Roya Amirsoleymani is a freelance curator, writer, creative producer, and project manager in contemporary art and performance, based on Twana and Skokomish lands on the Olympic Peninsula in rural Washington. From 2012-2023, she was a director and curator at Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA), where she collaboratively curated and organized visual art exhibitions, experimental dance and theatre, residencies, public programs, community events, grantmaking initiatives, and the annual Time-Based Art Festival. Locally, nationally, and internationally, her practice has also spanned research, writing, symposia, publications, public art, panels, parties, books, budgets, grants, cultural policy, and arts advocacy. In early 2024, she and her partners launched an independent, informal, and invitational residency for artists, writers, and musicians of color at their home called Oak Head. She believes in supporting the labor and livelihoods of artists and arts workers–especially those historically excluded from mainstream art worlds and economies. Across all her work, she is committed to furthering anti-racism, equity, and justice.
OAK HEAD ARTIST RESIDENCY: Supporting artists, writers, and musicians of color with time, space, food, nature, & shared resources
About Oak Head
Oak Head sits on traditional Twana and Skokomish lands. We extend our gratitude and respect to all of the Coast Salish peoples who have called this region home since time immemorial, and to the more-than-human species with which we all share this land. The settler property of Oak Head is approx. 14 acres, most of them forested, on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. We left city life and moved here full-time in October 2023. We rent the property from family, live in and work from the main house, pay utilities, maintain the grounds, and steward the Oak Head Artist Residency for BIPOC artists, writers, and musicians, which is part of how we share access to land and resources.
Financial Transparency: How the Residency Operates
Each of us is an artist/arts worker, so we understand and appreciate the value of residencies, especially for artists who are underrepresented in the mainstream art world. As artists/curators/writers/musicians with access to a beautiful property, we want to share it.
We are actively fundraising to help cover the costs of Oak Head Artist Residency. For now, we are independent and unincorporated, with no nonprofit 501(c)(3) designation nor fiscal sponsorship. We have put out calls for donations to our personal networks and close professional circles, with the understanding that these are made as gifts or”mutual aid” (donations are not tax-deductible). Contributions are collected via PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, or check. We record each income and expense transaction and every record of receipt.
Based on what we have been able to raise to date (subject to change), we can currently offer $500 stipends to visiting artists/groups. We can also provide most meals/groceries for artists so direct costs while in residence are very minimal, as well as airport pickup/drop-off or other necessary transportation. At this time, we have not raised enough to cover our own time/labor, utilities, or other costs incurred, so we are providing most resources in-kind. We hope to offset more expenses in the future. We would love to raise enough funds to be able to offer $1,000 stipends to all artists, and cover our food/grocery costs, a share of utilities, and mileage. If you know anyone who might be interested in donating, please put them in touch with us!
