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Textile Arts Center's Artist in Residence (TAC AIR) combines studio access with a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum and regular critical dialogue, providing residents an opportunity to learn and explore the textile medium, and an alternative to traditional higher education programs. TAC is defined by its buzzing community atmosphere and inter-generational collaborative environment. AIR studios are fully integrated with rented studio space, adult classes, youth programs, and various events throughout the year. The residency culminates in a group exhibition produced and hosted by TAC.

Since 2010, TAC AIR has graduated over 100 artists and designers whose work continues to further textile art within the fashion, fine arts, design and art education fields. 

Applications for AIR 19 will open in December 2026

Program Details

Program Activities
Faculty
Facilities & Benefits
Tuition & Scholarships
Application & Selection Process
FAQ

Over the course of 9 months, TAC AIR residents delve into a full curriculum of technical classes, textile history and conservation and professional development. Ongoing critical dialogue, allows residents to gain a greater awareness of their practices and contextualize their work within contemporary and historical textile art.

October–December: Play

The first 3 months are a time for play and exploration, learning new techniques and getting acquainted with a studio practice in TAC’s studio. Curriculum will include technical development workshops, such as weaving, machine knitting, natural dyeing, screen printing and felting. These workshops are designed to expose residents to a variety of materials and serve as an introduction to the TAC studio.

January–March: Research & Concept

Starting the New Year, residents dive into research and development of their final project for the exhibition. Curriculum will include seminars in textile history, conservation, and contemporary craft theory. At the end of this period, residents are expected to present a project proposal that they will develop for the final exhibition.

April–June: Project Creation

The last portion of the program is dedicated to project creation and professional development. Seminars are based in writing workshops, grant writing, art law, and material sourcing. Each cycle culminates in a formal critique in June, where it is expected that residents present matured concepts and work for the final exhibition.

Studio Facilities

  • 24/7 access to personal 7’ x 5’, well-lit space. Each space has 3 walls with one open, including shelving, as well as a “tack” wall.
  • 24/7 access to TAC studio and equipment including floor looms; home sewing machines and sergers; knitting machines; drying rack; utility sink; dye lab for natural and synthetic dyes; dryer; steamer; screen printing facilities which include 3 yardage tables, exposure unit and washout booth

 

Additional Benefits

  • Access to resources and fiber arts community
  • Exposure through TAC marketing and social media
  • $1,100 worth of free classes at Textile Arts Center during the residency
  • Lifetime access to open studio + 30% of of all TAC classes

Tuition

The tuition of Textile Arts Center’s Artist in Residence Program is $11,000 per resident, split into the following payment plans:

$1200 upon acceptance (due June 2026)
$9800 due on the first week of September 2026

OR

$1200 upon acceptance (due June 2026)
$2200 due on the first week of September 2026
$760 monthly from October 15, 2026 through July 15, 2027 (10 payments)

Scholarship

The Textile Arts Center is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its programs. The TAC Artist In Residence Scholarship Fund will support one artist or designer who identifies as part of a historically marginalized identity or community in the Arts, (i.e class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexuality, age, education) and state the need for financial assistance to participate in the program and advance their artistic practice. Applications for the scholarship are submitted along with the program application.

TAC AIR Scholarship is made possible by TAC.

Eligibility

We are looking for artists and designers at all career stages, working in textile/fiber media or looking to explore and develop a new body of work in this medium. Eligible applicants must be 21+ years old and should be proficient in English and have good communication skills. We encourage international artists to apply, but applicants are responsible for all necessary VISA arrangements and fees.

Application

All applications must be submitted digitally through Slideroom by February 28, 2026

BIPOC candidates can contact artistprograms@textileartscenter.com to waive the application fee.

Selection Process

The selection process is led by a committee of Textile Arts Center’s staff, as well as professionals working in different fields of textile arts.

Selection criteria include:

  • Quality of work
  • Clear plan on work to be created during time of residence
  • Desire to work within a diverse community

Selected applicants will be asked to come in for an interview.

Application Calendar

Application Dates for Cycle 18:
December 14, 2025 – February 28, 2026

Interviews:
April 2026

Notification of Acceptance:
Beginning of May 2026

Next Cycle Dates:
Cycle 18: October 2026 – June 2027

What is the TAC AIR application process?

Applications for Cycle 18 of AIR open on December 14, 2025. All applications must be submitted electronically through the online platform by the deadline, February 28, 2025.

