The Popps Packing residency program was born in 2012 and has grown into a robust international AIR that has welcomed over 100 artists into our unique arts and community ecosystem. Popps Packing is a 4,500 Sq/ft former meat packing plant on the Hamtramck/Detroit border, a densely populated, diverse, working class community.
Check out our past residents cohorts ___ RESIDENT PROFILES
Open Call : Popps Packing Studio Residency
Popps Packing invites serious studio artists to apply for a 1 -3 month long studio residency available for the Summer 2024 (July-November). Apply here!
Residency Details:
Who: Popps Packing offers residencies for emerging, mid-career, and established, visual artists interested in an immersive experience within the cities of Hamtramck and Detroit, Michigan. Artists working in all studio based practices are welcome to apply but our resources and spaces best accommodate sculptors, installation artists, architectural and landscape based projects as well as photo, film and research projects. Popps Packing accommodates 2 artists at one time.
*Please note that Popps Packing is an inclusive space for all and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity in its programs and activities.
Duration and Timeline: Residencies are usually 1-2 months long and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis unless stated otherwise. Applications are accepted through an open call seasonally: Spring/ Summer residencies take place from April- September and fall residencies take place form September-November and our new Local Winter Residency is from November-March. Residencies range from 2 weeks – 2 months ( winter residencies can be up to 5 months).
Accommodations and Fees: Individual residency fees range from $850-$1000/month and include a private bedroom in a 2 bedroom loft style warehouse space with shared onsite studio, kitchen and bath. Also included is access to the Popps workshops and gardens with resident chickens, a mobile sauna and various outdoor spaces to explore installations, interventions, research and more. Collaborative projects, families and collectives are welcome : $1800/month for 2 bedrooms and the entire residency studio. All utilities included: internet access, laundry, sauna, chickens.
We provide bikes for guests to use during their stay ( $50 deposit). (Public transportation is questionable in Detroit, so we recommend a rental car, or in the warmer months, a bicycle).
Artists are encourage to host a public offering to our community. This could be an Open Studio event, an Artist talk, a workshop or other form of public engagement.
The Popps vibe: Popps Packing is an active space. It is not a retreat (although it may feel like one at times).It is, at its core a communal and familial environment that fosters a sense of community among resident artists and neighbors. Popps Packing hosts community events, exhibitions, dinners and informal gatherings and volunteer opportunities, providing visiting artists with many opportunities to connect to our large network of local artists, resources, organizational and institutional partners and neighbors. We prioritize clear communication and will inform resident artists in advance of these events.
*Note: A permanent resident artist resides on the premises in a separate apartment above the residency spaces and studios and has regular access to laundry facilities, shop and the yard. Our founding resident artists, Graem Whyte and Faina Lerman and their two children, live across the street and have their studio and workshop spaces within the same building as well and will have regular access to the space.
Additionally, the Popps Packing building is an old warehouse, and as such, continuous maintenance and upkeep are performed throughout the year. Apply here!
