ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas works with communities, at the State Capitol, and in the courts to protect and advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions. From Amarillo to Brownsville and Beaumont to El Paso, we believe in a Texas that works for all of us — a Texas where each person has an equal say in the decisions that shape our future and everyone can build a good life.
The ACLU of Texas is both a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization. The ACLU of Texas operates professional offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, and Brownsville, Texas.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The artist-in-residence program at the ACLU of Texas harnesses the power of arts and culture to boldly advance civil rights and civil liberties for every Texan, no exceptions.
A Texas artist or artist group working in any medium will receive funding and institutional support to lead an arts-based project that advances strategic advocacy goals. The artist will develop their project with input from community stakeholders and direction from the ACLU of Texas.
This year’s priority issues are: (1) border and immigrants’ rights; (2) criminal justice reform; (3) free speech and pluralism.
While we will consider artists working on our other issues, we will prioritize artists working on these three issues.
The residency will last six to ten months, beginning in April 2025 and concluding no later than January 2026. The artist will not receive housing or studio space, but they may use the organization’s office in Houston for workshops, rehearsals, etc.
Learn more about current and past artists-in-residence.
EXPECTATIONS OF THE ARTIST
- Attendance at monthly meetings — or more frequently, as needed — with ACLU of Texas staff and external stakeholders to develop, implement, and evaluate the project.
- Personal initiative to research themes, find opportunities, and identify prospective collaborators to support the project.
- Submission of artistic drafts and deliverables through an inclusive review process that incorporates feedback from ACLU of Texas staff and external stakeholders.
- Management of the budget, materials, and logistics of all art-related elements of the project, in close coordination with ACLU of Texas staff.
- Participation in the public promotion and coverage of the project, in collaboration with the ACLU of Texas, which will likely include speaking with the press, posting on social media, writing blog posts, and more.
- Permission to use the artwork and any documentation thereof in perpetuity to advance the mission of the ACLU of Texas.
- Contribution to the continued success of the artist-in-residence program by participating in the recruitment and selection of future artists.
OUTCOMES FOR THE ARTIST
- Meaningful progress on a justice issue of personal and social importance.
- Greater knowledge, deeper understanding, and expanded relationships that further establish the artist as a recognized advocate and spokesperson on the issue.
- Funding of the artist’s own labor and materials needed to produce the arts-based project at scale.
- Organizational support from legal, policy, community engagement, operations, communications, and/or fundraising departments to maximize the impact of the arts-based project.
- Media training and communications support to elevate the public profile of both the artist and the arts-based project.
- Documentation and assessment of the arts-based project for the artist’s portfolio, as well as organizational endorsement of the artist for future work.
SELECTION CRITERIA
- Body of work — including both artistic processes and products — that thoughtfully addresses social issues, ideally related to the issue/s the artist plans to work on.
- Demonstrated ability to use artmaking to engage with communities, express clear ideas, and facilitate collective meaning that transcends individual perspective.
- Successful track record of managing complex, longer-term arts-based projects with diverse stakeholders, including nonprofit and/or public institutions.
- Meaningful connection and commitment to Texas. Artists do not need to have been born in Texas or currently live in the state, but the artist-in-residence project must take place in Texas.
COMPENSATION
The ACLU of Texas will pay the artist-in-residence a stipend of $30,000 to cover labor and materials for the project. The disbursement schedule will be determined based on the timeline and nature of the project.
If additional funding is needed for the project, the ACLU of Texas will work with the artist to apply for grants, which cannot be guaranteed.
HOW TO APPLY
Complete this form by January 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, previous criminal conviction and veteran status.