You will need to write about your work, interests and experience, and —most importantly—your desire for participating in the program. Additionally, you’ll be required to submit a portfolio of 5-10 high-resolution images of your best work that most relates to what you hope to accomplish during the program.

If you experience any issues with the online application platform, please contact artistprograms@textileartscenter.com by February 26 in order to answer your questions in time.

Is there an application fee?

For AIR Cycle 18, there is an application fee of $25 for applications submitted by January 27, 2026; and a fee of $35 for applications submitted by February 28, 2026.

Is this an in-person program?

Yes, the AIR program is an in-person residency.
Most of the classes and critiques of the program are in person. Residents meet on Mondays and Thursdays, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Additionally, if accepted, you will commit to working 15-20 hours a week in the studio developing your practice, so we recommend you live within commuting distance during the residency period.

Do you accept international applicants?

We have had several international artists move to NYC for the duration of the program. TAC can offer some guidance and support for your VISA application, but residents are responsible for all VISA arrangements and fees. Reach out to International Arts and Artists for guidance.

Is there any degree requirement to apply?

There is no degree requirement to apply to TAC AIR and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds.

What’s the selection process?

All applications will be reviewed by a jury committee made of TAC staff, and professionals working in different fields of fiber arts. After the first round, selected applicants will be contacted for an interview. Interviews will be held during the month of April. Candidates will be contacted by the end of May with their acceptance status.

What are interviews like? Who conducts them?

Interviews are typically about 30-40 minutes, and are conducted by Kelly Valletta, TAC Executive Director, and Romina Schulz, Artist Programs Director. Applicants should be ready to discuss their work, their reasons for wanting to participate in the program, and what they hope to accomplish creatively and professionally.

What if I am not in NY and get invited for an interview?

We strongly prefer that candidates be able to have an in-person interview, but definitely understand that this is not always possible. In these cases, we will schedule a video call interview.

If I’m accepted for TAC AIR, what is needed upon acceptance?

Accepted applicants must notify TAC within one week of acceptance to be part of TAC AIR. At this time, you will be required to sign the AIR Contract and submit a tuition deposit of $1200.

Are there any financial aid options available?

The Textile Arts Center is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its programs. The TAC Artist In Residence Scholarship Fund will support one artist or designer who identifies as part of a historically marginalized identity or community in the Arts, (i.e class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexuality, age, education) and state the need for financial assistance to participate in the program and advance their artistic practice. Applications for the scholarship are submitted along with the program application.

Since only one artist per cycle will receive the Residence Scholarship, we encourage applicants to begin researching third-party funding by the time of application, including artist grants, loans, credit, or others.

Here is a brief list of some places to look for grants and resources:

If you are an international applicant we advise you to look for opportunities in your home country as well as the US. Additionally, we encourage and support residents to organize their own crowdfunding campaigns.

What kind of time commitment is the AIR program?

This is a self-driven residency. We expect that residents spend about 15-20 hours per week in their studio on their work. Critiques and class times are twice per week, generally totaling to about 6 hours additional per week. Residents have 24/7 access to the TAC studio. 

We expect that accepted residents make the program a priority for the full cycle. It is an intensive professional development program that will take a lot of focus, work, and time. We believe the investment in you and your work makes it worth this level of effort and attention. 

What is life in the studio like?

TAC is a buzzing community atmosphere and an inter-generational collaborative environment. TAC AIR studios are fully integrated with year round artist studios, a gallery, adult classes, youth programs, birthday parties, and various events throughout the year. 

The artists’ studios are located in the project space, side-by-side open public studios. Each studio consists of three walls, with one side open to the shared area. The studio is a hub of activity, with lots of things happening. Weekends tend to be busier, while weekday mornings and late nights tend to be quieter. 

What is it like living in NYC?

The multicultural city of New York City is home to an active art community and a wide range of exhibitions and cultural events. 

It is an expensive city to live in, so budgeting is important. TAC accepts candidates that have full or part time jobs. We want this program to work for artists and designers as a complement to their lives.

Have a question for an AIR alum about their experience?

Here’s a few you should feel free to contact:

If you still have questions, feel free to email Artist Programs Manager.

Applications for TAC AIR Cycle 19 will open in December 2026

Current TAC AIR Cycle 18 Artists

Camille Lescarbeau

Camille Lescarbeau is a Montreal-based ecofeminist artist. She develops sculptural installations rooted in textile and handmade papermaking processes using reclaimed materials. Her research investigates care as both a material and political practice. Drawing on textile traditions, she explores the utilitarian, aesthetic, and poetic potential of discarded matter.

