PF STUDIOS
Creating Necessary Space. In 2019 PF Studios began as one space, Studio #400, with the goal to increase access to affordable studio space and empower young artists with tools and knowledge to grow their practice + community. Nine artists joined us as the first cohort on this journey to build differently, and helped shape what has now grown into the expanded PF Studios program.
BIPOC-Led and Centered. PF Studios is an intentional space centering BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists and cultural producers. In an inclusive approach to reducing barriers, we encourage artists who also have lived experiences of marginalized identities in the art world to apply such as — women, queer, trans, and non-binary artists. We acknowledge these identities and experiences as intersectional and layered. All PF Studios artists are invited to express and realize their artistic practices in a way that makes sense to their cultural context and personal goals, rather than being expected to adjust to a structured program model.
Flexible and change-driven. A safe and supportive culture for the development of new ideas, aesthetics, and artistic approaches is key to this intersectional space. As we continue to learn and make new relationships, the program will change and evolve at a pace that is healthy and sustainable. The studios are multi-disciplinary, in an open interpretation of art and artists. The program includes (but is not limited to) artists who work in Drawing, Painting, Collage/Mixed Media, Photography, Digital Media, Textiles, Design, Fashion, Public Art, Sculpture, and Installation. Artists who are self-taught and artists who are traditionally educated are equally valued.
Leading by example. Within this space, the artists build community, dedicate themselves to practice, and collaborate with each other. Space is curated and managed by the artists, with guidance and support from artist Leslie Barlow. As the program director, Barlow is committed to building a more diverse, sustainable and liberated artist community, built on cooperation and trust. As an economic generator, this program is a place of resource redistribution and a model for building collective power, driven directly by the artists affected. The goal is that this work ripples beyond PF Studios, because it is vital, important + urgent within the larger arts ecosystem.
Arts Movement. We continue to grow our work and serve more artists because of community investment and support. Currently, there are 25 artists practicing in the PF Studios program, and PF Studios spans four unique spaces: #400, #285, #306, #471.
The PF Studios are located in the Northrup King Building in NE Minneapolis. We encourage folks to use best judgment regarding COVID-19, and to stay home if you are feeling under the weather. PF supports mask-wearing, but often does not require it at our events. We always have a supply of free masks available on-site.
INCUBATOR RESIDENCY | #400
The Incubator Residency* supports 8 early career artists in a shared studio workspace. The year-long residency period includes artist funding of $1200**, plus a mentorship for one-on-one guidance. After the residency, artists are encouraged to stay for Year 2: an important second year to build on the skills, confidence, and portfolio explored in the first year. We see the first year residency as a launch pad where artists get comfortable with a working, communal studio space and begin to explore all of the opportunities PF Studios has to offer. We see Year 2 in studio #400 as a transitional year to allow artists to build towards economic autonomy and sustainability, while preparing to move into one of the larger PF Community studios or wherever their practice takes them next. In Year 2, artists also become eligible for our PF Studios x GMAC residency: a 10-day expenses-paid studio experience with Grand Marais Art Colony in northern MN. Incubator Residency artists commit to at least one year, but their time in studio #400 is flexible, up to two years.
All artists in the Incubator Residency and Year 2 are a part of a cohort which includes: required monthly meetings with studiomates and the program director, optional monthly Conversation Lab events (group meetups and workshops for critical and compassionate dialogue around artistic practice), exhibition opportunities, and participation in the Northrup King Building’s Art-a-Whirl art crawl. Artists are also prioritized for PF Community Studios as they become available.***
The Incubator Residency is reserved for early-career artists under age 30 who have not previously had access to a professional studio workspace. Artists are chosen each Spring through an open call and selection panel process.
*The primary role of an incubator is to help folks at the earliest stages of their career/business - with resources, access to industry mentors, interactions with other artists and entrepreneurs, and perhaps most importantly, patient capital, to get through the survival stage. In a way, our “patient capital” shows up as subsidized studio rent, and is altruistic with no desire for a “return” except in the form of a relationship.
**Artists selected for the PF Studios Incubator Residency receive an honorarium of $1200. This funding serves various purposes, including covering materials, compensations, studio rent ($100 per month), and other costs. Artists have the flexibility to allocate the honorarium according to their preferences, such as directing some of it towards studio rent and the remainder towards other needs. Our goal is to assist artists in developing financial management skills and making well-informed choices regarding sustaining a long-term studio practice. Year 2 does not include an honorarium.
***Many artists in the PF Studios program stay with us several years beyond the Incubator Residency, eventually moving into PF Community Studios––and we’ve had 7 artists move into their own autonomous studios in the Northrup King Building with friends they met through the program!
COMMUNITY STUDIOS | #285 #306 #471
The goal of our expanded PF Community Studios is to advocate for historically excluded artists’ presence and work in the Northrup King Building, assist artists who have experienced economic barriers to access studio space, and honor the impact of having a supportive studio community to build within. Artists in #285, #306, and #471 are emerging artists, with a few years of experience as practicing artists.
Unlike the Incubator Residency (which is structured to assist artists in the earliest stages of their practice), #285, #306, and #471 are independent spaces within a collaborative studio environment. Each studio nominates an Ambassador to help them stay connected as a group, and across the larger PF Studios program.
All PF Community Studios artists are encouraged to join Conversation Lab: group meetups and workshops for critical and compassionate dialogue around artistic practice. Artists in the PF Community Studios are also supported with art exhibition and economic generating opportunities, as well as the eligibility to apply to PF Studios x GMAC residency: a 10-day expenses-paid studio experience with Grand Marais Art Colony in northern MN.
PF Community Studio semi-private spaces are available for a subsidized rate of $180-$260, and there are 5-6 artists in each studio. The PF Community Studios applications are always open and reviewed on a quarterly basis. We cannot guarantee the number of spaces open in PF Community Studios, as they fluctuate year to year.
Artists who have completed the Incubator Residency are prioritized for PF Community Studios (no application needed).
Rolling Application Details:
PF Community Studios applications are received on a rolling basis, and reviewed quarterly by the PF Studios team. Applicants will receive an email confirmation that their materials have been received, and any acceptance is contingent on an interview. Due to limited studio spaces available, not everyone who applies can be accepted. Generally, the wait is 3-6 months to get into the PF Community Studios program after acceptance, and there is an active waitlist.
Studio Applications are currently open!
The Incubator Residency application closes May 10. The Community Studios application is rolling.
Questions about PF Studios? Email: Leslie Barlow, PF Studios Director, leslie@publicfunctionary.org