Loading
The Recology San Francisco Artist in Residence (AIR) Program is seeking Bay Area artists and college/university students for a four-month residency to develop their practice using materials sourced from the recycling and transfer center.
Does this fit your work? 5 questions score every call to your medium, location and budget. Free.
Get matched →The Recology San Francisco Artist in Residence (AIR) Program is an art and education initiative supporting Bay Area artists. This four-month residency offers an immersive environment for artists to develop their practice, deeply engaging with sustainability and community outreach. Since 1990, over 190 professional artists and 60 student artists have completed residencies, working across disciplines including new media, video, painting, photography, performance, sculpture, and installation.
The artist studios are located at the San Francisco Recycling and Transfer Center, a 47-acre facility. Artists source materials for their artwork from the Public Reuse and Recycling Area ('the dump') and paint from the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
Throughout the residency, artists speak to student and adult groups visiting their studios during tours of recycling and composting operations. At the conclusion, Recology hosts a public exhibition and artist talk. Artists contribute one to three works made during their residency to Recology AIR’s permanent collection.
The mission is to empower communities to conserve natural resources by providing professional Bay Area artists and college and university students with access to materials at the public dump, a workspace, stipend, and ongoing exhibition opportunities. The program aims to amplify artists' voices, offer a community learning space, and host a dynamic public education program.
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.
Established in 1990 by Jo Hanson, the program was a key element of San Francisco's Solid Waste Management Program to promote recycling and resource conservation following a 1989 state law requiring waste diversion. Hanson, an artist and activist, conceived the program as an innovative educational initiative and served on its board until her passing in 2007.