: Vashon Artist Residency's nonrefundable $25 application fee covers our online application system. Applicants unable to pay can request a fee waiver by emailing us, no explanation needed.

DEPOSIT: Upon acceptance, a $100 nonrefundable deposit and a signed Resident Artist Agreement are required to secure your spot. This fee cannot be waived.

SLIDING-SCALE RESIDENCY FEE: To make our residency accessible to artists at different income levels, we offer a sliding-scale fee structure. The standard fees are $1,875 for a 3.5-week residency and $1,125 for a 2-week residency. When applying, you’ll be asked to select the fee amount you’re able to contribute, ranging from $0 to the full fee, based on your financial situation. This helps us cover overhead and staffing costs while ensuring the program remains inclusive for all artists.

Acceptance is need-blind; jurors do not see financial information. Your contribution supports our mission and helps ensure the residency's accessibility for others. Food, supplies, shipping, and travel are the artist’s responsibility.

COLLABORATIONS: If applying as a collaborative team, each artist must submit an individual application. Include a proposal detailing the work your team plans to develop during the residency. Indicate your collaborators in the Applicant Information Section and provide details on your project and living accommodation needs. Work samples should reflect individual work and may include previous collaborative projects.

NOTIFICATION: Artists who apply for the 2026 season will be notified of their application status by late October.

Image: Vashon Artist Residency Alum, Sabella

SESSION LENGTH: All 2026 sessions are 3.5 weeks long, except for Session 1 and Session 8, which are 2 weeks.*

Each session accommodates four artists.

2026 SESSION CALENDAR

Session 1: January 12 - January 26, 2026*

Session 2: February 2 - February 26, 2026

Session 3: March 2 - March 26, 2026

Session 4: March 30 - April 23, 2026

Session 5: April 27 - May 21, 2026

Session 6: June 1 - June 25, 2026

Session 7: June 29 - July 23, 2026

Session 8: July 27 - August 10, 2026*

Session 9: August 17 - September 10, 2026

Session 10: September 21 - October 15, 2026

Session 11: October 19 - November 12, 2026

Image: Vashon Artist Residency Alum, Randy Akers

For more information about Vashon Artist Residency, review our FAQs about the application and residency.

We provide application workshops to assist artists wanting to learn more about our process. These are posted when the application period has opened.

CONTACT US

If you have questions that are not answered in our FAQs or on our website, please feel free to contact us!

Image: Vashon Artist Residency Alumni, Sylvia Atwood, Yulia Pinkusevich, Kalehua Kim, Clara Olivo and staff.