Situated in Memphis, TN, the highly competitive artist residency program at Crosstown Arts welcomes only 15 artists and curators, both visiting and local, per year, spanning various disciplines including visual arts, music, film/media, and literature.

The multidisciplinary artist residency program at Crosstown Arts offers residencies to visiting and Memphis-based artists working in any creative discipline including visual and performing arts, musicians, filmmakers and writers in all genres.

All residencies include 24/7 access to private studio spaces. Live/work residencies also include a private bedroom/bathroom next to a common living area and kitchen. All residencies are offered at no cost to participants, who are responsible for covering their own studio materials and travel expenses to and from Memphis.

Residents are required to participate in informal artist talks and open studio events, fostering interaction with both the local community and fellow artists. Set in an urban environment with shared spaces, the residency program promotes connection and socialization among residents and encourages engagement with the broader community.

Three-month residency sessions are offered each year in the fall and spring. A shorter two-month session is available in the summer.

*2026 residency sessions will be held at the following dates*
Spring: Thursday, Feb. 12th - Tuesday, May 12th, 2026
Summer: Thursday, Jun. 4th - Tuesday, Aug. 4th, 2026
Fall: Tuesday, Sept. 15th - Tuesday, Dec. 15th, 2026

Crosstown Arts offers select specialized residencies in film/video and composition each year as part of the application process. Specialized residencies include dedicated equipment and software that is particular to certain disciplines.

Anyone 21 years of age or older is welcome to apply. There are no specific project requirements for accepted residents who are encouraged to experiment and explore new ideas or further develop current work already in process.

Residents are given a membership, for the duration of their residency, to Crosstown Arts’ on-site Shared Art workspace. This facility includes a range of analog and digital fabrication and production resources, including a woodshop, multiple CNC/laser cutters, a Mac-based computer lab, a large-format digital printing service, a silkscreen/print shop, a small recording studio, and individual editing bays for video/audio production.

Founded in 2010, Crosstown Arts (501c3) oversaw the transformation of the Crosstown Concourse building, a one-million-square-foot former Sears & Roebuck distribution warehouse, into a vibrant cultural hub. Today, the Concourse houses Crosstown Arts’ cutting-edge contemporary art center, boasting a diverse array of amenities such as galleries, exhibition spaces, a screening room, a performance venue, a bar, and a 425-seat black box theater

Crosstown Concourse is also home to a major health and wellness initiative, including a walk-in clinic and a YMCA, both available to participants in Crosstown Arts’ residency program. A variety of restaurants are located in the Concourse building, as well as a small grocery store, coffee shop, pharmacy, and other commercial, retail, and residential tenants.

*Crosstown Arts Residency is not considering applications from alumni for 2026.