She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from Université du Québec à Montréal and a BFA in Art History and Studio Arts from Concordia University. Her work has been developed through residencies and presented in exhibitions, including NARS Foundation, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Musée de Rimouski. Alongside her studio practice, she regularly shares her research on handmade paper, craft, and ecofeminism through artist talks, panel discussions, and workshops. Her practice has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

F. Lo Russo

F. Lo Russo (born Bari, Italy) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Queens, New York, working across studio and therapeutic contexts.

They studied art history, film studies and psychology at the University of Texas Austin before working as a teaching artist in New Orleans and New York City. While leading drawing classes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they developed an interest in archaeology and material culture through close engagement with the collection.

During the early months of the pandemic, they began weaving, drawn to its tactile grounding amid isolation in an increasingly screen-based world. Their practice uses textile processes to explore how embodied forms of making offer a way of thinking through the technological systems that increasingly mediate intimacy, attention, identity, and memory. They are interested in the history of fiber technologies, and global traditions of weaving and dyeing.

F. Lo Russo received an MFA in Painting from Yale University and has attended both the Penland School of Craft and the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture. They have a background in psychoanalytic theory and maintain a private psychotherapy practice in NYC.

Fabiola Carranza

I am an interdisciplinary artist and writer. I hold a PhD in Art History, Theory and Criticism with an Art Practice Concentration and a Critical Gender Studies Specialization from the University of California San Diego.

My artwork has been exhibited at Mandeville Gallery (San Diego), Plug In Institute for Contemporary Art (Winnipeg), the National Gallery of Costa Rica (San José), Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), and at artist run centres in Canada, including Artspeak, Access, Blinkers and 221A. My writing has appeared in BOMB, Canadian Art, Public Parking, Charcuterie, C Magazine, PubLab and The Capilano Review.

My play, The Mexican Husband was published by Blank Cheque Press (2019) and by Taller California (2025). It has been staged as a reading-event at the 3rd Kamias Triannial (2020), at Artspeak in Vancouver (2019), at Deslave in Tijuana (2018), at Vinegar Contemporary in Birmingham, Alabama (2022) and at Mandeville Gallery (2025). The Mexican Husband was staged through Project [Blank] at Bread & Salt in San Diego as a full theatrical production (2026).

Honey Pierre

Cassandra Hickey (b. 1993), known as Honey Pierre, is an Atlanta-based textile artist born in Cleveland,OH, to her mother, Rhonda Harris. After serving three years in the U.S. Army, she cultivated a disciplined and reflective approach that informed her artistic practice.

Honey works primarily in punch needle, an eco-conscious textile technique, creating layered, tactile narratives that explore memory, identity, and the intersections of personal and collective experience. Her work transforms fiber into a medium for storytelling, care, and reflective witnessing.

Through research-driven studio practice and material experimentation, Honey continues to advance contemporary textile art, producing narrative-rich works that connect the personal, historical, and cultural dimensions of lived experience.

Lucia Rosenast

Weaver, dyer, sculpture

Natalia Hernandez

Natalia Hernandez is a socially engaged artist born in Mexicali BC, currently based in New York City. With works that tackle concepts of immigration, race, education, sexuality, food sovereignty, and civil rights, her practice is heavily researched and deeply rooted in personal narrative. By weaving together lived experience and external realities, Hernandez constructs narratives that speak to broader collective stories and realities.

Hernandez holds a BFA in Visual Arts from the University of California San Diego where she expanded her practice to incorporate research of archives/collections, historical and contemporary events, and qualitative structured interviews.

Hernandez carries her practice with her through participation in creative/educational initiatives and collective activism with organizations like, San Diego Pride, San Diego LGBTQIA+ Center, Centro Cultural de la Raza, through her work in residence at TEXERE (2026), and with grassroots projects committed to cultural equity and social change.

Natalia Hernandez continues to build upon her civically engaged art practice telling stories on sapphic intersectionality, cross-border life, and addressing the alarming practices active though the import of textiles and produce from Mexico to the United States.

Nicole Cheng

Nicole Cheng (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist and designer based in Brooklyn, NY. Her family has migrated far distances from their ancestral lands, with five generations dispersed across six continents. With every move, her ancestors had to redefine their connection to Chinese heritage and remake a sense of home. Nicole continued this tradition growing up as an immigrant in Hong Kong and now in Lenapehoking, constantly exploring what it means to make in and of place. Her current focus is on building imagination infrastructure that will help us land in a future where every one of us – from Palestine to Sudan to the Congo and to New York – will be free.

