Application Deadline | January 14, 2022
For the initial pilot program we are accepting applicants by nomination. Self-nominations are accepted.
Please email ryan@vollandfoundation.org for more information about the residency or to request the Volland Residency Application.
The Volland Foundation is committed to providing time and space for creative practitioners of a wide range of disciplines to gather in a community setting for work, thought and exchange of ideas, and to experience immersion in a unique ecosystem and the rural culture.
Residency Program
Over the next few months, The Volland Foundation will launch a Residency Program to host artists, writers, musicians, performers, natural scientists and leaders in the humanities. We are excited to be in the test phase of developing our Residency Program. We are committed to making a comfortable space where people can think creatively.
Resilient and flexible personalities who enjoy working independently will do well during this test phase and evolving environment. Thank you for understanding that this is an experiment, and we may encounter bumps along the way.
Our Location
Volland is located in the Flint Hills of Kansas, nestled between working ranches with sweeping views of the tallgrass prairie. The original Volland Store opened in 1913 in the little railroad community of Volland and quickly became the social and cultural center of the ranching community that surrounded it. By 1971, the economy had changed, the population had declined, and the Store closed upon the death of its owner, Otto Kratzer. It sat vacant for forty years and was in danger of being torn down.
In 2015, The Volland Store was opened again after substantial renovations, re-purposed as an art gallery and event center. Today, it serves once again as a gathering place for the community, both near and far. The Volland Store is an architectural award-winning space with good art and friendly conversation. An outdoor theatre and music venue, “The Ruin,” will officially open on the grounds of The Volland Store in June 2022.
Photo by Mark Feiden
Volland’s next-door neighbor, the Grimm-Schultz Farmstead, was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on October 5, 2020. The Grimm-Schultz Farmstead is comprised of a limestone historic home on a working ranch with stone outbuildings. The main house has been beautifully and sensitively restored by its new owner, and together, the Volland and Grimm-Schultz properties collaborate in supporting the arts, humanities, and science. The Grimm-Schultz Farmstead provides a living space and studio to support the Artist-in-Residence Program at Volland, dependent on its ranching schedule.
Grimm-Schultz Farmstead
One hundred years ago, the young storekeeper of The Volland Store, Otto Kratzer, relished building community and bringing the newest and best of everything to Volland. More than a century later, a residency program at Volland offers the gift of time and space to artists and scientists to think, create, innovate, and interact. They, like Otto, will build community and explore new ideas.
Gift of Time and Space
The Volland Foundation is offering a two-week and a four-week residency session. Artists, writers, poets, musicians, performers, historians, natural scientists and leaders in the humanities are all encouraged to apply. We are looking for applicants in all stages of their career (emerging, mid-level, professional) and all areas of the globe: local, national and international. The Foundation is committed to equity and welcomes people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
Residents who enjoy solitude, working independently and are self-guided will do well in this residency. Applicants should consider whether this is the right environment for them. Volland is located 8 miles outside of Alma, a town of 900 people. The nearest grocery store is a 30-minute drive. If you are sensitive to noise, please note that Volland is near the railway.
COVID Protocols
Please consider that COVID precautions are casual in Wabaunsee County, and it is common for people not to wear masks in the post office. Masks are “strongly suggested” in public places like grocery stores, but compliance is not uniformly enforced. All participants must have a car during their residency as part of our COVID policy. The closest medical services to Volland are 40 miles away at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.
Facilities
The Loft and the Little House at Volland provide private living and studio space for two artists. The Grimm-Schultz Farmstead makes one living space and a studio available in support of the Volland Artist Residency Program. Most of the living spaces and studios are accessed by stairs. Each living space has a fully equipped kitchen and laundry room, and towels and linens are provided. There are no sinks in the studios. If your medium or practice is exceedingly messy, arrangements can be made. Please make a note in your application.
Learn more about the spaces: Loft, Little House and Grimm-Schultz Farmstead
Cost
Living and studio spaces are provided free of charge. A $200 stipend is awarded to all who are accepted. Each resident is responsible for their travel and living expenses including food, toiletries and art supplies. Artists are responsible for their own meals. Evening meals are a pleasant time for interaction, and shared meals may be arranged by residents at their discretion.
2021 Volland Residency Dates
Selected residents will be expected to be on site for the entire session they have been awarded.
April 19- May 3, 2022
September 20 – October 18, 2022
Stipulations
We kindly ask that spouses interested in their own residency apply separately. Family is welcome to visit on the weekends, but must acquire their own accommodations offsite. Finally, the rural nature of Volland means we cannot ensure the safety of pets. As a result, we ask they stay home for the duration of your residency.
Application and Acceptance Details
The application is available by request. Please email ryan@vollandfoundation.org if you would like to apply.
Volland welcomes applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. Volland is located in a rural area with limited access to medical care facilities. We strongly suggest that applicants with special medical needs contact the Resident Director before applying.
We will notify all applicants of their status by March 1, 2022. For the 2022 Residency Program there is no application fee. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of jurors with specialized knowledge in each respective field. Before applying, please read our COVID precautions and policy.
For those awarded a residency we will be asking for feedback during and after your time at Volland to learn the most from your experience. We hope to document residents for our website and to share information about them and the program on social media. Our hope is to create a virtual place on our website to celebrate the arts at Volland. We will encourage residents to share their experience on their own channels, as well as link to our website. We hope the cross-pollination will help us to spread the word about our new program.