The Curator in Residence (CIR) program aims to tap into a pool of emerging and mid-career curators of color, including marginalized and immigrant artists and gender non-conforming and LGBTQIA creatives, whose approaches address social justice, racial equity, gender equality, participatory activism, environmental justice, and other core tenets that align with the Weeksville legacy. We prioritize curators whose development processes engage the viewpoints and participation of the local community, and whose work and collaborations address critical local issues within a historical, national, or global context.

Each year, one CIR will be chosen for a residency that culminates with an exhibition, installation, or other public-facing project that incorporates a community engagement element. Each curator receives a stipend  and is provided with other financial and institutional resources to create and share the work in one or more of WHC’s presentation spaces (e.g. visual art gallery, performance space, green spaces, and/or Historic Houses), with participants encouraged to find innovative ways to activate our 1.5-acre campus. CIRs are provided access to the Weeksville archives and supported to use the research to enhance their project, incorporating links to Weeksville history, as appropriate. Curators work with local artists, residents, and community stakeholders, engaged through focus groups and meetings, to help develop guiding themes and novel modes of inquiry that build relationships with the community. They also participate in WHC’s public arts programming and events, including artist talkbacks and workshops.