2023 is fully scheduled. 2024 Residency Application is now closed.
Contact | info@alexbrownfoundation.org
The aim of the residency is to provide emerging and established artists of exceptional merit with an experience of the working conditions that artist Alex Brown (1966-2019) found in Des Moines, IA—the ability to make the work you want to make, free from the daily influence of being immersed in a major metropolitan scene but without the isolation of a rural residency, in an exceptional studio environment and a relaxed and pleasant living environment.
There are four 3-month residency terms in 2024:
January 1 – March 28
April 1 – June 27
July 1 – September 26
October 1 – December 27
Choose a term to be in residence for no less than 8 weeks, or for as long as two consecutive terms (6-months.)
Applications are accepted from artists working in any medium.
Dedicated use of a 1400 sq. ft. studio space at Mainframe Studios, a renovated 1970s telecommunications building in downtown Des Moines.
A monthly expense allowance of of $1,000, plus up-to $1,000 airfare or reimbursement for other travel to and from Des Moines.
Stipends are adjusted according to the agreed residency duration.
The 1400-square foot studio space at Mainframe Studios, a renovated 1970s telecommunications building in downtown Des Moines operated on a 501(c)(3) nonprofit basis, provides permanent affordable workspace to artists of all disciplines. Originally built out to Alex’s specifications, this spacious and quiet studio has great natural light from a northern exposure, in a secure facility occupied by local artists and designers.
Mainframe Studios has recently installed building-wide improvements including an Air Purification system that proactively attacks airborne contaminants and better humidity controls. Mainframe also houses its very own art store, The Blok, to aid our artists creative endeavors.
For a city of its size and regionally rooted culture, Des Moines has a remarkably strong arts community. At the root is the Des Moines Art Center, a world class institution with a remarkable collection and diverse program housed in tremendous facilities with wings by Eero Saarinen, I.M. Pei, and Richard Meier. The main Art Center facility is complemented by other public art throughout the city, most notably the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden at the west end of downtown, and by a rich municipal architectural heritage. In recent years, the city has become an increasingly attractive permanent base for artists, with a wide array of outstanding and affordable studio space and housing.
By the end of 2023 The Alex Brown Foundation will have hosted fourteen artist since beginning the artist-in-residence program in 2021. Four of those artist traveled internationally to participate in the program marking their first ever visit to Iowa. In 2024, The Alex Brown Foundation and Residency is pleased to announce the invitation of four individual artists and one artist collaborative to participate in the program, with each in residence for three month periods beginning in January of 2024 and leading into 2025.
The Alex Brown Foundation is currently accepting applications for its 2024 artist residency program. Applications will be accepted from artists working in any medium. No application fee will be charged. We will be accepting applications until March 15, 2023 for residencies beginning January 1 of 2024. If you are interested in participating, complete the form below and compile your application materials into a single PDF, including: