Watershed’s two-week summer residency sessions bring together cohorts of artists interested in living and working in community. Driven by a central theme, each session offers the opportunity to develop personal practice alongside other ceramicists. Residents spend their time making, playing, and resting, supported by our expansive studio facilities, nourishing meals, and welcoming campus.
Organizing artists propose session themes, invite a small group of artists to anchor the session with them, then a juried open call fills the remaining slots. This unique residency structure forms bonds between artists at all points in their careers and creates an environment where knowledge sharing is key.
2026 Summer Sessions
Session IJune 1–12Organizers:
How can ceramicists move between ancient and novel technologies? The second residency of its kind at Watershed, Digital Clay 2.0 welcomes digital fabrication into the studio while embracing the spontaneity inherent in the ceramics process. Structured around mini-tutorials and communal projects, residents will work to generate, gather, and document new applications of technologically-informed production, resulting in a dynamic open-source database with images, links, recipes, and tutorials.
Session IIJune 15–26Organizers:
How can ceramicists move between ancient and novel technologies? The second residency of its kind at Watershed,Digital Clay 2.0,welcomes digital fabrication into the studio while embracing the spontaneity inherent in the ceramics process. Structured around mini-tutorials and communal projects, residents will work to generate, gather, and document new applications of technologically-informed production, resulting in a dynamic open-source database with images, links, recipes, and tutorials.
Session IIIJune 29–10Organizers:
What methods do ceramicists use to bridge the gap between ideas and realized forms? Making the Thing to Make the Thing highlights the period of trial and testing that leads clay artists to a finished product or signature aesthetic. Through a handful of problem-solving exercises, residents will work alongside one another to navigate experimentation and develop tools and processes that aid their making practices.
Session IVJuly 20–31Organizers:
How does physical existence inform interaction with clay? Thinking Through the Body begins with the understanding that all people navigate their internal lives through a vulnerable, imperfect, ever-changing, beautiful, and mortal corporeality. Whether implied or represented directly, the body will be the core focus in the studio, and residents will be encouraged to consider the ways in which the body impacts their relationships with material and form.
Session VAugust 3–14Organizers:
How do artists negotiate change and disruption? While its forms vary—grief, caregiving, relocation, shifts in health or identity, political or environmental instability, or creative burnout—nearly all artists encounter moments when their ability to make work is interrupted or altered. Residents will reflect on the relationship between disruption and artistic evolution, questioning how art-making can serve as both response and resistance to these challenges. Collaborative experimentation, generative prompts, discussion, and grounding practices will support individual work while fostering community and collective reflection.
Session VIAugust 17–28Organizers:
How can art educators maintain stability between their roles as teachers & makers? This session is designed to give dedicated artist-educators—those who teach in community arts centers, colleges, public schools, and private institutions—the time and space to focus on their own creative work. Both a celebration and a much-needed restoration, Watershed will be a place for artist-educators to rest, reflect, experiment, and re-engage with their work on their own terms. Restoring the Balance Between Teacher & Maker is a celebration, a much-needed respite, and a recognition of the unique balance artist-educators strike between teaching and making.
Residency Details
Studios
Built in 2021, the 7,500 square-foot Windgate Studio offers artists a state-of-the-art, open concept space to work and connect with other makers. The studio provides ideal conditions for interaction and self-directed exploration at a variety of scales. During a residency, artists receive an individual canvas-covered worktable. Electric and kick wheels, as well as a variety of standard ceramic equipment — including slab-rollers, mixers, and an extruder — are available for resident artist use.
Structure
Accepted artists come to Watershed for two weeks at a time. Lightly guided by the session organizers and theme, residents work alongside each other in the studio. Studio staff are present for support, however participants are expected to be able to work in the studio independently. Meals are prepared by Watershed kitchen staff and enjoyed together in the Commons by residents and staff alike.
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Fees
Application Fee
$25
Residency Fee
$1,775
Payment Schedule
$200 deposit due upon registration. 50% due ~2 weeks before session. Details here.
Housing Fee
Double Room / Shared Bath — $800
Single Room / Shared Bath — $1,200
Double Room / Private Bath — $1,400
Single Room / Private Bath — $1,700
Kiln and Material Fees
Residents pay a-la-carte fees for use of Watershed’s stock clay materials and kiln firing fees. Fees are due at the end of each month.
Cancellations
Please read our cancellation policy here.
Scholarships
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are able to offer several full Kiln God Awards each year, alongside full and partial awards specifically for:
- Artists of color
- International and/or multicultural artists
- Artists from underrepresented populations in the ceramics field
- Artists whose work addresses political, social, cultural or environmental issues
- Emerging artists
Support our Scholarship Fund!
Donations help ensure that cost is never a barrier to attending a residency at Watershed.
School-Funded Student Assistantships
As a non-profit interested in supporting the next generation of ceramic artists, Watershed welcomes the opportunity to integrate undergraduate and graduate students into our Summer Residency — both as artists and as assistants. Through the Funded Assistantship Program, sponsoring colleges and universities cover the residency fees at a discounted rate for a student of their choice. In exchange, the student works twelve hours each week for Watershed during their time in residence.
Prerequisites: Students chosen for Funded Assistantships must feel comfortable working independently in a clay studio. Instruction is not provided during residency sessions.
- The Sponsoring Institution selects a student to attend a summer session and covers the cost of the student’s two-week residency. Some institutions tap department or other summer program funds, while others have established an endowment or work with student art organizations to act as the sponsoring entity.
- Placement in summer residency sessions for regular artists-in-residence is through a competitive, juried application process. Schools can guarantee placement in the residency experience for their student by participating in the Funded Assistantship program.
- The Student Assistant agrees to work for Watershed twelve hours per week while taking full advantage of the opportunities provided by the residency. Participants indicate the session theme(s) that they are interested in attending by submitting the online assistant registration form. Watershed sends this forms to assistants after the Institution has registered.
There are a limited number of Funded Assistantship spots available during the Watershed’s Summer Residencies. Sponsoring Institutions will register on a first-come, first-served basis. The annual timeline is as follows:
- December: Sponsoring Institutions registration period begins
- January 30: Sponsor Institution registration deadline
- February 15: Student Assistant registration deadline
- March: Student Assistants are notified of their session placement. Watershed sends invoices to Sponsoring Institutions.
- May 15: Residency fees are due in full.
- May–August: Themed Summer Residency sessions occur.
2026 2-week Summer Residency Fees
Discounted Student Assistantship: $2,155
Regular Artist-in-Residence: $2,575
- The discounted assistantship residency fee covers housing in a double-occupancy room, meals, 24/7 studio and kiln access, and all other privileges afforded resident artists.
- Not included in the residency fees: travel, shipping, materials, and kiln firings. Artists pay material and kiln firing fees incurred through Watershed on a per-use basis on the last day of the residency session. They are also responsible for their own travel and shipping arrangements. Some Sponsoring Institutions choose to provide additional funding directly to students for these expenses.
Interested in applying?
Our Summer Residency application opens in January! Detailed information is listed on our Apply page, and generally stays consistent each year.
