FORCE is seeking a Monument Quilt Artist in Residence. We are accepting applications on a rolling basis all year.
Who we are:
FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture is an art activist collective that works to upset the dominant culture of rape and promote a counter-culture of consent. We believe that a more difficult and honest conversation needs to happen in America to face the realities of sexual violence, and we envision a world where every individual has final say over what happens to their own body. To promote this needed conversation, we create art actions to generate media attention and get millions of people talking. FORCE is currently led by Saida Agostini, Hannah Brancato, and Shanti Flagg, artists, organizers, and activists in Baltimore, MD.
The Monument Quilt is FORCE’s biggest active project. It’s a collection of quilted stories from survivors of rape, abuse, and domestic violence. Survivors stitch, paint, and quilt their stories together and send them to us. We sew them into 8’x8′ quilts and take them on tour around the country to create public healing space for survivors of sexual violence. The project is a collaborative effort currently being created by FORCE’s 3 staff members, 17 volunteer Leadership Team members from around the country, and hundreds of volunteers who work in the studio every week.
For more information, visit https://themonumentquilt.org
Residency description:
FORCE is accepting applications from fiber and community/social practice artists for a 1-3 month residency around the Monument Quilt project. The Artist in Residence will work on creating the Monument Quilt and maintaining the FORCE studio as a healthy space for survivors. They will bring their artistic skills to creating the Quilt.
The Artist in Residence will be asked to:
- Attend open studio hours every week to sew quilts (T, W, Th 1-7 + Fri/Sat 12-5, total of 20 hours/week on their schedule)
- Promote their presence and FORCE/the Monument Quilt on social media
- Have a basic understanding of trauma
- Apply an understanding of healing and creating an intentional space that is positive for survivors
- Help Shanti Flagg, studio director, run regular studio operations. This involves:
- Teaching volunteers how to sew, choose colors, pin, and other tasks needed to put together quilts
- Attending events with volunteers and FORCE staff as their schedule permits
- Offering support to survivors in the studio who need it
- Maintaining the quilts respectfully
- Archiving quilts
- Working on other FORCE projects if they are of interest
In exchange, artists would get:
- 24-hour access to the shared Monument Quilt facilities for one’s own art practice and event hosting
- An exhibit of their work at Motor House (location of MQ studio), a prominent venue in the Baltimore arts scene
- Free accommodations in Baltimore for up to 2 months
- Networking opportunities with the Monument Quilt Leadership Team, FORCE donors, and members of the Baltimore arts scene
If you have other needs or desires as the Artist in Residence, we want to discuss them. Start date and length of residency are also negotiable.
The Artist in Residence will be responsible for their own food and art materials.
If you’re interested, please send a resume and cover letter to shanti.flagg@gmail.com. People of color, LGBTQ people, and applicants who have experience in any kind of healing work are particularly encouraged to apply.