Our Program

Westfield Memorial Library serves not only as a destination for people to read and learn, but also a place for viewing, creating and exploring artistic expressions in an open, dynamic, and public environment. The Library offers an Artist-in-Residence program in collaboration with the Westfield Art Association. The Westfield Art Association is a non-profit volunteer organization founded in 1922 that provides public art education and public exhibitions with work from its member artists.

The Artist-In-Residence program requires resident artists to participate in three workshops during their four-month residency. The first program will be an interview with the artist to learn more about the artist in residence and their history in the art world, called “Meet the Artist.” The artist will also lead two workshops teaching a part of their artistic process and allowing workshop attendees to create a piece of art to take home; these workshops will be open to the public and will be planned and administered by the Library staff.  Library staff are available to artists to help brainstorm and execute program ideas. All of these events will occur on weekday evenings, weekends, or school vacation days and will be free and open to the public with an online registration. Each artist-in-residence will also create a limited edition library card reflecting their artwork that the library will print and make available to library patrons.

The Artist-in-Residence program brings Westfield’s talented local artists to the library for the entire community to enjoy through talks, hands-on workshops, studio hours, exhibitions, and more. The goal of the Artist-in-Residence program is to connect the community with local working artists and to provide creative and educational opportunities to the community in a way that supports cultural and artistic exchange.

Residency Details

We are looking for visual artists (ages 18 and up) who have a direct connection to the local arts community and a desire to help the Library improve the livelihood of our creative community. The candidate to be an Artist-in Residence must be a member of the Westfield Art Association to be eligible. The resident artist will deliver art-making tutorials, creative workshops and artist meet-ups, and will supple their art for a residency exhibition.

The Artist-in-Residence program will feature two artists per year and be in effect for the four-month periods of March 1 to June 30 and August 1 to November 30. The Westfield Art Association Board of Directors will solicit its members for applications to be an Artist-in-Residence and a committee with representatives from the Library and the Art Association will select each Westfield Art Association member artist who will be the Artist-in-Residence. 

The selection will be based on the details in the application and may require an interview of the applicant. The selection will be determined based on the ability of the applicant to meet the Artist-in-Residence requirements. The goal is to continue this program into the future if funding is available and the program serves the above outlined objectives.

Artists-in-Residence receive:

• A stipend of $3,000 paid to the artist at the end of the residence if all program requirements are met.
• The Library will cover the cost of any materials and supplies the artist needs to provide the public workshops. These costs must be approved in advance by the Library staff and receipts must be provided for any material not purchased by the Library staff.
• Promotion of the artist’s work through programs, lectures, and exhibitions. The Library will dedicate the walls of its downstairs hallway outside of the meeting room to display the Artist-in-Residence’s artwork. The Artist-in-Residence will be allowed to sell the pieces displayed on the walls during the show and afterward. The Library will take a commission of 5% of any artwork sold that is displayed on the walls of the library and sold during the residency. The art will stay on display throughout the residency.
• Updates and recognition in the library’s weekly email newsletter, social media, and other marketing platforms.
• Updates and recognition on the Westfield Art Association’s website and newsletter.

Resident Artists are expected to:

• Lead at least two workshops for the public and/or staff teaching a part of the artist’s process.
• Participate in a “Meet the Artist” interview session to describe their background, artistic process, and answer questions from the public and/or Library staff.
• Create art during the time of the residency with a public exhibition of the artwork at the library.
• Create a limited edition library card using their original design. The library will print the library cards and make them available to the general public.
• Remain current in their membership in the Westfield Art Association.

As noted above, the program consists of one artist per four-month residency, offered twice per year: March 1 – June 30 and August 1 – November 30.

We pose this challenge to our artists: look at Westfield, Union County, and New Jersey as a source of inspiration for your work. This residency is for artists who wish to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. Art should be accessible to all people, and it is the artist’s role to act as a catalyst for both inspiration and radical inclusion.

We highly encourage applications from artists that are active in socially engaged practice. The library is open to the public seven days per week and, as such, the residency requires artists to have the ability to fully engage with library visitors, in capacities that may differ from a traditional artist residency.