Alicia Reyes Mc Namarra painting in the Kali Baker studio

The Studio 24 Residency for BIPOC Creatives

The Studio 24 Residency is an artist residency at The Union for Contemporary Art that supports artists from traditionally marginalized communities outside of the Omaha Metro Area by providing them with time, space, and resources to deepen their connection to their creative practice. The residency is supported by The Wallace Foundation as part of their Advancing Well-Being in the Arts initiative. Each year, The Union will invite three artists who identify as persons of color, including but not limited to artists from the African Diaspora, Indigenous, Latina/Latino, Middle Eastern, and/or Asian descent, to join us as residents.

Studio 24 residents will receive the following support from The Union:

  • An honorarium of $2000 per month ($6000 in total)

  • A materials + supply stipend of $1000

  • A food + incidentals stipend of $200 per month ($600 in total)

  • A travel stipend (up to $800) to cover the expense of getting to and from Omaha, NE

  • Lodging on-site in the Kali Baker Studio, a fully furnished living space within our facility that includes a well-equipped kitchen, bath, and personal laundry room

  • A well-lit studio space and access to The Union’s Co-Op Studios


In exchange, residents will be asked to facilitate a community engagement event of their own design, meant to provide our community with an opportunity to connect with the work and life experience of our visiting artists while providing the residents with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the communities we serve.

The event can take the form of an open studio session, a process demo, master class, artist talk, a pop-up event, a public studio crit session, or any other means the artist would like to share their work or creative process with the public.

The Studio 24 Residency is open to BIPOC artists in any stage of their creative practice working in the following disciplines: interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. The Union has chosen to invite artists to become residents, rather than using a traditional juried application process, in order to remove what is often an unintentional barrier to participation for some artists.

Interested in Being Considered?

Follow the link below to tell us a bit about yourself and your practice.

The Union for Contemporary Art is committed to removing barriers to the arts by providing programs, facilities, and services that are accessible to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexual identity, income level, age, physicality, or disability. Please click here to learn more about our facility and our commitment to accessibility.

If you have questions about the Studio 24 Residency, please visit our FAQ page and/or connect with Exhibitions + Residencies Manager Jessica Freeman at jessica@u-ca.org or (402) 933-3161.

Studio 24 Artist Interest Form
Summer 2025 Resident

Adrienne Gaither

Adrienne Gaither is a multidisciplinary artist based in Washington, D.C., whose work spans painting, public art, and design. Through geometric abstraction, they explore the dualities of Black life while challenging the exclusionary politics of the canon. Their practice affirms abstraction as a Black aesthetic, drawing from African diasporic traditions to expand its visual language. Adrienne has exhibited nationally, with solo shows at MOCADA (NY) and Transformer (DC) and group exhibitions at the Kreeger Museum (DC) and Cuchifritos (NY). They have collaborated with institutions such as the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, Google, and NBA2K and has been featured in Architectural Digest and SLAM. A recipient of the Andy Warhol Wherewithal Grant, Adrienne is currently expanding her practice into sculpture and textiles.

Artist Statment: I am excited to immerse myself in Omaha's arts community and engage with The Union’s co-op workshops, where I can connect with fellow artists, exchange ideas, and expand my creative approach. This opportunity provides invaluable space and time to experiment, refine my ideas, and build upon my ongoing work in new and unexpected ways. I look forward to deepening my practice, pushing the boundaries of my materials, and embracing this next phase of artistic exploration and growth.

https://www.adriennegaither.com/



Adrienne G Website

Past Artists in Residence