Common Area Maintenance (CAM) consists of two shared art studios and galleries, Common AREA and Common Objects, founded and propelled by artists, whose purpose is to cultivate an inclusive, affordable, and supportive creative community through resource-sharing, collaboration, curatorial events, and spontaneous karaoke parties. 

CAM’s 2nd Annual BIPOC Artist Residency offers a three month long residency, this year, from Jan - March 2026.

The residency will provide access and support for a BIPOC artist to create two dimensional, three dimensional and/or installation work. We are open to experimental forms that work at the intersections of these mediums. CAM strives to build long-lasting relationships with artists and for artists to feel connected to the space and CAM’s community. We are committed to supporting underrepresented artists and creating a welcoming community space. We encourage Black, Indigenous and POC artists that are queer, transgender and/or non-binary to apply.

Benefits for Artists

$1250 artist stipend 

  • This stipend is intended to support the artist in the ways they need at their discretion: for materials, cost of living for time in studio, and/or any other expenses for their project (i.e. collaborators, equipment we don’t have)

  • Culminating exhibition or event determined in conversation with CAM organizers. CAM will provide space for the event or exhibition and installation/de-installation support. 

  • A connected (to the culminating event) or completely separate component of the residency will be an offering to the public. The format will be decided upon by the resident artist. Possibilities include, but are not limited to: a workshop, exhibition, or panel discussion.

  • Two optional mentorship possibilities. Our resident artist will have the option to choose from a small roster of mentor artists (this may also include curators) available who work in a variety of different mediums.

  • CAM’s marketing support during residency, including promoting and organizing an opening artist reception and the culminating event or exhibition

  • Three months of 24 hr access to CAM’s shared studio spaces, equipment, and all member resources to create work in the space - which include:

      • work tables & easels 

      • wood shop

      • two risograph machines

      • photo backdrop and green screen bay 

      • poetry, art book & zine library 

      • a baby piano 

      • event/exhibition gallery 

      • two storefront window bays

Expectations for Artists

  • Artists live in King County. 

  • Artists produce 2D or 3D work at CAM during their residency.

  • Resident artist will collaborate with CAM organizers to determine the style of their final exhibition or event. Resident artist will need to offer at least one public facing event during the course of the residency.

    Examples: an installation, a conversation, a class, a potluck, an experimental get together. Please keep in mind we are a small capacity and low tech event space when brainstorming your sharing :)

  • This residency works best for artists who are self-motivated and self-propelling.

  • This residency is for an artist who is available to be in-residence from Jan - March of 2026.

  • This residency is for an artist who will work within CAM’s studio space consistently for the three month period.

How to apply

Please fill out our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Artist Residency Form:

Apply Here!

CAM’s BIPOC resident artist is chosen by a panel of artists and creatives of color from our community. They will review applications as a group and may reach out to applicants with questions as they narrow their search. Thank you so much for applying! We’re excited to hear from you! Please contact us at programs@camseattle.org with any questions about this opportunity.

Meet our 1st BIPOC Residency Panel, Nov 2024

  • Erynne Byrd-Quigtar

    Erynne Byrd-Quigtar is a passionate and visionary art curator dedicated to advancing the visibility and representation of Black artists in the global art scene. With a deep-rooted commitment to social justice and cultural equity, Erynne has spent years championing the work of emerging and established Black artists, ensuring their narratives are told, their voices are heard, and their legacies are preserved.

    Through her curatorial practice, Erynne works to create spaces where art and culture can thrive, focusing on exhibitions that highlight the intersection of art, identity, history, and activism. Her approach to curation goes beyond simply presenting art—it is a platform for dialogue, empowerment, and transformative change. Whether through large-scale exhibitions, intimate installations, or public art initiatives, Erynne seeks to inspire audiences to engage with art in a way that is both thought-provoking and socially conscious.

    With a background in art history and cultural studies, Erynne brings both scholarly expertise and a deep personal connection to her work. Her curatorial vision is grounded in the belief that art has the power to spark social change, tell untold stories, and unite communities across racial, cultural, and geographical boundaries.

  • Fatima Elzein

    My art is a practice of self-actualization and resistance, rooted in strengthening my connection to my ancestors. Through beading masks that carry their spirits, I seek to honor their legacy and explore questions of privilege, justice, and solidarity with marginalized communities, including my people in Lebanon and Palestine. My work is both a personal journey and a call for action, using art to challenge oppression, organize, and speak to the healing power of cultural heritage.

  • Fox Whitney

    Fox Whitney[he/him] is a multi-disciplinary artist working at the intersection of dance, music, film+video, theater, writing and visual art. Fox is obsessed with the surreal nature of transformation, how we identify ourselves and how personal and collective identity is an ever shifting and evolving landscape. His projects center his queer and transgender point of view. He founded the QT interdisciplinary performance project Gender Tender in 2012. He also fronts the trans-futurist psych band Light Aloud that grew from his ongoing series of performances and workshops called MELTED RIOT. MELTED RIOT is a surreal protest song, a queer meditation, a psychedelic research project, a punk prayer. 

    Fox’s work has been commissioned and produced by the Henry Art Gallery; On the Boards; Velocity Dance Center; Seattle International Dance Festival; Yellow Fish Epic Durational Performance Festival and was selected for the inaugural season of Seattle’s Gay City Arts. Light Aloud has played at Trans Pride Seattle, Capitol Hill Block Party and the Seattle Art Fair. He has performed in work by Meg Foley, Will Rawls, keyon gaskin, Morgan Thorson, Andrew Schneider, CommonForm Dance Project, Malic Amalya and Gabrielle Civil. He got his MFA in Studio Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has exhibited his short films and visual art nationally. Fox is also a yoga and meditation teacher, movement teaching artist and arts journalist currently writing for SeattleDances and Variable West. He was the Artistic Director of Velocity Dance Center from 2020-2022.

    www.foxwhitney.com

  • Meke Spence

    Meke is a Seattle-based textile artist and clothing designer. Her work has ranged from textured modern streetwear to wearable soft sculpture, and she continues to experiment and explore the possibilities of textiles. Lately, she’s been curious about creating new social structures and shifting consumption cultures to better support the art and design of today. A library enthusiast, Meke hopes to make high-quality art and clothing accessible as shared resources for everyone.