Frequently Asked Questions

• Are you still taking applications?
Yes.
• How long does the residency take?
Residencies tend to take about an hour and a half, could be less or more.
• Can I do the residency even though I'm not "an artist"?
No, but nothing is stopping you from calling yourself an artist, and I would never say "you're not an artist". If you really have a hang-up about calling yourself an artist, either get over it, or lie about it.
• Who is this residency for?
This residency is open to people I know, people I don't know, people I kind of know, and even to people with whom I already have a regular "let's get coffee" practice. You do not have to live in Rhode Island but you have to be able to physically transport yourself here somehow. This is for individuals only, no groups, collectives, or partnerships.
• I already did the residency, can I do it again?
Yes but this time you gotta buy your own coffee :)
• Where does the residency take place?
The residency can occur at any coffee shop in Providence except Starbucks, which I reject on ideological grounds. Dunkies ok. The default coffee shop is Seven Stars on Broadway, because I'm usually near there and usually on foot. An incomplete list of possible shops is maintained here: [link]. Suggestions of other coffee shops are always welcome.
• Can you travel to my city / town to do this residency?
No, I'll most likely be travelling by foot from my home on the west side of Providence, so my choice of location is limited.
• Do I really have to apply online or can I just tell you I want to do the residency when I see you?
You have to apply online, that's part of it :)
• Did I miss the deadline to apply?
No, the deadline is provided only for people that feel they need a deadline to accomplish anything. Using a small bit of PHP code, the deadline, as shown on the front page, regenerates each time you load the website. It is currently set to display a date always 1 week in the future.
• What are the costs involved?
The time cost is about 90 minutes, plus travel. Coffee or tea will be provided. The fee is $250, and scholarships are available with a 100% approval rate, bringing potential costs to the artist down to zero. There is no travel stipend.
• How can I prepare for this residency?
Coffee drinkers are advised to not have coffee beforehand, unless you really drink a lot of coffee. It's ok to have things you want to talk about but that is not a requirement or even preferred. The residency is at its best when we have a sort of meandering conversation that eventually winds its way to "so, what are you working on?". If you want feedback on a specific project feel free to email me about it beforehand.
• Why do I have to indicate "I'm cool"?
I realize a lot of people have difficulty saying this. I think for an application like this there should be some difficulty. You don't have to believe it or identify with it, and you absolutely do not need to convince me that it's true, but you do have to say "I'm cool". If you don't say "I'm cool" in the space provided, or if your email subject is anything other than "COFFEE RESIDENCY", I'm going to say "Thank you for your interest, unfortunately your application was not selected". Usually with grants and residencies they have complicated ways of assessing whether or not you're cool-- they ask if you went to college and where, if you've done other residencies, if you've received grants, if you've done shows, or if you operate within especially grantable fields. With this residency there's just one way to indicate that you're cool, and I'm telling you what it is- you have to say "I'm cool". :)