Juan Navarro discusses his mural work as Riverside Art Museum's first Artist in Residence. The museum is now accepting applications for its 2026 residency, which runs January through August and includes studio space, materials budget, and a public exhibition. (Courtesy of the Riverside Art Museum)
Riverside Art Museum is accepting applications for its 2026 artist-in-residence program, designed to support emerging and mid-career artists with roots in the Inland Empire.
The residency runs from January through August and includes studio space, materials and exhibition budget, and a public exhibition opening in May. Applications are due by Jan. 1.
"This will be a unique experience where the artist will use the museum as a lab and develop a solo exhibition which will open this summer," said Lisa Henry, the museum's curator.
Visitors view artwork in the Taylor Family Gallery at Riverside Art Museum. The museum is now accepting applications for its 2026 Artist in Residence program, which runs January through August and includes studio space, materials budget, and a public exhibition. (Courtesy of the Riverside Art Museum)
The program provides approximately 1,480 square feet of studio and exhibit space in a designated museum gallery. Artists are expected to work in the space for four to eight weeks during the May through August exhibition period.
The program is open to individual artists and collaboratives working in any medium who have roots in the Inland Empire. The museum defines those connections broadly, according to Henry.
"I encourage artists who grew up in the Inland Empire or who went to school in the area to apply, but there are other ways that artists may feel a tie to this region," Henry said. "Part of the museum's mission is to support and showcase local artists and stories, but we don't want to limit this residency too narrowly. We want to provide support to a wide variety of artists — for this particular program, artists are free to define their ties to the Inland Empire in any way that is meaningful to them."
Artists will create new work, experiment with ideas or develop a project while in residence. The residency does not include living accommodations.
The selection panel will review proposals for work that displays high levels of artistry and community engagement.
"Artists working in all media are encouraged to apply," Henry said.
Application requirements include 10 images of current work, an artist statement including ties to the Inland Empire (maximum 500 words), a one-paragraph biography, current resume and contact information. Materials should be submitted via email to ramcuratorialcall@gmail.com.
Artists will be expected to engage with the public through open studio hours, workshops, talks or other community events at mutually agreed upon times.
The program provides an $18,000 stipend plus materials and exhibition budget. The museum reserves the right to select one piece from the residency for its permanent collection.
Finalists will be reviewed by a panel of arts professionals and artists. The successful candidate will be notified in January 2026.
More information: For questions regarding the residency program, contact Lisa Henry at 951-323-8243. More information is available at riversideartmuseum.org.
