Even prior to creating a formalized program, residencies have been a cornerstone of our mission. Before adopting the name Pioneer Works, our founding team proposed the "Museum of the Working Artist". While the name didn’t stick—the ethos did. We are deeply committed to providing emerging artists, musicians, and technologists with a space to work, tools to create, and a platform to exchange ideas.

Each September, we select residents through an open call. Aided by a jury of experts and Alumni Residents, Pioneer Works welcomes residents who work outside existing models and “norms” of their field and will benefit from our unique facilities and culture. As such, Pioneer Works shifts and evolves to reflect the interests and work of each new cohort of residents, from public education offerings to Second Sundays, a monthly forum of artistic experimentation through activations, open studios, and performance.

All residents that complete the program join our ever-growing alumni network and are tapped for future opportunities like teaching, partnerships, and other public programs.

Residencies at Pioneer Works are supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Pioneer Works artists-in-residence are selected through an open call. Our application for the 2026 Open Call for Visual Arts and Music Residency is now closed.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please visit this link.