I am in love! I swoon to be so lucky as to be allowed to come here to make artwork. My private art studio has wonderful light, it is the largest art studio I have ever worked in, the building has 24 hour access and I have made wonderful new art friends. If you are accepted to this program with scholarship, I highly recommend coming. read more

Because this isn't just some joint where you order a pizza: This is a business (and yes, it is a business) that you are considering putting a couple of weeks/a month or even longer into, so I am going to be as thorough as I possibly can on the pros and cons. This way, if you choose to go here, you know what to expect. Fact of the matter is we are here to make art. with that, the studio center gets 3 stars and deserves 5 stars. The studios are large enough for a solid body of work (5 stars), excellent natural light (5 stars), and the food served is superb (5 stars). The rooms are warm in the dead of winter (5 stars), the beds are small but cozy (4 stars). And, of course the landscape/Vermont architecture is fabulous . There are some gems who work there who go out of their way to help you, and they will shine and make your stay here really nice. They individually deserve 5 stars (Liz in the Kitchen, Harland in sculpture, the receptionist, and the guy who teaches you in his funny passionate OCD manner - how to wash the dishes - if you choose to do the work study. Here's the warning - which I feel that artists need to know - Behind the "freestyle hippie" all-loving persona, there is the same agenda as everywhere else in the states. This residency program is a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party. I wont go into detail about the small politics, but be aware of the "rules" of this political party. If you don't follow the rules be sure that you will reap the repercussions of whatever it is that they felt you did wrong. It will be evident by the end of the first week of your stay here. There's no sympathy from some staff about how hard you try to make the "community" a better place(try to create comfort), when the residents are all alone and missing their significant others/children/pets/friends, etc. You can spend the entire night cleaning up a mess after a function that you worked hard at putting together, knowing that the passive aggressive nature, will come find you. No matter how hard you try, they WILL let you know of something that you did wrong the following day as well - even if a single table is askew - they will let you know. One friend/resident told me they called her on her phone to tell her that she put the pan lids in the wrong place (seriously!). The meditation room does not alleviate their passive aggressiveness. They see you as just another statistic that creates chaos on THEIR work schedule, and 60 people is difficult to clean up after. I totally get that! You are here for a month & just like everyone else in the residency, you leave, and go on with your life. It's somewhat daunting, knowing you worked so hard - and some pay to go here, and some want the social atmosphere you thought you'd get (after all, if it's not about community/feedback on your work, then why don't we just save our money and keep making art in our own studios at home?). In response to me explaining to a staff member that I felt discouraged by the staff after holding this social event, I got "well, no one made you come here." it's one of those - had I have known.... And this is why Yelp exists on the internet :-) So, when you are here, don't laugh too loud, don't enjoy music (unless you have headphones in), and certainly don't use any "public spaces" for anything social-related. If you come to lunch to to actually BE alone, read on your ipad/kindle, and you sit at a small table completely alone (not bothering anyone with your evil device), the staff will still tell you to put it away. Funny though, if you have a physical book at the table - they wont say a word. hmm, you figure that one out! It's one of those things, after an entire month, uprooting yourself, your life, and the financial burden of not only getting yourself out here, but all your supplies. You sit back and say, "huh, I thought this place was different." It's not. Same institutional style, just a different place and the rules are hidden - most are not in the ridiculous handbook, so instead you'll get passive aggressive staff writing on your posters to clean up after yourself if you decide to spend time creating an event. Keep telling yourself, not "I'm lucky to be here," but rather "they are lucky to have me" Because without YOU - this place wouldn't exist, and they wouldn't have jobs :-) _____ It sounds worse than it is I suppose, looking back.. I waited months to actually post this review, but truly - all the events above did happen. Months later, what it comes down to is a comfortable place to sleep, great working studios, and positive energy from other residents who are there. I have memories of some staff who were great. they stuck with me :-) I'd say try it once, but don't pay the full price. There are plenty other residency programs out there too - this one is just more well known. You're a number here.. read more

Overall, I would say fine, fine, fine. I met some great visual artists. However, I think it should be noted that this is not necessarily a residency for writers. Writers are second class citizens here. One long time participant told me that the founder had to be convinced that writers were artists and he never attends the resident readings, but often drops by the studios of the visual artists. It's apparent from the way we are treated or not treated depending on your point of view. Nevertheless, I was able to get a substantial amount of work done here. I think the fact that there was a blizzard almost every day in February, helped that situation. Practical considerations -- meal times are 10 min. to 15 min. long, so show up on time, early or go hungry. Parking is spotty at best. The administration here is poor to nonexistent, however. So, if you decide to come here, you must view it as a camping trip. Take everything that you would take if you were going to spend a month in the wilderness, including sleeping bag and lantern. I asked for a blanket and did not receive a fresh one all month, so that's the kind of thing I'm talking about when I say organizational quality was low. I was told that the place is run by artists and they consider their "jobs" secondary to their art, so many things fall by the wayside. Hence, it may be an adequate artists colony but it's a very poorly run business. You should be aware of that. Don't expect anything like efficiency. You will be treated as an unwelcome, albeit paying, guest. Remember, this thing is in the middle of nowhere. So the thinking seems to be that "where else are you going to go, if we decide to treat you like sh&t?" That seems to be the order of the day in most small towns, so take this place and double that. Also, if you are a minority, you will be an uber minority and somewhat of a curiosity to Vermont Studio participants and local residents. It can be annoying at times. You're treated as if you're a Martian or something. Overall, a sort of meh experience. read more

I was disappointed with my residency at Vermont Studio Center. On my first day at VSC, I was approached by one of the founders of the program, Jonathan Gregg (an older white man). Without saying hello, he abruptly asked me what my name was. I told him. And then he asked me where I was from. I said New York. He asked me where I was REALLY from. And I answered that I was originally from California. He said, "you're not from Korea or something!?" and turned and walked away. That was the first time I "met" him. The next evening as I was working in the kitchen cleaning up (as part of my work study), Jonathan Gregg came into the kitchen and approached me. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he asked me if my last name was Chinese. And I responded that yes it is. He then proceeded to list different Asian things he had heard of, such at the Rubin Museum of Art and the Dalai Lama. He told me how he met the Dalai Lama once and asked if I had. I said I had not. That was the second and last time I interacted with him. I was saddened that this was the way I was welcomed to my residency at VSC. I brought what I had experienced up to one of the staff members there and she told me that comments like this were very common with Jonathan Gregg. That he not only routinely made racist remarks to the staff and residents, but also sexist ones. She said that she had been called in for a one on one meeting with one of the directors at VSC when she started working there, warning her about Jonathan Gregg and the oftentimes offensive things he says. Especially to young women. I wondered why, as a paying customer and resident, I was not at least given the same courtesy of a warning. I was also dismayed to learn that after calling twice and filling out the request on my application, that I was not placed in an adjacent studio with my collaborator, who I planned to make work with while I was there for the month. I personally did not like that I was encouraged to view this residency as a vacation, rather than a time to work. Jonathan Gregg made an announcement on one of the first nights there that this residency was not so much about making work as it was about meeting people. I was also told by multiple staff members that many residents view this time as a vacation and some even choose to only socialize rather than make work. I understand that this is a personal preference and that not everyone has to go this route, but I was surprised to hear this. I was surprised that they consciously cultivated an environment of socializing and vacationing rather than working. For me, taking off of work for a month and paying money to come to VSC was a hardship, and I wanted to use it as a time to make work. Which I did. Overall, this residency was not a good fit for me and I would not recommend it to a friend. read more