Parent Artist Residency Program

Parent Artist Residency Program


Parent Artist Residency Program supports artists with children under 18; there is no Parent Residency open call at the moment, and we’re looking for additional funding to support the Parent Residency program in the future. To date, Kala has offered 10 rounds of Parent Artist Residency Awards!

Since 2021, one Fellowship each year has been designated for a parent artist. Kala offers fully funded residences through the Fellowship (February deadline), Veterans Artist Residency, Jen Cole Award, and CCA Hamaguchi Artist Residency (July deadline). All residences are subsidized and are made possible through generous donations and grants from foundations and individuals; you can review all residency rates and options here

We recognize that each artist family has its own set of challenges when seeking a residency program. Families with multiple children of varying ages have different needs from families with older, more independent children. By offering a flexible residency experience in addition to our standard residency programs, we hope to create multiple entry points for artists to create artwork amidst the ever-evolving and diverse demands of family life.

Each parent artist creates an individual residency plan with up to $1000 worth of Kala services that can be applied towards the Residency Program, Kala Adult classes, Camp Kala, or other youth art programs for their children, or consulting with Kala staff about professional development opportunities. Artists will work out an individual plan with the Artist Residency Manager to build a unique experience within the time frame of the program period.

Upcoming Application Deadlines

Apply by July 26th for:

–  Artist Residency (AIR) Program
– Jen Cole Artist-in-Residence Award (Bay Area printmaker)
– CCA Hamaguchi Emerging Artist Resdiency at Kala
– Veterans Artist Residency

Applicant Resources

– Residency Experience
– How to Apply
– Residency Options & Subsidized Rates


Parent Residency Alumni

2024-2025 Parent Residency Recipients*:

Shirin Khalatbari (Berkeley, CA )
Kelley O’Leary (El Cerrito, CA)

*A special thanks to Sustainable Arts Foundation for supporting  2024-2025 Fellowship Artist Cristine Blanco!

2023-2024 Parent Residency Recipients*:

Jun Igarashi (Tokyo, Japan)*
Sasha Kelley (Oakland, CA )
Bushra Gill (Lafayette, CA)

*A special thanks to Sustainable Arts Foundation for supporting  2023/24 Fellowship Artist Alison Chen, and  Curator-in-Residence Jun Igarashi!

2022-2023 Award Recipients*:
Demetri Broxton (Oakland, CA )
Rupy Tut (Santa Clara, CA)
*A special thanks to Sustainable Arts Foundation for supporting Fellowship artist Jessica Mehta.

2021-2022 Award Recipients*:
Alexandru Salceanu (San Francisco, CA )
Kathy Aoki (Santa Clara, CA)
*A special thanks to Sustainable Arts Foundation for supporting Fellowship artist Alisa Ochoa.

2020-2021 Award Recipients:
Judit Navratil (Oakland, CA )
Chloe Alexander (Hapreville, GA)

2019-2020 Award Recipients:
In our seventh year, Kala was able to award five residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Francis Baker (Oakland, CA )
Tavarus Blackmon (Sacramento, CA)
Ellen Heck (Winston Salem, NC)
Pablo Manga (Oakland, CA )
Narges Poursadeqi ( El Cerrito, CA)

Honorary AIR Awardee:
Ellie Fritz (San Rafael, CA)

2018-2019 Award Recipients:
In our sixth year, Kala was able to award five residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Susan Belau (San Francisco, CA)
Charmaine Davis(Alameda, CA)
Brian King (Oakland, CA)
Arturo Meade (San Rafael, CA)
Steph Rue (Sacramento CA)

2017 Award Recipients
In our fifth year, Kala was able to award eight residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Karen Gallagher Iverson
Steve Green
Diane Jacobs
Kimberlee Koym-Murteira
Ricardo Pinto
Beth Waldman
Suné Woods

2016 Award Recipients
In our fourth year, Kala was able to award eight residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Cynthia Ona Innis
Jenifer Kent
Vanessa Woods
Frederick Alvarado
Melissa Holden
Apollonia Morrill
Patricia Torres Ortiz
Victoria Wagner

2015 Award Recipients
In the third year, Kala was able to award ten residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Kim Bennett, Berkeley, CA
Eva Evrard, Brussels, Belgium
Patrick Gabler, Hamburg, Germany
Richard Haley, Birmingham, MI
Parul Naresh, Fremont, CA
Miwako Nishizawa, Berkeley, CA
Allison Reimus, Mount Prospect, IL
Hyeyoung Shin, Kansas City, MO
Emma Spertus, Oakland, CA
Marcia Teusink, London, UK

2014 Award Recipients
In the second year, Kala was able to award ten residency packages to these outstanding artists with children:
Carol Elkovich, Richmond, CA
Claire Kessler-Bradner, Oakland, CA
Julia Lucey, Fairfax, CA
Latifa Medjdoub, San Francisco, CA
Olivia Mole, San Francisco, CA
Kelly Ording, Oakland, CA
Maria Porges, Oakland, CA
Brody Reiman, San Rafael, CA
Lisa Solomon, Oakland, CA
Katherine Warriner, San Anselmo, CA

2013 Award Recipients

In the pilot year of 2013, Kala offered residency options to support seven outstanding artists with children:
Johnna Arnold, Oakland, CA
Kim Anno, Berkeley, CA
Brian Caraway, Oakland, CA
Karen Kersten, Oakland, CA
Eric Larson, San Francisco, CA
Lena Wolff, Berkeley, CA
Wafaa Yasin, San Francisco, CA
Kevan Jenson, Berkeley, CA