CALL FOR ARTISTS! → 

Recovery Artist-in-Residence Program:

Recovery AIR at Bridge Way is a unique opportunity for artists interested in creating with youth who are on their journey of recovery from substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders which includes (1) 8 hours of workshop time per week (schedule TBD based on artist availability) (2) use of our art studio for personal art practice (3) access to recovery-focused training and (4) participation in our We Are Wildflowers program/potential collaborations with Emerald Wildflower Garden and The Perch Music & Arts Workshop. 

We are currently searching for our Fall 2025 artist. Spring 2026 Call for Artists will open in August 2025.

Artists of all mediums are welcome to apply.
 
What makes this opportunity a “Recovery” Artist-in-Residence program?
The Bridge Way School is a recovery-friendly workplace devoted to serving a community of diverse youth engaged in their healing process. Our students have often experienced significant trauma, and we hold to holistic values of accountability and academic practices. We wish to engage with artists who can identify with our students and mission with significant vibration. Therefore, in our selection process, we are committed to prioritizing artists in recovery from substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Artists who do not identify as in recovery may still apply- please be sure to reflect transparently on your connection and experience to our work in your letter of interest.

Honoring Lived Experience
We aim to select an artist who represents and reflects the identities of the students we serve. We encourage applicants of color, especially artists who grew up in Philadelphia or are graduates from an alternative high school. We welcome applicants who have been touched by the justice system,* survived domestic or community violence, grappled with unhoused status, or managed being a young parent during their high school years.

What else besides art?
Resident artists will engage in other school-based events with students and staff including mandatory overdose prevention and reversal training, mental health first aid training, and more. Through our We Are Wildflowers garden leadership program, artists have the opportunity to utilize Emerald Wildflower Garden and The Perch Music and Arts Workshop as part of their youth workshops. Our connection to Emerald also provides potential network and collaboration opportunities throughout the larger Philadelphia arts community. We aim for this residency to provide space for artists in recovery to grow and learn just as much as they mentor and share their gifts with our youth.

Our Equipment
Our studio currently boasts a range of materials for both 2-D and 3-D art workshops as well as MacBook pros and XMLR cameras for digital photography. We do want to know what you are thinking when it comes to materials and medium. Please itemize a general budget for your project when submitting your proposal.

Compensation: $5,000-$6,000 stipend (+ workshop materials)

 Selection Process

1. Submit this form by April 30, 2025. Please include why you are drawn to this residency, how it connects to your lived experience, and what your preliminary plan for student workshops will be. While you do not have to itemize or crystallize all details of your idea, you do need to provide a sense of direction and competency in planning immediate, realistic projects with youth.

2. Submit a portfolio of up to 5 work samples directly to recoveryair@thebridgewayschool.org.

3. Complete an initial phone interview.

4. Engage in an in person interview with staff, students, and at least one outside panelist.

5. AIR Invitations - no later, but likely much sooner, than June 30, 2025.

Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

*Bridge Way is required to ascertain background checks for employees and volunteers– including PA criminal history, child abuse, and FBI fingerprinting. We adhere to PA Department of Education requirements when selecting staff and volunteers; certain findings may disqualify applicants. Please inquire directly to Erin if you have concerns about your eligibility.