Yale-China Artist Residency

The Yale-China Artist Residency is a unique opportunity for emerging professional artists at Yale’s four graduate arts schools to create original work engaging Chinese culture. The residency supports the creation of new intercultural work that – in process and presentation – brings together students, artists, and audiences from New Haven, Yale, and the world.

Info Sessions

Virtual and In-Person Info Sessions with Yale-China Staff will be scheduled throughout the fall. Check back here for more details, and fill out our interest form to be notified when sessions are scheduled.

Application Portal

We will begin accepting applications in early October and update access on this page.

FAQ’s

What type of work does the residency support?

The residency supports the creation of original artistic work engaging with Chinese culture. We support work in any artistic medium – installation, musical performance, theatrical piece, social practice, etc. The work will be shared with the public as part of New Haven’s International Festival of Arts & Ideas (IFAI) in June 2026.

What does the residency provide?

The residency provides the selected artist team with a minimum of $12,000 to use towards artist fees and materials for executing their project. Resident Artist teams also receive mentorship from IFAI and Yale-China staff as well as marketing and ticketing support through the festival’s platforms.

Who is eligible to apply?

Students currently enrolled in the Yale School of Architecture, the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, the Yale School of Art, and the Yale School of Music are welcome to apply. We suggest students apply as part of a team, and cross-disciplinary collaboration is particularly encouraged.

What is the selection process and residency timeline?

Applications are due Monday, December 1 at 11:59p ET.

Yale-China Staff will hold in-person and virtual info sessions throughout the fall as well as application clinics in November. Sign up here to get details or email arts@yalechina.org with questions.

Finalist teams will be invited to participate in an interview with our review panel, and all applicants will be notified by the end of January 2026.

Once a team is selected, they refine their project concept and complete pre-production throughout the spring semester in collaboration with IFAI and Yale-China staff. The bulk of project execution happens from mid-May to mid-June.

How can I get a sense of the type of work you support?

Check out our 2024 and 2025 projects . It’s a great way to brainstorm and get a sense of the scope and focus of the work that’s a good fit for this residency.