Education Programs

Creative Artist Residency (CAR)

A New Education & Artist Residency Initiative at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre

Creative Artist Residency (CAR) is a new residency program designed to support national and international artists developing original work across disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, immersive work, acting, painting, sculpture, and interdisciplinary practices.
Each year, a small cohort of artists will be invited to spend a long weekend in residence at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre during our off-season. CAR offers artists dedicated time, space, and resources to incubate, explore, develop, and deepen a personal creative project, whether in progress or brand new, in a focused and supportive environment.

Meet The 2026 CAR Recipient

Click to read Quaba Venza Ernest's bio

Quaba Venza Ernest is a Brooklyn-born, St. Lucian-American interdisciplinary artist whose work creates immersive performance worlds at the intersection of contemporary dance, theater, and sound. Drawing from movement, storytelling, and interdisciplinary collaboration, his work explores memory, human nature, and the emotional and physical architectures that shape how we move through life. He is an alum of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, and attended Springboard Danse Montréal.
His performance career spans operatic, commercial, concert, and immersive stages, including work with Ballet BC, Doug Varone and Dancers, Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More, Peiju Performing Arts, Sidra Bell for Derek Fordjour’s SCORE, Damani Pompey, Loni Landon, Kayla Farrish, Hélène Simoneau Danse, Dual Rivet, and several productions at The Metropolitan Opera.
As a choreographer and filmmaker, his work has been presented nationally and internationally at venues and festivals including Triskelion Arts, Arts On Site, BAAD!, Jamaica Dance Festival, Cinedanza (Italy), Quinzena de Dança de Almada (Portugal), Dance Camera Istanbul, Movies By Movers, Making Moves Dance Festival, Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, the 92Y Future Dance Festival, Brenau University, Ralph Pucci International, Making Moves Dance Festival, and New Century Dance Project.
Through his project-based platforms, Venza Dance and Ernest Records, he develops interdisciplinary collaborations that center experimentation, community engagement, and the support of emerging artists. In partnership with New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), he has created opportunities for young people to learn, create, and gain professional experience in the arts, helping cultivate the next generation of cultural leaders.
His artistic practice has been supported by numerous residencies and fellowships, including the Guggenheim Work & Process Artist Residency (2026-2027), Inaugural Creative Artist Residency (CAR) | Lyceum Theatre, Arrow Rock Missouri (2026 ), Center for Performance Research Resident Artist Award (2026), Dancing While Black Fellowship (2026), Pepatián/BAAD! Dancing Futures Residency (2025), Chelsea Factory Summer Residency (2024), Jacob’s Pillow Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship (2021), and the Thayer Fellowship in the Arts (2019).

The Residency Experience

Creative Artist Residency is an individually tailored, process-driven residency open to artists of all ages and disciplines. Designed especially for artists working in non-traditional or exploratory ways, CAR allows participants to make use of ARLT’s flexible spaces, customized support, and creative infrastructure to discover new dimensions of their work and artistic process. Beyond individual creation, the residency fosters community and exchange, bringing together artists across genres and backgrounds while connecting them to the rich creative history of Arrow Rock.

Community Engagement

Each residency culminates in a casual work-in-progress presentation open to the local community. These informal sharing’s invite audiences behind the scenes of the creative process and create opportunities for meaningful dialogue between artists and community members.

When

Two residency options:

  • Last weekend in October or
  • First weekend in November

Thursday–Monday (4 nights / 5 days)

Work-in-progress presentation: Monday evening

Artist Support

Artist Scholarship:

  • $6,000 total for up to three artists – Artists provide their own travel with this stipend

Housing:

  • Room and board provided in ARLT housing during the off-season

Additional Support:

  • $500 grocery/restaurant stipend

Why CAD

Creative Artist Development Week supports both emerging and established artists, encourages artistic risk-taking, and strengthens connections between artists and the Arrow Rock community. Through this initiative, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre continues its commitment to artist-centered development, education, and innovation, expanding its reach and impact within the national and international arts community.

Apply

**Email your residency pitch by June 15, 2026 to: robynep@lyceumtheatre.org. Include Resumes and bios of all creative artists in place and your plan for the long weekend! Keep it simple but concise. Websites and media welcome, especially samples of previous work. Attn: Robyne Parrish, Artistic Director.