Designing a residency that connects digital artists to industry and the public
The artist residency plan I crafted for the Public Art Futures Lab is all about connecting artists with the tech tools, space, and community to push the boundaries of what digital art can do. The program focuses on artists working with emerging technologies—like VR, AR, creative coding—and offers them resources to experiment, all while embedded in Atlanta's growing tech and creative ecosystem. By providing a workspace at Underground Atlanta, access to cutting-edge software and hardware, and structured feedback loops, the residency is designed to help artists dive deep into a theme and produce works that reflect both individual creativity and community engagement.
Each residency is built around a big theme, like "movement" or "environment," which gives artists a loose prompt but leaves plenty of room for personal interpretation. Thematic partnerships with local institutions and companies, like MARTA or a local university, ensure artists get access to unique expertise and resources they might not otherwise have. The residency doesn't just offer a physical space—it's about creating “engineered collisions,” where artists, technologists, and community members can connect and exchange ideas through monthly events, panels, and presentations.
At its heart, this residency aims to foster a community where art and technology overlap, positioning Atlanta as a hotbed for digital innovation. Artists will showcase their work in public-facing events, bringing their digital experiments out of the studio and into the community. This residency not only boosts the visibility and careers of participating artists but also strengthens ties between public art, local industry, and the broader Atlanta tech scene.
From helping individual artists gain traction and skills to putting Atlanta on the map for media art, this program is designed to be a bridge between art and tech, creative experimentation and public engagement. It's all about breaking down barriers, offering artists the room to play, and creating a future-facing space for digital art.