Nicole’s work has been shown at pilot + projects; Philadelphia, Hong Kong Art Book Fair; Hong Kong, Singapore Art Book Fair; Singapore, LIC Arts Open at The Factory; New York, Franconia in the City @ Casket; Minneapolis and others. She was awarded a National Youth Award in Singapore for her work with cultural heritage conservation in 2020 and was a 2025 Forefront Fellow at the Urban Design Forum. She is currently the artist in residence at Velvetpark in Brooklyn, NY.

Z. S. Qiu

serena received a ph.d. in art history from the university of pennsylvania (2022), and a b.a. in art history and english from duke university (2011). elsewhere, serena designs patterns for hand knitting, and was formerly a freelance art writer. they teach writing & art history & knitting.

TAC AIR Alumni

Cycle 17 2025/26
Alessandro Levato
Cici Osias
Diana Eusebio
Margaret Roleke
Mateo Gutiérrez
Seyoung Hong
Vero Bello
Vic Liu
Cycle 16 2024/25
faviola
Fay Ku
Josué Morales Urbina
Leo Pontius
Malaika Temba
Mark Fleuridor
Quinci Baker
Rose Malenfant
Cycle 15 2023/24
Audrey Cibel
Carter Shocket
Hera Ford
Jimmy Zhao
Julie Clapton
Lovisa Axén
Nana YaaSerwaah Akuoku
Shawna Tang
Cycle 14 2022/23
Cynthia Chang
Hekima Hapa
Jasmine Murrell
Kat Sours
Madhura Nayak
Manal Shoukair
Martina Cox
Mary Evangeline Guadalupe Rubi
Paola de la Calle
Cycle 13 2021/22
Adriana Gramly
Emma Safir
Jia Sung
Linda Sok
Lucas Montenegro
Melika Abikenari
Tashiana St Aude
Tinglan Huang
Cycle 12 2020/21
Clare Hu
Elaine Shen
Elizabeth Tolson
Emily Small
Francisco (Echo) Eraso
Jeanne F. Jalandoni
Jessica Elena Aquino
Ryan Scails
Cycle 11 2019/20
Anthony Shimek
Aomi Kikuchi
Cong-Tam Nguyen
Marta Nowak
Melissa Joseph
Rowan Renee
Yidan Zeng
Zuhoor Al Sayegh
Cycle 10 2018/19
Dance Doyle
Erin Palumbo
Familien Iglesias (Bo, Lisa, Janelle)
Noah Pica
Romina Chuls
Shihui Zhou
Tiantian Lou
Winnie van der Rijn
Cycle 09 2017/18
Chang Yuchen
Cory Siegler
Hannah Whelan
Jamie Boyle
Junyu Li
Lily Moebes
Meghan O'Sullivan
Rhonda Khalifeh
Cycle 08 2016/17
Andrew Boos
Isabella Amstrup
Martha Skou
Mia Daniels
Rebekah Bassen
Sarah Finkle
Vien Le Wood
Cycle 07 2015/16
Alex Goldberg
Collette Aliman
Fanny Gentle
Ignacia Murtagh
Jamie Israelow
Maeve Myfawnwy
Victoria Manganiello
Yunjung Kang
Cycle 06 2014/15
Aimee McLaughlin
Alayna Rasile
Anne-Marie Lavigne
Christi Johnson
Emelie Röndahl
Hannah Schultz
Iris Plaitakis
Yoshiyuki Minami
Cycle 05 2013/14
Amanda Hu
Chi Nguyen
Joey Korein
Kaelyn Garcia
Sarah Abarbanel
Yto Barrada
Cycle 04 2012/13
Eleanor Anderson
Kate Parvenski
Kelly Valletta
Kristin Morrison
Lucia Cuba
Mandy Kordal
Cycle 03 2011/12
Josefina Concha
Katie King
Melissa Dadourian
Natalie Moore
Stacie Baek
Veronica Fuentes
Cycle 02 2010/11
Annie Coggan
Candice Thompson
Julia Ramsey
Katie Minford
Stacie Baek
Whitney Crutchfield
Cycle 01 2009/10
Astrid Lewis Reedy
Denise Maroney
Jill Magi
Julia Ramsey
Tali Weinberg
Whitney Crutchfield
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