Residency

2025 residents have been nominated for selection by community members and industry colleagues that include Co-Founders Eric Fischl & April Gornik, Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella,Workshop & Residency Manager Samuel Havens, along with artist Arcmanoro Niles, Dominic Molon (RISD Museum), writer Paul Greenberg, artist Margaret Garrett, Julie Barer (The Book Group), writer Drew Zeiba, playwright James Tyler, Zach Feuer (Co-Founder, Forge Project), Ebony Haynes (52 Walker), Kemi Ilesanmi (KGI Projects), artist Nanibah Chacon, artist Susan Bachemin, Jenny Jaskey (American Academy of Arts and Letters), writer Jill Bialosky, fashion designer Mary Jane Marcasiano, and others.

We feature diverse makers and mediums in 2–3-month intervals that foster artistic innovation and cross-disciplinary dialogues between artists of varied backgrounds. We aim to keep alive the tradition of artistic ingenuity that is endemic to the history of Eastern Long Island.

When co-founders April Gornik and Eric Fischl first built and conceived of The Church, a key component was an interdisciplinary residency program. The intent was to nurture artistic innovation and dialogue, while making artistic processes and concepts accessible to the wider community. The residency was located within The Church itself. Inaugural artists residents in 2021 and 2022 included Martha Graham Dance Company, Claude Lawrence and Leslee Stradford, Jay Hardin, Mary Ellen Bartley, Jim Gingerich, Adam Gopnik, Bill Goldstein, and others.​

In 2023, the residency moved to a building two blocks away, and brought 41 makers to Sag Harbor, including our ‘Community Residency’ of 6 artists from the region, and a total of 66% BIPOC-identified artists across the whole program. In 2024, the residency will move back to the 48 Madison Street site, with residency durations of up to three weeks per resident.

For more information, contact Samuel Havens, Workshop & Residence Manager at samuel@thechurchsagharbor.org