FAQs

Practicing artists of all backgrounds and at any stage of their career are eligible to apply. International artists and artists currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program are not eligible. PhD candidates who have completed all coursework at the time of application are eligible. Artists must be at least twenty-one years old and live more than 120 miles away from Knoxville because of the retreat nature of the residency.

We support artists creating new work in the following disciplines: writing (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and journalism), visual arts, dance, theater, music composition, architecture, and interdisciplinary work. Artists should be at the creation stage of their project. Loghaven serves visual artists who work outside the realm of fine craft as those artists are already well served at the nearby Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Please see the Apply page for more information.

If you are curious about whether Loghaven is a fit for you, we recommend perusing the Artists page of our website that features the photos and bios of Loghaven Fellows. You can learn more about the work of these prior residents, their career stage, and the types of projects they were pursuing while at Loghaven.

Artists applying for a residency at Loghaven must already have the ability to work in the United States and receive income per U.S. tax law. Per current U.S. tax law, the stipend and support Loghaven provides artists are considered income for work, so international artists cannot attend Loghaven as tourists regardless of the length of stay. 

In the summer of 2022, we will accept applications for the six “open call” residencies occurring in the following year. Application deadlines will always be posted on our website and communicated through social media. Please see the Apply page for more information.

Yes! Indeed, one of the distinct benefits of restoring what had been family homes with multiple bedrooms is that we are able to house as many as three collaborative teams simultaneously. Each collaborative team will submit one application to be considered for a residency at Loghaven. Teams will apply together by selecting the “Loghaven Artist Residency Collaborative Team Application“ within the Loghaven Slideroom portal. Please note that all team members intending to take part in the residency and receive a stipend must fill out a team member informational form within the larger team application. A single collaborative team can have a maximum of nine members.

Applicants in Architecture must have either a degree in architecture or be actively practicing in the architecture field to apply.

Architects should apply with projects that are design-based. If the applicant’s project is not design-based, they may consider applying within one of the other disciplines. For example, writing-focused projects could apply within the Writing discipline. The proposed project for the residency cannot contain current client-commissioned work, however, attached work samples of past work may include client-commissioned work. Loghaven does not accept projects within Landscape Architecture or Interior Design.

We can accommodate as many as nine artists in residency at one time.

Residencies at Loghaven vary in length. Unrestricted/open call residencies take place in February; April; May; and September.  Two-week residencies in January and July are reserved for alumni artists and university faculty artists, respectively. Please see the calendar below:

• Monday, February 10 – Friday, March 7, 2025 (4 weeks)
• Monday, April 7 – Friday, May 2, 2025 (4 weeks)
• Monday, May 19 – Friday, June 13, 2025 (4 weeks)
• Monday, July 7 – Monday, July 21, 2025 (2 weeks for teaching artists and faculty artists at the university level)
• Monday, September 29 – Friday, November 7, 2025 (6 weeks)
• Monday, January 12 – Monday, January 26, 2026 (2 weeks, preference given to alumni/ae)

Artists can submit up to one solo application AND one collaborative team application per year. Fellows can apply to return to the residency two years after their previous residency. For example, if a Fellow participated in a residency in 2022, they could reapply in 2024.

Fellows are chosen by a national selection panel composed of artist peers, curators, critics, and other arts professionals. It is a non-blind process. The panel’s dual goals are to reward artistic merit and achieve a diverse cohort. Panelists rotate on staggered terms to ensure the presence of fresh perspectives.

On Artist Work

The residency seeks to serve both emerging artists in the beginning stage of their professional career as well as established artists who may have more experience or recognition. The chief criterion for selection is artistic excellence and potential, as defined broadly in the questions below.

• Are the ideas bold and original, showcasing a high level of creativity?
• Is there evidence of commitment and evolution of professional practice?
• Does the work reflect a depth of conceptual content, thoughtfully engaging a subject whether in the form of research, audience engagement, or personal investigation?
• Does the execution of the work exhibit a high level of technical knowledge or conversely subvert that knowledge in new and interesting forms?
• Is there a sense of sustained impact or meaningful dialogue within a topic or issue?

Strong applications will also make a clear case for the impact a Loghaven residency will have on their work or professional career.

Other qualities that make an applicant a fit:

As a new residency, we anticipate learning things along the way and seek artists who are willing to take this journey with us. We seek artists who are open to offering meaningful and constructive feedback.

We believe that magic happens when people break bread together, so we ask that all artists attend weeknight dinners. We want to build a creative community at Loghaven and seek artists who are open and interested in that experience and are curious about their peers and their work.

Unfortunately due to Loghaven’s staff size, we are not able to offer individualized feedback to each applicant.

Loghaven believes that artists should be encouraged to create new work. We know that, in many cases, a residency represents lost income for artists. Thus, in addition to underwriting the cost of room and board, Loghaven provides an $850 weekly living stipend for art supplies and other expenses associated with completing the residency, a travel subsidy on a sliding scale from $400 to $800, and up to $200 in reimbursement for materials shipping.

Artists are free to set their own hours, and all cabin doors have the equivalent of a do-not-disturb sign indicating whether guests are welcome or should return at a later time. A boxed lunch is available for pickup after 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, in the McDonough House. All Loghaven Fellows participate in the communal dinner at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday, in the McDonough House. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, “grab-and-go” dinners are available for pick up and can be enjoyed around the communal dining table with other residents or taken to artists’ cabins or workspaces. Fellows can cook all other meals in their cabin’s kitchen and will be able to place a weekly grocery order of up to $60, paid for by the residency.

