Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency 2027: A Fully Funded Two-Month Residency in Historic Texas With a Private Studio, Lodging, and Airport Transport for Artists and Writers Worldwide
A fully funded two-month residency in Corsicana, Texas that gives six artists and three writers a private studio, lodging in an 1890s Odd Fellows lodge, professional documentation of their work, and airport transport, with 2027 applications due September 1, 2026.
Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency 2027: A Fully Funded Two-Month Residency in Historic Texas With a Private Studio, Lodging, and Airport Transport for Artists and Writers Worldwide
The Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency gives serious makers something that is increasingly rare: two uninterrupted months, a private studio, a place to live, and a small town that asks nothing of you except that you work. Run by the nonprofit 100 West in Corsicana, Texas — about fifty miles south of Dallas — the program hosts a small number of residents each year inside a three-story former Odd Fellows lodge that has stood virtually unaltered since the 1890s. For the 2027 cycle, applications are open now and close on September 1, 2026, with decisions sent by October 1, 2026.
This guide walks through what the residency actually provides, who it is designed for, how the application works, and how to put together a submission that reads as ready, focused, and worth two months of hosted time. It is written for painters, sculptors, installation artists, fiction writers, poets, essayists, and other makers weighing whether Corsicana is the right fit for their next serious stretch of work.
Key Details at a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Program | Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency |
| Host organization | 100 West (501(c)(3) nonprofit, incorporated 2017; residency established 2012) |
| Location | Corsicana, Texas, USA (about 50 miles south of Dallas–Fort Worth) |
| Who it is for | Visual artists and writers at any career stage |
| 2027 cohort size | 6 artists and 3 writers total (2 artists and 1 writer per term) |
| Residency length | Two months, in fixed terms |
| 2027 terms | Winter: Jan 4 – Feb 23 · Spring: Mar 1 – Apr 27 · Fall: Oct 11 – Dec 7 |
| What is provided | Private studio, lodging at 100 West, professional documentation, DFW airport transport, weekly cleaning, bicycles, equipment access, staff support |
| Resident responsibility | Travel, meals, materials, and research expenses; one-time $200 administration fee |
| Application fee | $30 |
| Deadline | September 1, 2026 |
| Notification | October 1, 2026 (confirm dates in the first week of October) |
| Official application | https://www.corsicanaresidency.org/apply |
What the Residency Offers
The core of the offer is time and space. Each resident receives a fully funded private studio with lodging in the 100 West building, a former Odd Fellows lodge constructed in the 1890s that now serves as both workspace and home. The residency runs in two-month terms, which is long enough to move past the anxious settling-in phase and actually finish something, or push a difficult project into new territory.
Beyond the studio itself, the residency layers on practical support that removes friction from the working weeks:
- Professional documentation of your work. The residency arranges photo, video, and writing documentation of what you make — an asset that keeps paying off in future applications, portfolios, and publications.
- Equipment access. Residents can use digital projectors, an intaglio printing press, construction tools, and a wood shop, opening the door to methods you may not have at home.
- Weekly cleaning service and general staff support for studio and logistical needs, so household maintenance does not eat into working hours.
- Transportation to and from the Dallas/Fort Worth airports, which meaningfully lowers the cost and hassle of arriving from out of state or abroad.
- Bicycles for getting around Corsicana, and connection to the wider Dallas/Fort Worth cultural network through 100 West’s programs, bookstore, and Anteroom exhibition space.
It is important to be clear-eyed about what is not covered. The residency states plainly that travel, meal, material, and research expenses are the resident’s responsibility, and there is a one-time $200 administration fee. There is no cash stipend advertised for this program. So while the housing and studio are funded, you should budget for your own food, art supplies, and the flight or drive to Texas. For many applicants the value of two months of free, private, well-equipped studio space and lodging still far outweighs those out-of-pocket costs — but plan for them honestly rather than being surprised later.
Who It Fits
The residency is open to visual artists and writers at any stage of their career, and it welcomes international, U.S., and Texas-based applicants alike. Since 2012 it has hosted 179 artists and writers from across the United States and 18 countries, whose work has gone on to be exhibited, published, and performed in cities including New York, Berlin, Seoul, and Reykjavík. That range tells you two things: the program takes emerging makers seriously, and it is genuinely international in outlook.
It is a strong fit if you:
- Have a defined project or body of work that would benefit from a concentrated two-month block.
- Can work productively in relative solitude in a small Texas town rather than a big-city arts hub.
- Want documentation and equipment access that you cannot easily get at home.
- Are comfortable arranging and paying for your own travel, meals, and materials.
It is a weaker fit if your practice depends on ceramics, fiberglass, or aerosol-based work — the residency states it cannot accommodate those media. Sound-based work is possible but requires an inquiry to the director before you apply. And if you need a cash stipend to make a residency financially viable, weigh that carefully, because this program funds space and lodging rather than paying an honorarium.
Eligibility and Media Restrictions
The eligibility rules are refreshingly simple, but a few specifics matter:
- One person per studio application. This is an individual residency; collaborative duos should read the guidelines carefully and contact the residency before assuming a joint application is possible.
- Discipline limits. Ceramic, fiberglass, and aerosol-based work are not accommodated. If your proposal centers on those materials, it will not be a fit as written.
- Sound-based work requires prior inquiry to the director, so reach out early if that describes your practice.
