Leeway x Fleisher Visual Artist Residency
Residency Overview
Leeway Foundation and Fleisher Art Memorial are partnering to offer a Visual Artist residency to a past Leeway grantee from January through December 2027. Leeway grantees of all artistic disciplines are encouraged to submit a proposal for an art for social change project that utilizes Fleisher's facilities.
Fleisher is one of the country's oldest community art schools with classes and studios for various visual disciplines (painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, screen-printing, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, etc).
The selected Fleisher Artist-in-Residence will receive:
- a $3,000 stipend from Leeway to cover materials, class supplies, class costs ($300-400 per class) + studio fees
- 1 Tuition-free class per semester (additional classes up to the Fleisher’s discretion)
- Prioritization for placement in all desired classes
- Access to Fleisher facilities and equipment during open studio hours per open studio guidelines, including painting/drawing studio, ceramics equipment/kilns, darkroom, digital photography lab, painting and drawing studio, and printmaking equipment. Please note that access to open studio spaces requires prior knowledge of the medium and required orientation by Fleisher's staff members.
- Free space at Fleisher for artist talk/workshop + final event
As part of the residency, the artist will be required to offer a public artist workshop or talk, as well as a final exhibition or presentation to share the work created during the residency. Leeway and Fleisher will promote these related events.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply, you must:
- be a past Leeway grantee
- currently live in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia county
- have submitted grant reports for completed previous projects, awards, and residencies
- not have received the Transformation Award or a residency from Leeway in 2025
- not be enrolled as a full-time student in an arts degree program
About Fleisher Art Memorial
Founded in 1898, Fleisher Art Memorial is one of the country’s oldest nonprofit community art schools and is committed to advancing the vision to make art accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means, background, or artistic experience. Located in the Bella Vista neighborhood of South Philadelphia, Fleisher’s campus includes a sanctuary for events, a gallery space for exhibitions, and art studios for various visual disciplines: painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture. To learn more about Fleisher, click here.
You can check out Fleisher's classes at: fleisher.org/take-a-class. You can also schedule a consultation with Fleisher’s Director of Exhibitions and Community Outreach, Gerard Silva, to better understand classes and pricing by emailing: [email protected]
FAQs
Click here to visit the Frequently Asked Questions for the Leeway x Fleisher Visual Arts Residency.
Apply for the Residency
FAQ
What grants are only open to past Leeway grantees?
In addition to the three funding streams listed above, Leeway grantees are eligible to apply for the following funding opportunities:
- Window of Opportunity (WOO)">Window of Opportunity Grant (WOO) provides financial assistance of up to $1,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to help them take advantage of imminent, time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice. Deadline: The 15th of every month (February-November)
- Community Care Fund (CCF)">Community Care Fund (CCF) provides financial assistance of up to $1,250 to Leeway grant and award recipients to support with immediate and essential emergency needs. Deadline: Rolling – or until the maximum amount of funding per quarterly cycle is reached.
- Leeway x Fleisher Visual Artist Residency">Leeway x Fleisher Visual Artist Residency offers a residency to a past Leeway grantee at Fleisher from January through December 2027. Residents receive a $3,000 stipend and access to Fleisher facilities, equipment, and classes. Deadline: June 29.
- Leeway x NextFab Art + Technology Residency">Leeway x NextFab Art + Technology Residency offers a residency to a past Leeway grantee at NextFab from January through September 2026. Residents receive a $3,000 stipend and a Standard Membership to NextFab’s facilities, equipment, and classes. Deadline: October 14.
How does Leeway define Art for Social Change?
Art with a vision and an intentional analysis. Find out more here.
Can I apply with other artists?
This residency is only open to one past Leeway grantee at a time. You may work collaboratively on your residency project, however only the selected artist-in-residence will have access to Fleisher’s classes and facilities.
Who decides who receives funding?
An independent review panel – consisting of community-based artists from different ranges, breadths, and depths of art for social change work – decides who gets funded. Leeway staff does not make these decisions.
How long does it take to hear back from the panel?
Grant notification letters are mailed approximately 8-10 weeks after the application deadline.
What are the application questions?
Click here to view the application in English or in Spanish. After completing the eligibility questions, the application will open and you are free to view and click through the application questions without having to fill out the entire form.
Does the application include a budget?
The application will ask you to include a brief and rough estimate of a budget for your residency, what supplies you anticipate needing as well as any classes you might intend to take. This is primarily to encourage you to think about how you will use your residency stipend, and to help the panel understand what classes, materials, and/or artists fees are essential to your residency.
You can check out Fleisher's classes here: fleisher.org/take-a-class. You can also schedule a consultation with Fleisher’s Director of Exhibitions and Community Outreach, Gerard Silva, to better understand classes and pricing by emailing: [email protected]
Does the application include work samples?
Yes, the application includes work samples. Applicants should submito 5 work samples total. These samples can be:
- images;
- PDFs (max 10 pages each); and/or
- videos (max 10 minutes each);
Remember:
- General links to personal or organizational websites are not accepted.
- At least one work sample should reflect work completed within the last five years.
- Work samples should not be “pitch” pieces for this residency but should illustrate the artist’s work.
- For media artists whose work is web-based, submit a screen capture video up to 10 minutes in length that shows navigation through the website. We will not accept links to websites as a work sample.
Does my workshop have to be open to the public?
No, your workshop (which is traditionally offered mid-way through the residency) does not have to be open to the public. However, it’s important that you are able to identify the specific community in which the workshop is for.
Does my final culminating event have to be open to the public?
Yes, your final culminating event needs to be open to the public. Whether virtually or physically presented, this final event is a space where you share the work you made as part of this residency with the community-at-large. An integral part of this residency is sharing your work out in some way.
I need help with my application. How do I get help?
Leeway staff are here to support! You can:
Schedule an applicant support session by contacting Nicole Pollard, Senior Residency Manager by phone/email at 267-908-7336 or [email protected].