With support from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, Abrons is pleased to announce the re-launch of its Parent Artist AIRspace Residency, which provides support for one parent artist working in visual arts, music, curatorial practice, and/or literary arts. This residency will provide studio space, an artist fee, a child care stipend, and opportunities for intergenerational engagement.

Program Components Include:

  • $1,000 unrestricted stipend
  • A semi-private studio and/or office space, accessible 7 days a week from 10AM-10PM from July 6–August 10, 2023
  • $300 studio visitor stipend 
  • $2,000 child care stipend

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicants must be New York City based and living within the 5 boroughs at the time of application submission and during the residency period. Housing is not offered as a part of this residency.
  • Applicants must identify as working in visual arts, music, curatorial practice and/or literary arts.
  • Applicants must identify as parents of children ages 1 month to 13 years 
  • Collaborative groups are not eligible to apply.
  • A program of the historic Henry Street Settlement, Abrons Arts Center is committed to the belief that artistic practice is key to a socio-politically engaged and healthy society. Applicants should closely review the Abrons Arts Center Mission Statement and Declaration of Inclusion before applying for the Residency. 


Important Dates:

March 13, 2023: Application opens

April 16, 2023: Application closes at 11:59pm ET

May 2023: Applicants notified of status

July 6–August 10, 2023: Residency Dates

July 6 at 10 AM: Studio Move-in and Orientation

October 5, 2023: Fall Cohort Dinner

April 11, 2023: Spring Cohort Dinner


Questions?: Email abronsairspace@henrystreet.org


Visual Artist AIRspace Residency: 2023–2024

Abrons Arts Center's Visual Artist AIRspace Residency annually supports 4 New York City-based visual artists. Visual Artist AIRspace Residents receive an artist fee and a semi-private studio for nine months at Abrons Arts Center. Throughout the residency cycle, studio visits are arranged with critics, curators, artists and other arts professionals to foster critical and professional development. The residency period will culminate in a group exhibition at Artists Alliance Inc (AAI)/Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space.  


Spring 2024 Curatorial Focus 

The word “sanctuary” comes from the Late Latin word “sanctuarium,” which means a sacred place or a shrine. A sanctuary evokes ideas of spirituality and protection yet it also brings forth the idea of a hideaway that suggests an imminent threat. 

Abrons’ curatorial focus for our Spring 2024 season is sanctuary. The 2023–2024 Curatorial AIRspace Resident (to be determined in Spring 2023) will curate the Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition according to this subject. 


About Organizational Partners: 

Abrons Arts Center is a program of Henry Street Settlement, a social services agency with nearly 130 years of experience providing front line support to New Yorkers. Since the founding of our Neighborhood Playhouse in 1915, Abrons has been a space for artists of all ages and stages to experiment with and share new ideas.


Artists Alliance Inc. is an artist-founded and artist-centered non-profit that provides a free and accessible platform to produce, experience, and understand contemporary art in the Lower East Side–a longstanding epicenter for creative experimentation and cultural diversity. AAI fosters forward-thinking and experimental practices of emerging and underrepresented artists and curators with funded residencies and paid exhibition opportunities, and advocates for art-making that challenges how we experience ourselves and our communities.


Program Components

  • $3,000 unrestricted stipend for participation in the program
  • Semi-private studio (6′ x 12′ with 12′ ceilings) for nine months at Abrons, located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan
  • 30 hours of fully subsidized studio rental time in Abrons’ dance studios and theaters. Please visit our website to learn more about our studio and theaters.
  • Studio visits with critics, curators, artists, and other arts professionals  throughout the residency cycle
  • 2 cohort dinners with Abrons AIRspace residents
  • A group exhibition at Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space presented during our Spring 2024 season, curated by Abrons’ Curatorial AIRspace Resident 


Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must be based in New York City and living within the 5 boroughs at the time of application submission and during the residency period.
  • Applicants and all associated collaborators who will be onsite at Abrons during the residency and production period must abide by our COVID-19 Safety Policies.
  • Collaborative groups are invited to apply and must submit 1 application. Collaboratives that submit more than 1 application for the same project will be disqualified from the review process.
  • Visual artists who are enrolled in degree-granting programs or will be students during the residency period are not eligible to apply.
  • As the arts pillar of the historic Henry Street Settlement, Abrons Arts Center is committed to the belief that artistic practice is key to a socio-politically engaged and healthy society. Applicants should closely review the Abrons Arts Center’s Mission Statement and Declaration of Inclusion before applying for the residency.
  • Availability to attend the required residency programs, listed below in the “Important Dates” section.

Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to provide feedback to applicants at this time.


