Dear writers, visual artists, and composers,
After careful consideration and with cautious optimism, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) is pleased to announce our plan to welcome Fellows back for in-person residencies at our Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Va., starting in the summer of 2021.
What are the application and residency dates?
Online applications will open October 15, 2020, with a deadline of January 15, 2021, for residencies from July 1 – September 30, 2021. Scheduling notification will go out by March 31, 2021.
Those whose 2020 residencies or applications were affected by the temporary closure due to the pandemic can expect to hear from VCCA’s artist services team in the coming weeks with a request for updated availability. See COVID-19 FAQs for more information.
What will the residency experience look like?
Of course, the residency experience will look a little different in 2021. This includes some positive changes! We’ve been hard at work on much-needed maintenance and upgrades while our doors have been closed to Fellows; those projects will continue into the first part of 2021, and we can’t wait for Fellows to see the fruits of our labor for themselves.
The Fellows Residence is receiving a great deal of attention: the public rooms are being upgraded and re-furnished, and each bedroom will soon have a new, private bath. Likewise, the Studio Barn will receive numerous upgrades, including new HVAC, paint, and furnishings. And we’re excited that, after many years, the pool will be open again next summer!
Because of social distance requirements, it is likely that we will need to adjust our capacity with fewer than our usual 25 Fellows in residence at a time. We also expect to make changes to our dining procedures. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we wait to formalize and announce more details of our adjusted residency experience closer to our start date.
We will continue to monitor and take seriously the global pandemic as we approach our July 1 reopening. We will be taking necessary health and safety precautions and preparing to respond with agility as new challenges may arise. Know that Fellow and staff safety will continue to be our top priority.
What about residencies in France?
As travel to France is still restricted, we remain in a holding pattern regarding reopening decisions for Le Moulin à Nef in Auvillar, France.
We hope to see you soon!
We can’t wait to welcome Fellows to our home at Mt. San Angelo, so we can get back to fulfilling our mission of providing time and space to national and international writers, visual artists, and composers of talent and promise to bring forth their finest works, because the arts are vital, diversity is a strength, and creativity is essential.
Kevin O’Halloran
Executive Director