Glass residency program

2026-27 artists in residence

Jamison Cole

@jamison.cole.studio

Santiago Mora

@santiago.makes

Belger Arts Emerging Artist Residency - Belger Glass Annex

This residency program is open to emerging glass artists looking to further their artistic and professional careers and gain experience teaching and working with the public. This residency is ideal for artists looking to develop a body of work who thrive in a shared, communal space and are preparing for the next step in their professional pursuits.

Be a part of Kansas City’s vibrant art scene while enjoying a set weekly schedule, a monthly stipend, and a weekly allotment of free studio time. Grow your art practice in a spacious state-of-the-art facility equipped for glass blowing, kiln forming, sandblasting, and coldworking. Work alongside nationally recognized artists throughout the year and help develop and inspire beginner glassblowers. Teach a class of your own design, plan and lead public glass blowing demonstrations, and engage with the public during hands-on glass blowing experiences.

PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS AND EMAIL ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS TO: KHOGAN@belgerartscenter.org

Qualifications:

• Minimum of three years of experience working with glass as an art form

• Ability to lift 50 pounds and physically able to blow glass throughout an eight-hour workday

• Attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple tasks

• High school diploma or GED, college degree preferred

Required Application Materials:

• Artist Statement

• CV/Resume

• Letter of Intent, briefly outlining specific project goals for the residency term

• Five to ten digital images saved in JPEG format and a corresponding image list

• Two professional or educational contacts for reference

Work Week Hours:

• Set schedule, 30 hours a week

Status:

• Resident Artist

Term:

• 11 months, (mid-August 2026 to mid-July 2027), plus a possible additional one-year renewal with review (max two consecutive years per artist)

Compensation:

• $400 stipend per two-week pay period

Benefits:

• Set weekly work schedule

• Eight hours of hotshop time per week for each resident artist. Resident artists assist each other during their hotshop time.

• Four hours additional studio use in the coldshop and warmshop per week

• Work desk, locker, and additional studio space as needed

• Teach introductory glass blowing classes

• Design and teach a class based on an area of your expertise

• Assist professional visiting artists and TA the annual masterclass

• Participate in the annual Resident Exhibition at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery

• Opportunity to sell work through Belger Crane Yard Gallery

• Opportunities to plan and lead public demonstrations and events

• Opportunities to assist community members in the hotshop at an hourly rate

Responsibilities:

• Participate in weekly studio clean-ups and maintain a clean and tidy studio

• Operate and maintain studio equipment, including lighting up the studio and shutting down

• Lead and assist with glass blowing and fusing classes and experiences

• Design and teach a class based on your skill set

• Give an artist talk

• Aid and advise Belger Glass Annex community members with inquiries

• Participating in monthly First Friday demos and other special events throughout the year

• Greet visitors and answer questions with enthusiasm and a high level of customer service

• Keep studio supplies organized and report any issues or needs to the BGA Program Coordinator

• Help unload annealers and process finished work

• Gaff and assist with BGA commission projects and production lines

• Donate a small work to the Belger Glass Annex collection (at end of term).

Requirements:

• Available to work weekends, evenings, and First Fridays

• Comfortable working in an active, creative, and dynamic public setting

• Able to lead tours for visiting groups

• Ability to be conversational with visitors and have a willingness to engage the visitor in conversation

• Reliable, punctual, and respectful to studio members, staff, students, and visitors

• Daily cleaning and organizational skills

• Work well on a team and independently

• Self-motivated

• Proficiency with Google Workspace Suite (including Google Docs, Calendar, Sheets, etc.) and Shopify

• Ability to lift 50 pounds

• Willingness to step in where needed

About Belger Arts 

Since 2000, the Belger Arts Center has encouraged viewers to explore, question, and deepen their understanding of art and the world around them. Drawing upon the extensive Belger Collection as well as a rich variety of local, national, and international artists, the Belger Arts Center has staged over 100 large-scale exhibitions that represent some of the best in contemporary art. 

Belger Crane Yard Studios, an arts complex dedicated to providing studio and exhibition space for artists, opened in 2013. The range of programming in ceramics education, in addition to the Red Star Residency program, has made Belger a center for contemporary art. 

The Belger Glass Annex is the third Belger Arts location and opened to the public in October 2021. It is the first public glass blowing studio in Kansas City of its scale and scope. The new facility boasts state-of-the-art glass blowing equipment and tools, a furnace that holds 300 pounds of molten glass, and three workstations. The Belger Glass Annex is primed to be a Midwest hub for glass art, education, and appreciation, strengthening Kansas City’s reputation as an arts destination.