Important Dates:

  • Application opens: March 20 2023 11:59PM ET
  • Application closes: April 23, 2023 11:59PM ET
  • Applicants notified of status: Mid-to-late May 2023 
  • Studio move in and orientation: September 6, 2023
  • Fall Cohort Dinner: October 5, 2023 5–7PM
  • Cohort Photoshoot: October 12, 2023
  • Spring Cohort Dinner: April 11, 2024 5-7PM 
  • Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition: June 14–Aug 31, 2024


Questions? Email AbronsAirSpace@henrystreet.org

Curatorial AIRspace Residency: 2023-2024 

Abrons Arts Center’s Curatorial AIRspace Residency, presented in partnership with Artists Alliance Inc (AAI), will provide one New York City based curator or curatorial collaborative with an honorarium, production budget, materials budget, and office space to support the curation of 2 exhibitions.

Abrons Arts Center’s Curatorial Focus:

The word “sanctuary” comes from the Late Latin word “sanctuarium,” which means a sacred place or a shrine. A sanctuary evokes ideas of spirituality and protection yet it also brings forth the idea of a hideaway that suggests an imminent threat. 


Abrons’ curatorial focus for our Spring 2024 season is sanctuary. The 2023–2024 Curatorial AIRspace Resident will curate one proposal based exhibition and the Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition based on this theme.


Proposal Based Exhibition: The Curator will organize an exhibition developed during their residency period based on Abrons Arts Center’s Spring 2024 curatorial focus “sanctuary.” Due to construction at Abrons Arts Center during the residency period, Exhibition 1 will be hosted at an offsite gallery on the Lower East Side, location to be determined. 

Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition: The Curator will organize a group exhibition at AAI’s Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space (inside Essex Market) featuring work by the 2023–2024 Visual Artist AIRspace residency cohort. The cohort will be announced in Summer 2023.

About Organizational Partners: 

Abrons Arts Center is a program of Henry Street Settlement, a social services agency with nearly 130 years of experience providing front line support to New Yorkers. Since the founding of our Neighborhood Playhouse in 1915, Abrons has been a space for artists of all ages and stages to experiment with and share new ideas.


Artists Alliance Inc is an artist-founded and artist-centered non-profit that provides a free and accessible platform to produce, experience, and understand contemporary art in the Lower East Side–a longstanding epicenter for creative experimentation and cultural diversity. AAI fosters forward-thinking and experimental practices of emerging and underrepresented artists and curators with funded residencies and paid exhibition opportunities, and advocates for art-making that challenges how we experience ourselves and our communities.


Program Components:

  • $5,000 curatorial honorarium
  • 30 hours of fully subsidized studio rental time in Abrons’ dance studios and theaters. Please visit our website to learn more about our studio and theaters.
  • Private office space at the Center, which is located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side
  • Paid studio visits with AAI’s LES Studio Program resident artists 
  • Mentorship and professional development opportunities, including monthly meetings with AAI and Abrons staff for project development support, professional networking guidance, and mutual mentorship
  • 2 cohort dinners with Abrons AIRspace residents
  • $300 studio visitor stipend 

Proposal Based Exhibition Resources:

  • $3,000 artist fee budget
  • $2,000 materials budget 
  • $2,000 production budget to support installation and deinstallation
  • Project development guidance and support from AAI staff 
  • Access to AAI’s inventory of equipment and exhibition furniture
  • Access to Materials for the Arts through AAI’s membership

Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition Resources:

  • Art handler for up to 16 hours for installation and 8 hours for de-installation
  • Additional resources to be confirmed



Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must be based in New York City and living within the 5 boroughs at the time of application submission and during the residency period.
  • Applicants and all associated collaborators who will be onsite at Abrons during the residency and production period must abide by the Center’s COVID-19 Safety Policies.
  • Collaborative groups are invited to apply and must submit only 1 application. Collaboratives that submit more than 1 application for the same project will be disqualified from the review process.
  • Curators who are enrolled in degree-granting programs or will be students during the residency period are not eligible to apply.
  • As the arts pillar of the historic Henry Street Settlement, Abrons Arts Center is committed to the belief that artistic practice is key to a socio-politically engaged and healthy society. Applicants should closely review the Abrons Arts Center’s Mission Statement and Declaration of Inclusion before applying for the Residency.
  • Availability to attend the required residency programs, listed below in the “Important Dates” section.

Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to provide feedback to applicants at this time.


Important Dates:

  • Application opens: March 20 2023 11:59PM ET
  • Application deadline: April 23, 2023  11:59PM ET
  • Applicants notified of status: Mid to late May 2023 
  • Office move in and orientation: July 6, 2023 2PM
  • Fall Cohort Dinner: October 5, 2023 5–7PM
  • Residency Photoshoot: October 12, 2023
  • Spring Cohort Dinner: April 11, 2024, 5–7PM 
  • Project Based Proposal (Exhibition 1): Winter 2023
  • Visual Artist AIRspace Exhibition (Exhibition 2): June 14–Aug 31, 2024


Questions? Email AbronsAirSpace@henrystreet.org

Abrons Arts Center