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Headlands Center for the Arts: Bay Area's Premier Artist Residency
Guide to Headlands Center for the Arts residency near San Francisco, offering fully sponsored 4-10 week residencies with $1,000 monthly stipends and paid airfare.
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Headlands Center for the Arts: Bay Area's Premier Artist Residency
Headlands Center for the Arts is located in the Marin Headlands, just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. The program awards approximately 50 fully sponsored residencies annually to local, national, and international artists.
What Headlands Offers
Standard Artist in Residence Program
- Paid round-trip airfare from your home city
- Up to $1,000 monthly (stipend or reimbursed expenses)
- Studio space in historic military buildings
- Chef-prepared meals
- Comfortable housing
- Duration: 4-10 weeks
Special Awards with Enhanced Support
Tournesol Award
- For emerging Bay Area painters
- $10,000 stipend
- Private studio for one year
- Culminating exhibition
Chamberlain Award
- For social practice artists
- $10,000 prize
- Fully sponsored residency
Chiaro Award
- For two mid-career US painters
- $15,000 prize each
- Private studio
- Network access
Henderson Award
- For mid-career woman-identifying painters in the US
- $10,000 prize
- Fully sponsored residency
Disciplines Supported
Headlands welcomes artists working across:
- Visual Arts (all media)
- Sound/Music
- Performance
- Film/Video
- Writing
- Social Practice
- Interdisciplinary Work
Application Details
Timeline for 2026
- Applications open: April 1, 2025
- Deadline: June 2, 2025
- Notifications: December 12, 2025
Application Fee
- $35 until May 5
- $45 after May 5
Eligibility
- Able to speak basic English
- Not enrolled in a degree-granting program
- PhD candidates considered case-by-case
Portfolio Requirements
Visual Artists:
- Up to 20 images or video samples
Writers:
- Up to 20 pages of poetry, or
- Up to 30 pages of prose
All Applicants:
- Letter of interest
- Resume
- Contact information for three references
The Headlands Experience
Location
The residency is located in Fort Barry, a former military installation within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The dramatic Pacific Coast landscape provides inspiration and solitude.
Facilities
- Individual studios in converted military buildings
- Shared project spaces
- Digital media lab
- Ceramics studio
- Woodshop access
- Library
Community
- Regular artist talks and open studios
- Cross-disciplinary dialogue encouraged
- Access to Bay Area art community
- Connections with Headlands' network of 1,000+ alumni
Living at Headlands
- Housing: Comfortable rooms in historic buildings
- Meals: Chef-prepared breakfast and dinner
- Transportation: Regular shuttles to San Francisco
- Landscape: Hiking trails, beaches, wildlife
Application Tips
- Research past residents - Understand the types of practices Headlands supports
- Articulate site-specific interests - How will the Marin Headlands environment influence your work?
- Demonstrate community engagement - Headlands values artists who contribute to collective life
- Show clear project goals - What will you accomplish during residency?
Success Stories
Headlands alumni have gone on to major museum exhibitions, biennials, and significant recognition including:
- Whitney Biennial selections
- MacArthur Fellowships
- Major museum acquisitions
- International exhibition opportunities
How to Apply
- Visit headlands.org/programs
- Review current application guidelines
- Prepare portfolio materials
- Submit application before deadline
- Wait for notification in December
Related Resources
Last updated: December 2025. Always verify current details on the official Headlands website.