Shared air (ARTIST IN RESIDENCE) PROGRAM

SUMMER 2026 COHORT APPLICATIONS OPEN IN JANUARY 2026

● Program Overview

What You’ll Create

The Creative Residency at Hilltown Commons offers artists and makers the time, space, and resources to dive deeply into their work while connecting with nature, place, and community. Residents live on our 100-acre campus in Rensselaerville, NY, with access to private studios, shared facilities, and inspiring landscapes.

In return, residents contribute to campus life: leading a workshop, helping develop a public program, or sharing a piece of their work, from installations and performances to recordings or exhibitions. Each cycle hosts up to four residents, providing a supportive, collaborative environment rooted in curiosity, care, and connection.

8-Week
Summer Sessions
(Flexible)

Program Structure

Each day, residents dive into their creative practice, experimenting, refining, and exploring new directions in their work. They have dedicated time in private studios, opportunities to collaborate with fellow residents, and moments to share progress through workshops or public programs. The residency culminates in an open-air festival, where artists present installations, performances, or exhibitions inspired by their time in Rensselaerville. Hilltown Commons provides a discretionary materials stipend to help bring these projects to life.

What’s Included

The residency provides artists with dedicated time and space to focus on their work. Each resident receives a private room, a studio, and access to a shared kitchen and facilities. Residents also become part of the Hilltown Commons community, leading workshops, contributing to public programs, and sharing their work — creating meaningful connections and collaborations that extend beyond the studio.

Photo by Cathlin McCullough

Sample DAY at hilltown commons

Breakfast

7:45 am

Work Out / Yoga 

8:30 am

Morning Work Block

9–12:15 pm

Lunch

12:45 pm

Afternoon Work Block

2 – 4 PM

Chill Time (Tennis, Swim in the Lake, Hike the Huyck)

4:15 PM

Dinner

6 PM

Evening Activity (Summer is Buzzing in R’ville)

7 PM

Bonfire & Wind Down

10 PM

MEET OUR 2025 ARTISTS

Ali Syverson

Painter & Writer (Summer 2025 Cohort)

Ali Syverson is a visual artist and writer whose work explores the natural world and climate justice, combining acrylic painting with storytelling to inspire reflection and action. She has exhibited across the U.S., completed a climate justice art residency, and previously published on environmental issues with USAID.

@alisyversonart

Laura colwell

Filmmaker & Musician (Summer 2025 Cohort)

Laura is an award-nominated film editor and the lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and co-songwriter of the indie band Sun June. Her work spans acclaimed films like Jazzy (2024), Also Starring Austin (2018), and Ingrid (2018), while her songwriting explores distance, memory, and the tension between beauty and political unease.

@poundofpasta

Cathlin Mccullough

Photographer & Director (Summer 2025 Cohort)

Cathlin is a photographer and director who captures candid, funny, and achingly beautiful moments. Formerly a UX designer, she now brings her storytelling eye to portraiture, commercial work, and narrative filmmaking. Her first short film, The Oldest, is currently making the rounds at film festivals, showcasing her visual poetry in every frame.

@cathlinmccullough

Photo by Cathlin McCullough

● Program Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Each cohort session lasts 8 weeks during the summer months. While we recommend that residents stay the full duration of the program, we understand that everyone’s needs are different and can be flexible!

  • We provide private rooms with en-suite bathrooms to each resident as well as studio space and shared kitchen and facilities space. Beyond that, residents are responsible for their own expenses.

  • While many artists arrive with their own car, some do not, and we work with both. Groceries can be delivered to campus, and folks in town often share rides when needed. That said, if you’d like more independence and flexibility, we recommend having a car during your stay. We’re happy to arrange airport or train station pick-up and drop-off for your arrival and departure.

  • Yes, visitors are welcome with prior approval. Overnight stays may be possible, depending on housing capacity, and we ask that you check with us in advance before inviting guests. This helps us make sure the visit is comfortable for everyone and that the residency environment is respected.