The OtB Residency Program

Thank you to all who applied this year, we will announce selections in August 2026 and re-open applications in Spring 2027.

Made possible by the 4Culture Cultural Services grant and our open storefront on Roy Street, the OtB Residency addresses the need for local opportunities for artists making live work to expand their creative capacity without the expectation of a finished production. Resident artists receive time, space, and mentorship to explore new ideas as well as a $1,000 per week stipend.

Meet the Curators

Megan Kiskaddon

“One of the tenets of our new OtB Strategic Plan is to create more pathways to support artists in the development of new work. This residency is one of the ways we seek to be responsive to that community need. This also fulfills a personal dream of mine to host artist residencies at OtB.”

The Space

Our residency space is street level, with wood floors, lots of natural light, a shared restroom, and 1,000 square feet of rehearsal space. It is equipped with marley, mirrors, as well as simple light and sound resources.

We encourage you to look at the images below and determine if the space is right for you and your proposed project.

Jody Kuehner

“What excites me most about this residency program is that it recognizes the importance of artistic development. Investing in that process benefits not only the individual artists but also the Seattle community, which creates a more vibrant and adventurous performance ecosystem.”

Janet Wong

  • Applications open: Spring 2027
    Applications close: June 13, 2027
    Curatorial review/selection: July 2027
    Selection announced: August 2027
    Residencies: September 2027 – June 2028

  • The Residency activates an empty tenant space at OtB's Behnke Center on 100 W Roy Street in the Uptown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. 

    Resident artists will receive time, space, and mentorship to explore new ideas without the expectation of a finished production. Each artist or collective receives a $1,000 per week stipend and professional development from OtB marketing, production, and development teams.

    While in residency, the artist or collective will have exclusive use of the space.

  • Artists or artist collectives who reside in the Pacific Northwest and make live work, of any career stage. This is an informal geographic region, and we encourage artists to self-define. Preference will be given to artists or collectives in King County.

    The residency does not cover travel, accommodations, or VISAs. We do not accept applications from other non-profit organizations or commercial entities.

    On the Boards has a tradition of working across dance, theater, music, and interdisciplinary works, and supports a broad definition of such mediums. That said, we will not accept applications for artists that primarily work in visual art, exhibition, or installation unless the residency is an experiment in adding live elements to their practice. While in residence, projects may not involve minors, fire, loose glitter, aerial, or elements that could risk the safety of artists or permanently damage the space.

  • • Compelling artistic practice that adds to the fabric of PNW performance
    • Participation in residency has relevant artistic goals and advances the artist's practice

  • The application is an open call. 12 or more artists will be chosen by the OtB Curatorial Council from the applicant pool.

    By submitting, you give consent for copy and images to be used for OtB press release, website, or other promotional materials.

“Encountering the breadth of Seattle’s creative community during this selection process was deeply moving—especially given how urgently artists need support as opportunities continue to vanish. I also think that a paid, lock-out residency that allows the artists and their collaborators to go home and sleep in their own beds every night removes structural barriers for many.”

Artist Residencies supported by the 4Culture Cultural Services grant.