Information for Nominators

Updated May 9, 2024

Our Program 

Surf Point (SP) provides time, space, and support for the visual arts community to think, connect, and create. Intentionally intimate in scale, SP de-prioritizes fixed notions of productivity, performance, and urgency to give residents the opportunity to focus on their practice, connect with peers and community, and enjoy the natural environment. 

We operate year-round with space for three residents in separate live/work quarters for the first three weeks of each month. Optional facilitated group activities include intimate lunches with community members, museum visits, portrait photography sessions, and guided nature walks. Residents receive a stipend of $1,500. Residents are responsible for funding travel and shipping supplies.

Nomination System

SP uses a nomination system rather than an open call for applications to ensure a diverse pool of U.S.-based nominees while maximizing staff resources and allocating more support to the residency program.

Staff cull nominees from alumni and art leaders from around the country. Nominators share names and contact info for one artist and/or art professional and their rationale for making their nomination. Nominators are encouraged to speak with nominees before nominating to ensure their interest and availability. Nominators are copied on the emails inviting nominees to apply. Nominees are asked to complete a simple application and are selected by lottery to ensure that all are considered equally.  

Resident Criteria

Residents must be visual artists and/or curators, art writers, or other art professionals with a work history of 5+ years in their field. Residents must seek a rural, self-directed experience in concert with two fellow residents. Residents must be kind and considerate of others. They must be comfortable without residency staff on site, and effective communicators if any issues need to be troubleshot while they are in residence. They must be U.S. residents or citizens. There is no age minimum or maximum.

We seek people with a variety of identities, past experiences, and career trajectories, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women, nonbinary people, people who have had fewer opportunities to participate in residencies, and those with a connection to or residing in Maine. Above all, we ask nominators to think of people for whom an experience like this would be meaningful and transformative.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NOMINATORS: You may not nominate anyone with whom you have a familial relationship. This includes partners, siblings, cousins, children, parents, etc. 

Preview of Residency Application Questions

Nominees will be asked to complete an application on Google Forms with the questions below. They will need access to the internet to complete the application.

* Question is optional

Please review our program page for many commonly asked questions. Your answers below provide SP with important information to create balance within our cohorts; your answers will not affect your eligibility.

Contact information

  • First Name

  • Last Name

  • Pronouns*

  • Email Address

  • Home Address

  • Phone Number

  • Instagram*

Demographics

SP is dedicated to cultivating equity in our programs and throughout our organization. We ask for demographic information in order to evaluate our outreach, address inequities, track our organization’s progress, and ensure that our program supports residents from diverse racial/ethnic, cultural, gender, and age groups. If you are willing to share how you identify, we have provided space below.

  • Birthday*

  • Race/ethnicity*

  • Gender identity* 

Application questions

  • Please share your website or links that best represent your practice (google drive is ok).

  • Please describe your practice and your current workspace.

  • Please share a paragraph biography.

  • Please share a current resume/CV.

  • Please list any residencies in which you have participated or that are forthcoming.

  • Knowing that plans often change and that this is for information purposes only: How do you think you would make use of this residency? (Some examples include: mining the library, writing, curating, rest and recover, explore Maine / New England, connect with local community, connect with professionals, work towards a deadline, work on a body of work, experiment, play it by ear.)

  • Do you anticipate working with materials that require ventilation during this residency? Please describe in detail if so. (This applies to artists who intend to use non-water-based paints, including oil paints and encaustic with associated solvents.)

  • If selected, would you bring a car with you?

  • Please select the residency dates that you would like to be considered for. Note that every session at Surf Point is unique. The most popular months are July and August. Snow, storms, and winter weather are likely in January through April. You will be placed in a lottery for each month you select, so you have a greater chance of receiving a residency if you have more availability. 

    • 1/14/2025 - 2/6/2025

    • 2/18/2025 - 3/13/2025

    • 4/8/2025 - 5/1/2025

    • 5/20/2025 - 6/12/2025

    • 7/1/2025 - 7/24/2025

    • 8/5/2025 - 8/28/2025

    • 9/16/2025 - 10/9/2025

    • 10/28/2025 - 11/20/2025

  • Please describe any anticipated barriers or challenges you may have in participating in this program. If you have access needs or concerns about your needs at Surf Point please share them here. Feel free to email us if you have concerns you would like to discuss before applying.

  • Please share any thoughts, questions, or comments with us here.