I look back at my month at latitude with such fondness, remembering nostalgic bus rides to a sun filled, climate controlled oasis. I was constantly invited to be in the space, experiment, and expand. The generous staff provided extensive expert knowledge on top of friendly kindness. I was able to shed feelings of reticence and intimidation when faced with the printing process and now feel empowered to integrate these techniques into my practice. As a media artist and sculptor, I was finally able to take digital renderings - otherwise bound behind a screen - into physical mediums. I experimented with different paper types, printing on textile, and image transfer, producing material that I have subsequently remixed into different shown work. Few residencies offer the level of care around access and accommodations as Latitude. As a disabled artist, I felt unburdened by the need to advocate for my needs while deeply cared for and considered. Anytime I visit Chicago, I plan to stop in and do some printing! Benefits included imparting new skills, community connections, opportunities for studio visits, and an ongoing professional relationship. The residency is generous with the free and low cost printing resources and ink stipend so I left with a lot of high quality printed material. The challenge is that housing is not provided, so I had to find a sublet, but this is relatively affordable and easy to find in Chicago. Practical advice would include having some files ready to print right away. Less time preparing files means more time printing and experimenting. Costs were greatly outweighed by the benefits: because the residency is an entire month and mostly autonomously structured, I was still able to work my remote job, making the visit more affordable. The amount of material I was able to print for free would have cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Latitude Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
About
Latitude Chicago's Artist in Residence Program offers a dynamic environment for artists to enhance their creative process through full access to cutting-edge production facilities. Launched in 2013, this one-month residency annually hosts 8-10 artists, providing them with unlimited scanning, an ink stipend, a personal workstation, and invaluable training and guidance from skilled staff. Additionally, artists benefit from lifetime free lab access and the opportunity to engage with the community through mentoring and organizing public events. The program is designed for artists interested in exploring new production techniques and engaging in educational activities, regardless of their prior experience in art media or printing.
Disciplines
Professional Opportunities
Rating Breakdown
Reviews(3)
Everyone at Latitude was so kind and helpful and truly was a huge positive change in my practice, how I make work, and my art career. I was granted a printing stipend, full access to facilities, and the community to develop my practice. They also provide you with the opportunity to meet with local curators, artists, and members of the community. Chicago has excellent public transportation, so it waseasy to get around. They don't provide housing, so as someone not from the Chicago area, that was a difficult hurdle to overcome. I was lucky in that I had a close friend who lived in Chicago already.
Wonderful residency to explore your work in print. I learned a ton with the help of the staff and was able to create a body of work in one month. The stipend for printing really helps and is very generous.