FAQs
Common Questions
Here you’ll find information on the residency, application process, and financial assistance.
If you can’t find the answer to your question here, please reach out to us via our contact page.
Residency
What is the Lavender Residency?
The Lavender Residency is a space for a solo (or with a partner or accomplice) creative residency. We offer it at no-fee to make creative space accessible to as many people as possible, with limited financial assistance available for those who need support with travel or living expenses.
How long is the residency?
The space is available for 2-4 week residencies during the available time blocks (calendar will open in new window).
Where is the Lavender Residency located?
The house is located in occupied Arapahoe and Cheyenne territory, in so called Colorado, close to downtown Littleton (southwest metro Denver).
What are the house amenities?
The house is a two-story older building that has recently been renovated. There are a couple of steps to enter the house. There is a full kitchen, two bedrooms (both upstairs), two bathrooms (one downstairs, one upstairs), a dining room, living room, and large “family” room with a TV and a stereo, all downstairs. There is a washer and dryer upstairs. There is a large library throughout the house. There are two rooms upstairs that can be used as dedicated work spaces. There is hi-speed wifi throughout the house.
Do I need to have a car?
The house is located in southwest metro Denver, about half a mile from a Light Rail Station. A car can be convenient but Denver has an okay public transportation system. You can also walk or bike around. The nearest grocery store is a little over a mile on a flat route but there is a fresh market and community kitchen about five blocks away.
Application
Is this for me?
Are you a writer, translator, scholar, or artist looking for some quiet solo time to devote to your creative practice? Are you from a marginalized community? Do you align with our vision and our values? Then this can be for you. We especially want to make the space available to creatives who have limited access to other residencies and who are engaged in social justice and liberation projects that are underfunded or actively under attack these days.
What are you looking for in the application?
We strive to keep the application process simple. We take a very close look at your proposal and your writing or portfolio sample to ensure alignment with our values and vision. We want to make sure that this is a good fit between us and you so that the residency can be successful for everyone. Since we’ll likely receive more than one application for the same time period we may be unable to accommodate all qualifying applicants.
What are you looking for in the proposal?
Documents like project proposals and artist statements can feel very intimidating, especially to emerging writers and artists. Think of the proposal as a living document designed primarily for your own benefit, something that helps you define what it is that you’re working on and what you want to do during the residency. We encourage creative approaches where content and form work together. For example, your proposal could take the form of a list poem or a flash essay.
What if I’m not a professional writer or artist?
Are you ready to devote some serious time to your creative practice? Do you want some time away from your daily life to do so? That’s all that matters.
Can my partner or collaborator come with me?
Yes! The house has two available bedrooms, one with a double bed, the second with a twin bed. Just tell us about who wants to come and why in the application.
Do I have to produce something tangible during my residency?
The Lavender Residency is about giving yourself time and space to regenerate you and your creative practice. You don’t have to show anything tangible at the end, although you’re more than welcome to share your work with us. We are interested, however, in hearing of how you intend to continue your work after the residency.
What happens after I apply?
Your application will be reviewed. Typical turnaround time is 2-3 weeks, although it might take a little longer if we have a lot of applications. If you appear to be a good fit for the Residency and there is availability then we will arrange a phone or Zoom call to discuss specifics and make sure that this will work for you and for us. We may ask for references at that time.
Costs & Financial Assistance
What are the costs?
To keep the residency accessible to as many people as possible there is no fee for the Lavender Residency. Travel and daily living expenses are the residents’ responsibility. We ask that you consider donating up to US$250/week to our financial assistance fund, but your ability to donate will not be a factor in considering your application. The donations are used to offer travel grants and/or weekly stipends for marginalized writers, translators, and artists who couldn’t afford to attend the residency without them.
Is there any financial support for the residency?
Beyond the no-fee residency, we have limited ability to offer travel grants and/or weekly stipends for marginalized writers, translators, and artists who couldn’t afford to attend the residency without them.
How do you define financial need? What documentation do you ask for?
We define financial need broadly and include people who wouldn’t be able to afford to come without some amount of grant or stipend and those who have the ability but cannot afford the full cost of travel and daily expenses during a residency at this time. We don’t require any official documentation, but we ask for a statement that explains your financial situation and your funding needs when you apply for the residency.
What are you looking for in a financial statement?
We know that asking for support can be difficult and that all too often such processes are degrading and humiliating. We offer the Lavender Residency at no fee so that it can be accessible to a larger group of people. If you need assistance with travel costs and/or living expenses for you to be able to attend the residency then we just want to know what you need and whatever you want to share about your financial circumstances to help us make a decision.
The Lavender Residency is on Arapahoe and Cheyenne territory, and we will make every effort to provide financial support to Arapahoes and Cheyennes.
Additionally, though the residency is open to everyone who aligns with our vision and values, we encourage QTBIPOC applicants, Palestinians and those of Palestinian descent, and people who have been traditionally excluded from residencies. We also prioritize support for marginalized people whose creative work is actively engaged with their communities.
How can I contribute towards the scholarship fund?
Thank you for helping us to make the Lavender Residency as accessible as possible. Please contact us for specifics on how you can contribute.