Taking Up Space-In-Residence was the first time I created a short term artist residency in February 2019. The project was developed in conjunction with the QT Noir Arts Festival that I curate as well. The festival centers the work of Black LGBTQ+ artists from Philadelphia, PA, other parts of the United States, and living in other countries. This residency was an extension of the festival. I invited 30 Black LGBTQ+ creatives to take up space in a large gallery (The Icebox Project Space) together. For two weeks, the 30 artists were given 24-hour access to the space to work on artwork separately or collaboratively and to give workshops, if they so desired. Thanks to a programmatic grant provided to the Icebox, the residency was able to provide stipends to all 30 artists in residence. The culmination of the residency was a free, open-to-the-public community dinner, catered by a Black transgender chef (Chef Marcu), where the resident artists could invite their family & friends and share their visual, written, or performance work.
