Program:
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
The Artist in Residence Program provides 6 months’ of free, professional studio space at the Golden Belt Campus in Durham for one or more local artist(s) each year. Resident Artists also receive a $1,500 stipend, regular support from local professional artists, access to DAG’s professional resources and networks, and an exhibition in the DAG Gallery at Golden Belt at the end of the residency.
In 2023 the Artist in Residence program has grown to three artists’ studio spaces, with a new studio added in the Durham Bottling Co.
Applications for the next cycle 2024-2025 are open!
2024 Artist in Residence
Ina Liu
Ina Liu is an artist specializing in visual art, storytelling, and community-driven art. She has a background in public health and is deeply passionate about leveraging art for advocacy and health equity, having completed key projects with the World Health Organization, UNC Asian American Center, and other social justice organizations. As an Asian American woman, her work centers on collaborating with her community to create art that authentically shares their stories, with a goal to foster a sense of belonging within her community. Her overarching aim is to advocate for and cultivate a more inclusive society through the expressive potential of art.
2023 Artists in Residence
Sanjé James
Sanjé James is a multimedia artist with a focus on photography. She received her BFA in Photography at Lesley Art + Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her work is fueled by the topics of race, class, and self-exploration. She weaves through pop culture’s influences on her generation and the complexity of being raised in a predominantly white suburb, by challenging the viewer to see black women in a different light from what they may be used to and haunting stereotypes. James often challenges her viewers to reflect on the past and how society constantly changes how we view the world.
"During my time at The Durham Arts Guild, with my upcoming project I hope to shed light on the importance of BIPOC’s mental health within our community. By using photography and audio, I hope the viewers are transported to the space of the subjects photographed and feel the most comfort and ease with them. This body of work will be our collective time to show up and listen to the voices that are often dismissed."
Michelle Wilkie
Michelle Wilkie is a self-taught textile artist and designer of modern quilts. Quilting is a passion, driving her creativity. She works to have her quilts seen not just as quilts but as art. Many of her designs are inspired by the details she finds or experiences every day in the world around her. She transforms these into art through stitching, piecing, constructing, editing, and quilting. She experiments with a variety of modern techniques and aesthetics, though embraces Improvisation and Minimalist styles.
"I would like to use this residency to focus on experimentation within quilt making. I would like to explore texture, sculptural aspects and discovering what rules I can move away from while maintaining the integrity of a quilt. Work on defining, for me, what is a quilt, what boundaries do I need to work with or what I can push and experiment with."
Delayna Robbins
Delayna Robbins, also known as A Colorful Chaos, is a visual artist who explores her take on Contemporary Afro Surrealism. A genre which seeks to highlight the complexities and unique experiences and struggles faced by People of Color, while also celebrating their resilience and beauty.
Working primarily with acrylic paints, she draws inspiration from her experiences as a woman of color and her ongoing journey towards understanding the interconnectedness of spirituality and mental health. Through her use of bold colors and surrealistic elements, she invites viewers to consider their own experiences and perspectives, fostering empathy, understanding, and connection.
Past Artist in Residence Recipients
2022 DAG Artist in Residence: Isabel Lu
2022 DAG/Black on Black Project Artist in Residence: Assata Goff
2021 DAG Artist in Residence: Derrick Beasley
2021-2022 DAG/Black on Black Project Artist in Residence: Haillee Mason
2021 DAG Mini Artist Residency: Antonio Alanís
2020 DAG Artist in Residence: Claire Alexandre
2020-2021 DAG/Black on Black Project Artist in Residence: Shay Hendricks
2019 DAG Artist in Residence: Jade Wilson
2019-2020 DAG/Black on Black Project Artist in Residence: Anthony Patterson
2018: Gemynii
2017: Stephen Hayes
2016: William Paul Thomas
2015: Maready Evergreen
2014: Brianna Gribben and Lile Stephens