OSGF Residency and Fellowship Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions regarding the application process

What is the difference between a residency and a fellowship at Oak Spring?
There are a few important distinctions between our residencies and fellowships.  Our fellowships are only available to early-career practitioners, and each fellowship has specific eligibility requirements that you can learn about on each fellowship’s webpage.  Our residencies are open to practitioners at all stages in their practice or research, and we understand that individuals might be at varying stages in their career and personal development when a residency might be beneficial.

Our fellowships include a $10,000 individual grant, and require a two-to-five week stay on-site.  Fellows are scheduled to arrive with a cohort of Interdisciplinary Residents, and other fellows, and they will be included in all resident activities including orientation tours and meals.  Fellowships are only awarded to early-career individuals

Our residency programs all include smaller individual grants, and residents will join a cohort of about 10 other residents with whom they will live on-site, and share weekly communal meals prepared by an OSGF chef.  Residents may be at varying stages of their career. 

How will applications be reviewed?
Applications are reviewed by OSGF staff, residency and fellowship alumni, and then passed on to external selection committees.  The external selection committees are alumni, practitioners, and administrators working in fields relevant to the applicant.

Applicants to all of our programs are scored based on three main categories: 1) quality of the work samples; 2) potential of applicant; and 3) connection to OSGF’s mission.

Are applications open to international residents?
Yes.  Applicants who work in languages other than English should submit translations of their work samples.  A working knowledge of English is important to selected residents, and OSGF does not provide a translator or interpreter at this time.  International applicants selected for a residency or fellowship will also be responsible for procuring their own visa.

Can I defer my residency?
Unfortunately, at this time we are not allowing residents to defer their awards.

Questions regarding the on-site resident experience

When is check in/check out?

Unless informed otherwise, check in is 1:00 - 4:00pm on the first day of the program and check-out is anytime on the last day of the program.  However, Oak Spring will only provide ground transportation on the departure date between 6:00am - 9:00pm. When scheduling your arrival plans, please keep in mind that Oak Spring is about a 1-hour drive from Dulles, and 1.5 – 2 hours from Union Station depending on traffic. 

Do I need a car?

While we do not require residents to bring a vehicle, due to our rural location, a car will certainly be helpful and some residents may wish to rent a car.  In most cases, 1 grocery trip will be scheduled for residents each week.  Rides to pharmacies, the post office, and supply runs may also be coordinated by the Residency and Fellowship Coordinator as residents' needs change or arise during their stay. Residents who wish to spend a great deal of time in the library may especially benefit from bringing a vehicle, as the library is about 2-miles from most resident’s accommodations. We also have a number of bikes and helmets available on-site that will help residents navigate our site.

Is there wifi?

There is limited wifi in our shared housing.  Residents are asked not to download large files because this strains the wifi for other residents. Wifi is available in the common area of the staff offices which is available to residents during staff hours (8:00am – 4:00pm, Monday – Friday).

Are visitors allowed?

We do not permit overnight guests at this time.  For some residencies, day visitors may be permitted for a designated period of time that residents should communicate to the Residency and Fellowship Coordinator before their residency.  Visitors are only allowed on the Rokeby side of the estate, and will need to ask the Coordinator about scheduling a tour if visitors wish to see Little Oak Spring, including the Formal Garden.

What is required of me?

At the end of the residency, residents must submit a Final Exit Report which is an online form that will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.  Besides submitting the Final Exit Report, residents must reside on-site for the entirety of the program, and residents should participate in any weekly communal meals that will be prepared and served by an Oak Spring chef. Most importantly, residents should contribute to the compassionate, considerate, flexible and respectful community that we strive to create and sustain at Oak Spring.

Who is eligible for the Perennial Residency (the alumni residency)?

All artists, researchers, writers, or other practitioners who have completed a residency at Oak Spring are able to apply for our competitive annual Alumni Residency program.  To be considered for an Alumni Residency, alumni must have completed the Final Exit Report after their initial residency and complete an Alumni Residency application that will be reviewed by Oak Spring staff.

Will I be able to connect with the local community?

Due to our rural location, we do not provide specific programs for residents to get to know the local community in the nearby towns of Marshall or Middleburg.  Residents who wish to connect with the local community may wish to bring a car which will allow them greater freedom to reach out to our neighbors.

Where are residents housed and are the houses furnished?

Residents are housed on the Rokeby Farm portion of our estate.  The houses on Rokeby Farm are approximately 2 miles from Little Oak Spring where our formal gardens, library, and staff offices are located. 

Our accommodations are fully furnished, including kitchen appliances, pots and pans, and other dishware.  Towels and linens will also be provided, and there is a washer and dryer in each house.  Some basic cleaning supplies will be stocked in each house.

How secluded is Oak Spring?

Oak Spring is located between two towns: Middleburg and Marshall.   Middleburg is 10 miles east of (a 15-minute drive), and Marshall is 10 miles south of Oak Spring (a 15-minute drive).

What is provided in the studios?

Studios are equipped with 2 tables, 1 standing table, 2 chairs, 1 trashcan, and a sink.  We also have several easels available for artists who require them.  Whenever possible, we will try to accommodate artists' specific studio needs but we cannot guarantee that all residents' needs will always be fully met.  There is no wifi in the studios. We do not have any large equipment such as table saws, printing presses, looms, or a kiln available on site at this time.

Are pets allowed?

We do not allow residents to bring pets.

Will I be able to work on the farm or on the garden?

Depending on the season, residents will have the option to volunteer 2 mornings a week at the Biocultural Conservation Farm, 2 mornings in the Formal Garden, and 1 morning with the Biodiversity Conservation Team.  The Residency and Fellowship Coordinator will email a signup form to residents once they have arrived on site.

 How much will I be able to interact with Oak Spring staff?

The majority of Oak Spring staff work on-site Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm.  Most staff are working on time sensitive projects, and the best way to connect with staff is by participating in volunteer hours.  Residents will also receive a tour of the library during their first week on site, and during this tour they will receive the contact information for the librarians to schedule library appointments with.  

Staff may also be at resident meals and resident presentations during the last week of the program.  

Can I make a site-specific installation at Oak Spring?

The Oak Spring property is under multiple restoration and conservation projects and the buildings on site are historic structures.  Residents who wish to make a temporary site specific installation will need to discuss this with the Residency Coordinator, who will connect them with the appropriate team to receive permission for an installation.  

What degree of privacy and isolation can I expect while at Oak Spring?

Residents will have a private bedroom and bathroom, and share a living room and kitchen with one or two other residents.  Most houses are located in relatively secluded locations on our estate that has 60+ staff.  Staff are dispersed across our 700 acres working on: renovating houses and buildings, implementing and maintaining landscape management strategies, and working in the gardens.  We can not guarantee complete isolation but Oak Spring is a relatively quiet place in which to work.

What financial support does Oak Spring offer?

Each residency opportunity carries an individual grant which awardees will receive in one or two payments after they arrive at OSGF.  Residents must complete the entire residency in order to receive the entire sum of the grant.  Grant funds can be used to defer the expenses associated with attending a residency, or the funds can be spent on other expenses that will help the resident develop their body of work.  

Thank you for considering OSGF’s Residency and Fellowship Programs! If you have any further questions, please reach out to programs@osgf.org.