Artists are encouraged to work in their cabins, studios, or outdoors. The residency site includes trails and outdoor spaces ideal for relaxation and inspiration. Nearby Knoxville Urban Wilderness parks, including High Ground Park, River Bluff, Fort Dickerson Park, and Augusta Quarry, create additional outdoor opportunities.

Staff are available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The buildings and grounds crew works from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Staff is available for emergencies after hours and on weekends, and one staff member lives on-site.

At Loghaven, the guiding principles for our site have been preservation and modernization. We have focused on bringing Loghaven back to its historic beauty, keeping as much of the original building material as possible, and stewarding the natural woodlands. All of the historic log cabins have their original logs and fireplaces. Much of the original masonry and flooring also remain. New roofs, kitchens, and bathrooms were needed. On the surrounding ninety acres, we are removing invasive plant species, protecting the natural spring, and planting edibles that residents can enjoy outside each of the cabins. For more specific information on the studios and other buildings, please visit the Loghaven Facilities page. Additional information about living and working spaces can be provided at the time of acceptance.

Loghaven is tucked into the South Knoxville neighborhood of Vestal. For many decades, Vestal was defined by the presence of the Vestal Lumber Company and the Candoro Marble Company. Candoro supplied a unique pink stone quarried in East Tennessee for buildings across the country, including the National Gallery of Art and the Lincoln Memorial. When these businesses closed their doors, Vestal faced the same problems as other manufacturing centers in a post-industrial era. In 2008 the Aslan Foundation heeded the call of local residents to save Loghaven from imminent destruction and thus started on the path to creating Loghaven Artist Residency. The Aslan Foundation actively funds community organizations in Vestal to support positive change in the neighborhood, fueled by the residents themselves.

As an institution, Loghaven strives to be a good citizen and good neighbor. We have relationships with the major cultural organizations in Knoxville and with organizations in our immediate Vestal neighborhood. We organize voluntary weekly excursions to local places of interest so that our artists in residence can feel more connected to the area. Loghaven does not require individual artists to lead workshops, give lectures, or otherwise interact with the public during their stay. However, we welcome the opportunity to assist artists who want to interact with our community. Loghaven has enthusiastic local and regional partners who are eager to assist artists.

While one of the cabins has a Steinway B, most fixed and movable equipment is stored either in the McDonough House, the studios, or in our nearby warehouse facility. The common area of the McDonough House has an iMac and a small-format printer. Available equipment in the McDonough House Multidisciplinary Studio includes a Steinway 1098, a digital projector, a separate wet area with darkroom sink and exhaust, and a professionally-designed audiovisual and acoustics system.

The Performing Arts Studio has an 860-square-foot sprung floor, a basic sound system, and an abundance of natural light. The 860-square-foot Visual Arts Studio has both natural and directional light, a scanner, large-format printer, an iMac outfitted with Adobe Suite 5 and Final Cut Pro, taborets, pedestals, homasote panels, easels, drop cloths, basic toolboxes, a separate wet area with oversized sink and exhaust, an enlarged loading door, and a 60-inch printing press.

Much of Loghaven’s fixed and movable equipment is stored either in the McDonough House, the studios, or in our nearby warehouse facility. Loghaven’s equipment can be reserved by residents on a first-come, first-served basis. More specialized supplies must be brought by the artists themselves (Loghaven reimburses up to $200 of freight costs) or sourced locally from one of our Loghaven Community Partners.

Though artists will have access to this type of specialized equipment offsite, they should plan to mainly work onsite. If an artist’s work relies solely on metalworking or woodworking, Loghaven might not be a good fit for their needs.

We cannot accommodate spouses, partners, and children, or allow overnight visitors. A caretaker is permitted in the case of a documented disability. Certified service animals, and emotional therapy animals if recommended by a physician, are allowed. If you plan on bringing a service animal, please let staff know on your application. Only certain cabins can accommodate service animals.

The McDonough House is fully accessible. One of Loghaven’s original Depression-era log cabins (Cabin 909) has been retrofitted to a Type B accessible space as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines. The Visual Arts Studio and Performing Arts Studio are also Type B accessible spaces. The Loghaven Residency Director can provide additional information about Loghaven spaces and disability, including a manual that lists accessibility features.

We will do our best to accommodate deferments, but cannot guarantee space in alternative residency sessions.

Loghaven staff will provide airport transportation on the first and last days of the residency as available. In addition, Knoxville has both Uber and Lyft services as well as a number of taxi services. A rental car can be helpful if you plan on exploring the area beyond what is offered during Loghaven’s optional trips twice per week. Downtown Knoxville is a ten-minute drive from Loghaven. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which has the highest number of visitors of any national park in the U.S. and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site for biodiversity), is forty-five minutes away.

All Fellows need to adhere to a simple Code of Conduct that includes treating colleagues and staff with respect, using energy responsibly, and helping preserve Loghaven’s natural and built environments.

In addition, Fellows are required to attend communal dinners on weekdays and attend a welcome dinner with Loghaven’s Host Committee.

Loghaven Artist Residency is active on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Residents should feel free to post and share their own photos using the hashtag #Loghavenartistresidency. We ask that you check before posting photos of other artists and ensure that posts foster the respectful environment inherent in Loghaven’s Code of Conduct.