MERZ Gallery

Planning your application

Artists should approach MERZ with a clear sense of how a nomadic, process-oriented residency would advance their practice. Proposals that demonstrate adaptability, sensitivity to context, and a willingness to engage with local communities and materials are favored over those that present a fixed, pre-determined project. Because residencies are hosted in partnership with varied sites, applicants should articulate how they would respond to shifting conditions and what they hope to learn from the experience. The selection committee looks for evidence of critical thinking, experimentation, and a genuine need for the residency at a particular moment in the artist's development. While there is no single template, a concise, well-researched statement that connects the artist's concerns to MERZ's ethos of assemblage and reuse tends to be most effective. International applicants are encouraged, and inquiries about specific host partnerships are welcome.