MoAD Poets-in-Residence 2022
About the Program
The Museum of the African Diaspora Poets-in-Residence program was founded in 2018. This program provides writers with opportunities to respond to contemporary art of the African Diaspora and extend the reach of the museum through programming and educational workshops with local high school students.
We host two concurrent writing residencies per year. This year, the four-month residency runs from September 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022.
Residents enjoy flexible, drop-in access to the Museum of the African Diaspora, located in San Francisco, California. For the term of the residency, every resident receives:
- A monthly stipend of $1500 (for 4 months)
- No-cost access to the museum exhibitions, on-site programs and events
- Designated work space
- A 10% discount on all Museum store purchases
- Wi-Fi access
- Publicity for public programs on social media
- Staff support for programming
- Access to learning more about the work of the Museum of the African Diaspora from curatorial and education staff
The residency welcomes writers to pursue their own writing projects in addition to responding to the artistic collections. The residency does require that writers implement a school-based writing program in partnership with Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. Residencies last for one academic semester or 4 months. The workshops will include at least 6 site visits and one visit with students at the museum. There are also two culminating public programs that are required: a student reading and a poet-in- residence reading.
While the Museum does not retain ownership of any works created as part of the residency, we do require a printed compilation of that work to be preserved within the museum archives and, should work be published by the author in a book form, that the Museum is acknowledged for contributing to the author’s creative process.
To apply, prospective residents should submit their application through SlideRoom HERE.
Residency applications are reviewed by the Director of Programs, the Manager of Public Programs, and the Spoken Arts Director at the partner school. Acceptance to the residency is determined through an evaluation of the written materials and the innovation within the education project.
Please note: The residency does not include accommodations or meals, so it may be best suited for Bay Area writers; writers from other communities are welcome to apply but are responsible for arranging their own accommodations. We strongly encourage writers from the African diaspora to apply.
Applications open February 1, 2022. Deadline for applications is March 14, 2022 and should be submitted via SlideRoom. Notifications will be sent by April 4, 2022.
Timeline for this year
-Applications Open February 1st, 2022
-Applications Close March 14th, 2022
-Notifications will be sent by April 4th
-Residency Runs from September 1st-December 31st 2022
Selected Poets-in-Residence will be expected to complete a TB test and Livescan background check (at a MoAD-partner vendor) by September 1 and meet with the partner teacher and poet-in-residence coordinator for community building and brainstorming once during the Spring (possibly online) and at least once at the start of the Fall semester.
Selected residents, along with all MoAD employees, volunteers, and/or agents providing in-person services at MoAD and partner school sites are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19; or if they cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to disability or a sincerely held religious belief will instead show proof of a negative COVID-19 test administered within 72 hours of the first entrance at MoAD or school site and every week thereafter.
