Harold Residency

I've got an awesome new bandwagon to hop on and it's called the Harold Residency which is located in the pretty, forested Jeffers Tree Farm near Chesterhill, Ohio. What's this place all about?

Harold Arts is a non-profit arts organization based in Chicago, IL, which seeks to revitalize and recontextualize personal artistic processes by establishing an alternative environment to traditional arts education institutions.

Our annual intensive arts residency takes place on the Jeffers Tree Farm outside of Chesterhill, OH, and is devoted to fostering the collaborative and interdisciplinary endeavors of new, emerging and mid-career artists. For one or two week sessions in July, artists enter into a dialogue with their colleagues to collaborate on new projects and refine their own practices. The residency staff work to facilitate collaborative projects developed by residents as well as offer potential project ideas. The programming provides group discussions, critiques, concerts, and lectures involving residents, staff, and guest artists/speakers.

OR to translate:

Harold Arts is an idea thought up in Chicago that ships you out to Ohio to hang out with other really good artists. You go there, make things, talk to other people, party, learn, the whole shabang.

OR to simplify:

Have fun, make art, meet new people.

And isn't that what we all really want to do?




Last year 50 artists and musicians went but I've been told this year even more people will be accepted. The acceptance rate is really high because few people know about it, which is good. The director of admissions is Jason Lazarus



and Greg Stimac is a board member



OR to translate again

It rules by association

Last year, Curtis Mann went, too.



whose work also is great.

I know by putting this on my blog I'm kind of already doing it, but I want the people who read this to apply. The "Network of Friends" as Nick Klein calls could theoretically ALL attend this 2 week artist residency this summer. Yea it's a resume booster, blah blah, BUT even better, it would be great to have everyone meet at one location and hang out. I can think of people in New York, LA, Miami and everywhere in between who I wish I could talk to in person. I already know Chicago will be well-represented there. What if 1/2 the people on Fjord went? Or even 1/4? Think of whoever you've linked to on your website you wish you could have a beer with. OK. Now you can. For free. At an artist's residency. In serene nature. Perfect right? Let's all apply!

Harold Residency website: click APPLY at the bottom to download the incredibly easy form