- Career stage is open. There is no requirement for degrees, gallery representation, or a publication record. The residency evaluates the work and the proposal, not your résumé’s prestige.
If you are unsure whether your practice fits within the accommodated media, it is far better to email the residency before the deadline than to submit and hope. A short, specific question about feasibility signals professionalism, not weakness.
The Terms and Timeline for 2027
The 2027 residency runs in three fixed two-month terms, and the cohort is deliberately small — two artists and one writer per term, for a total of six artists and three writers across the year:
- Winter term: January 4 – February 23, 2027
- Spring term: March 1 – April 27, 2027
- Fall term: October 11 – December 7, 2027
Applications for all 2027 terms are due September 1, 2026. The residency notifies applicants of decisions by October 1, 2026, and accepted residents confirm their dates in the first week of October. Because the cohort is so small, term preferences can fill quickly among accepted residents, so think in advance about which window fits your life — teaching schedules, family obligations, and other commitments — and be ready to confirm promptly once you hear back.
Keep in mind that a September 2026 deadline for a residency that may not start until late 2027 means a long runway. That is an advantage: you have time to plan travel, arrange leave, and line up funding for your own expenses well ahead of arrival.
Application Process and Required Materials
Applications are submitted through the residency’s official apply page. The requirements are focused and differ slightly by discipline:
- Visual artists submit 5 work examples.
- Writers submit 2 work samples, each a maximum of 2,000 words; poets may include multiple works within that limit.
- All applicants provide two references — note that these are references, not full recommendation letters, which lowers the burden on the people vouching for you.
- The application fee is $30.
Because the selection rests heavily on your work samples and a project proposal, treat those as the whole ballgame. Choose examples that show a coherent point of view rather than a scattered survey of everything you have ever made. For writers, your two samples should represent your strongest, most characteristic work and, ideally, connect to what you propose to do in Corsicana. Give your references enough notice and context — remind them what you plan to work on so they can speak to your capacity to carry a sustained project.
How to Prepare a Competitive Application
Selection panels for small residencies are looking for a simple but demanding combination: strong work, a clear plan, and evidence that you will use the time well. A few concrete strategies:
- Lead with your best, most recent work. Five images or two writing samples is not much room. Cut anything that dilutes the impression of a serious, developing practice.
- Write a proposal that is specific to two months. Vague ambitions (“continue my practice”) read weakly. Name the project, the stage it is in, and what a focused two-month block would let you accomplish that ordinary life does not.
- Connect to the place where it helps, but do not force it. Corsicana is the birthplace of the Texas oil industry and sits at the intersection of the American South and West, in a building untouched since the 1890s. If that history or landscape genuinely informs your project, say so. If it does not, focus on why concentrated time and the studio’s resources matter to your work instead.
- Show you understand the practicalities. Acknowledging that you can cover your own travel and materials, and that you have thought about which term fits, signals you will actually show up and finish.
- Prime your references. Two references who can speak concretely to your discipline and follow-through are worth far more than two big names who barely know your current work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Proposing work in an unaccommodated medium. Ceramics, fiberglass, and aerosol-based work will not fit; sound-based work needs a prior conversation. Do not assume flexibility that the guidelines rule out.
- Submitting a portfolio survey instead of a focused selection. Reviewers infer a lot from what you choose to show. A tight, intentional set beats a broad one.
- Ignoring the budget reality. Applicants sometimes treat “fully funded” as covering everything; here it covers studio and lodging, not travel, meals, or materials. Plan your finances accordingly.
- Waiting until the last day. With a $30 fee, two references to line up, and carefully chosen samples, the application rewards early preparation. A September 1, 2026 deadline is easy to plan around — use the runway.
- Skipping the director inquiry when it is required. If your work is sound-based or you are unsure about media limits, the residency explicitly invites you to ask first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the residency really fully funded? The studio and lodging are provided, along with professional documentation, airport transport, weekly cleaning, and equipment access. Travel, meals, materials, and research costs are the resident’s responsibility, and there is a one-time $200 administration fee. There is no advertised cash stipend for this program.
Can international applicants apply? Yes. The residency is open to international, U.S., and Texas-based artists and writers, and it has hosted residents from 18 countries.
How competitive is it? The 2027 cohort is small — six artists and three writers total, two artists and one writer per term — so admission is selective. A focused proposal and strong samples matter more than credentials.
How long is the residency? Two months, in one of three fixed 2027 terms (winter, spring, or fall).
What do I actually submit? Visual artists submit five work examples; writers submit two samples of up to 2,000 words each (poets may include multiple works). Everyone provides two references and pays a $30 application fee.
When will I hear back? Decisions are sent by October 1, 2026, with confirmation of dates in the first week of October.
Timeline Summary and Next Steps
The path is straightforward. Applications for the 2027 residency close on September 1, 2026. Decisions arrive by October 1, 2026, and accepted residents confirm their term in the first week of October. The three 2027 terms run in winter (January 4 – February 23), spring (March 1 – April 27), and fall (October 11 – December 7).
If Corsicana fits your practice, start now: choose your strongest work samples, draft a proposal built around what two focused months would let you finish, brief your two references, and budget for your own travel and materials. Then apply through the official page well before the deadline.
Official Links
- Apply and read full guidelines: https://www.corsicanaresidency.org/apply
- About the residency and 100 West: https://www.corsicanaresidency.org/about
Always confirm the exact requirements, term dates, and deadline on the residency’s official website before you apply, since program details can change from cycle to cycle.