The Nock Art Foundation Artist Residency is a core initiative of the Foundation and key to the organisation's overall vision. Operating in both Hong Kong and Queenstown in New Zealand, the mission is to give artists an opportunity to be immersed in the culture and landscape of the host country and engage their creative process with a new perspective.
The Foundation provides accommodation and studio space to visiting artists. To date, the typical number of artists participating in a residency is 2-3 at any one time. The Foundation believes that by having artists working together, each artist will benefit from the collaboration and camaraderie. An important consideration for the program is to find the right combinations of artists from the perspective of style and personality.
Hong Kong Residency
The residency in Hong Kong aims to introduce accomplished painters to the Hong Kong cityscape and past residencies have included trips into China, to iconic destinations such as Shanghai, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, and Yellow Mountain. The first residency in 2013 saw acclaimed New Zealand and Australian painters Euan Macleod and Peter Godwin visit Hong Kong for two weeks and resulted in the successful exhibition, “The Painters' Journey” which was shown at Nockart Gallery and the Hong Kong Arts Centre in 2014.
Subsequent artists to partake in the Hong Kong residencies include;
Charmaine Pike
Angus Nivison
Ana Pollak
Elisabeth Cummings
Luke Sciberras
Caroline Leaf
Tim Allen
Steve Lopes
Dapeng Liu
Ann Thomson
Joe Furlonger
Arthur Ted Powell
Peter Kingston
Located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, the studio is situated in an industrial area, which is rapidly transforming into a thriving hub of creative energy with artist studios, galleries and hip cafes. The studio, nestled inside the Kwai Bo Industrial Building, is only a short 10 minute walk (600m) from the residential flat. The one-bedroom apartment is comfortably spacious with a living area, modern bathroom and kitchenette.
Giverny Residency
The Queenstown residency, nicknamed Giverny, was inaugurated in March 2016 by some of our former Hong Kong residency artists. The goal behind Giverny is to provide a work space for visiting artists to explore the wonders and beauty of Queenstown's landscape. The property also boasts numerous permanent sculpture installations set on the expansive five acre grounds overlooking the Shotover River. With the peaceful seclusion, artists are given the freedom of the landscape to explore, engage and foster their creative vision.
The property is located on New Zealand's south island, in the Otago region, Giverny lies just outside of Queenstown, and is approximately a 15 minute drive from Queesntown town centre or 10 minutes from nearby Arrowtown. The house has five bedrooms. Artists will share a kitchen, general living area and two bathrooms. On the property are two art studios. Artists will have access to the studios anytime of the day.
Terms of Residency
Both the Giverny and Hong Kong Residency Programs are by-invitation only, although artists may submit an expression of interest by filling out our online form. Upon invitation, an appropriate date for the residency will be discussed with the artist and potential peers for the residency reviewed on the basis of personal compatibility and artistic style. The artist will then be expected to make their own travel arrangements and bring some basic art supplies. Additional supplies may be available at each of the residencies however specific needs in terms of paints and other materials should be organised by the artist. Accommodation and studio space will be made available free of charge.
Artists will be asked to donate a work at the end of the residency which will become part of the Nock Art Foundation collection. A typical residency is for a two-to-three-week period depending on the availability and schedule of the artist, although longer periods or a multi-trip residency can be discussed on a case-by-case basis. At the end of each residency, the Nock Art Foundation will host an exhibition for the artists at the Nockart Gallery in Hong Kong.
The Nockart Gallery and the artists will be contractually bound by a written agreement for the purposes and duration of the exhibition.
The artists will be expected to partake in the opening reception of the exhibition as well as an exclusive artist dinner hosted by the Nock Art Foundation in partnership with Dine Art. Suitable exhibition venues are being explored in Queenstown and the Nock Art Foundation will work with the galleries of the residency artists to help organise shows at the end of each residency.
Residency Candidates
The primary focus of the Giverny and Hong Kong Artist Residency program are mid-career and established artists with a specific interest in painting and a unique vision that might be enhanced by new motifs and landscapes. Ideally such artists will demonstrate a strong propensity for traditional draftsmanship and painting, and should have a strong capability in oil and or acrylic painting. Printmakers and sculptors will also be considered although the residency studio has not been fitted with printing and sculpting facilities at this stage. In such cases, we will endeavour to do our best to accommodate if we are provided with a clear understanding of the project idea. The review process will take into account an artist’s exhibition history and artistic originality.
Transportation of Artworks
Artists will be responsible for the transport of finished works from the residency. The Nock Art Foundation will not be responsible for the shipping costs of the artworks to the gallery before an exhibition. The artist may consign the works to Nockart Gallery before, during, and within two months after the conclusion of their exhibition.
Application Process
Individuals interested in the residency may submit an expression of interest form along with their current CV, project proposal (optional) and up to 10 high-resolution images of their work to: jjmcgrath@nockartfoundation.com
Please allow up to two weeks for an email response.
Please note that submission of the form does not guarantee an offer for the residency. Your interest in the residency is greatly appreciated and we will review your information to determine its suitability for the program.
