UPDATE TO 2020 SUMMER SESSION

Letter from Sarah Workneh, Co-Director
March 23, 2020

First and foremost, I hope that you and your loved ones are well. I am writing today with concern, care, and an offering of hope and fortitude in this extreme moment and to let you know that we have made the decision to cancel the 2020 summer program at Skowhegan. Moving forward, we will instead consider your application for the summer of 2021.

We have made this decision due to the uncertainty set forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a great deal of thought and discussion, we believe this decision is the most prudent in protecting our staff and faculty, our community in Maine, and of course, you – and the financial, personal, and emotional investments you make in preparing to attend residencies. Furthermore, Skowhegan has always been a place where artists from around the world gather, and in running through various scenarios of how we might run the program this year, it was clear that the fundamental character and energy of exchange, and our values as an organization and as a school would be deeply compromised with any limitations placed on who might be able to attend.

With this in mind, we will continue to consider you and your fellow current applicants, to select a class of 65 participants with a robust waitlist for the summer of 2021.

We started reviewing applications in January as the coronavirus first began to spread. We paused the process last week when we shuttered the office, and Skowhegan staff moved to remote work as the pandemic spread around the world. The Admissions process will remain on hold until it is safe to return so that we can review the applications you submitted with care and the rigor that we feel is necessary and deserved. It is hard to project a timeline, but my hope is that we will be able to finish and let everyone know in late fall or early winter of this year. Understanding that the world may be different by then, we will make the necessary accommodations as time requires and will keep you updated.

A couple of immediate important matters to understand and acknowledge: your application will be reviewed in full by our jury for admissions in 2021; and we will not have a new application for summer 2021 and no new applications will be considered. We cannot make changes, or add works to your already submitted application, and we cannot refund application fees, but you will have every chance to be admitted as in any other year. We have composed an FAQ to answer more logistical questions about the application review process which you can find on this page.

I think we all find ourselves in a moment that we could not have imagined, so I ask for your patience and understanding as all of us are dealing with personal, physical, professional, economic, and emotional strain in considering how we move forward. I know many of you have faced or are facing further precarity as this situation unfolds, and I, myself, and Skowhegan will work towards enacting the kind of community that has served as the bedrock of the work we do under more normalized circumstances, but this will take time.

In 74 years, this is only the second summer that Skowhegan has not operated, but in moments of extreme darkness, the school and all of its artists have found the fortitude to be better, to think more broadly, to push ourselves beyond what we know and what we can see in the immediate. This is and has been our job as artists in the past, in this present, and in the future.

This is a moment when care is needed. Skowhegan serves as a collection point to forge community, but in many ways, we need not wait to do it there. Find the community you need in this moment, find people that need community in this moment. In 2018, Resident Faculty member Simon Leung said something in his lecture that has stuck with me in thinking about the work we do on campus each summer. Referencing the Greek word askesis, Simon spoke of self-care as an endeavor of preparation…that what begins in ourselves is preparation for how we encounter the other – that the ethical is not so much what one does in a particular situation but rather how one prepares oneself to be. This could be said both about what we make and its life after our own hands but it certainly is also about how we live as artists who encounter the world and those around us – in this precarious time especially. There is a concept in Mayan culture that is similar in its intention—In La’kech, which translates roughly to “I am the other you.” Please keep this in your thoughts as we move through this and beyond.

With care and in safety,
Sarah Workneh
Co-Director

 

FAQ


What will happen to my application for Summer 2020 now that it has been cancelled?

All applications received for the 2020 summer session will be reviewed in full and those admitted will be offered a spot in the class of 2021.

When will the 2021 Session take place?

The Skowhegan 2021 Summer Session will begin on June 12, 2021 and end on August 14, 2021. There will be no summer session in 2020.

When can I expect to hear about admissions decisions for the 2021 Session?

We are not in a position to determine when conditions will allow us to finish reviewing applications with the focus and rigor they deserve. We hope to have decisions by the end of 2020, but this is subject to change.

Can you tell me the status of my application at this point?

Given both the delay in reviewing applications and how we jury the applications, we are unable to indicate where any individual application is in the process. All applicants will be notified of their status at the same time once admissions concludes.

Can I receive a refund for my 2020 application fee?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide refunds for any application fee.

Can I make changes to my 2020 application before being considered for 2021?

All of the applications are locked and you cannot add to or change any materials, financial information or references at this point.

What if my financial circumstances have changed?

Skowhegan will base your financial aid award on what you initially submitted in your 2020 application. If you are accepted, we will be in touch to ensure there is no financial barrier to attending Skowhegan if your financial circumstances have changed.

What if I no longer qualify for Matching Funds in 2021; What if my school no longer has the ability to offer matching funds?

In those instances where matching scholarships are no longer available from your school, Skowhegan will work to find alternative funding.

Can I withdraw my application?

You may contact help@skowheganart.org to withdraw your application, however your application fee can not be refunded.

What if I am accepted to the 2021 Summer but cannot attend?

This will be handled on a case-by-case basis after admissions decisions have been made.

Who will be the Resident and Visiting Faculty for 2021?

We are working with those faculty members who committed to come in 2020 to reschedule for 2021. We will update the list as we know more.

Who reviews my application?

Review panels are composed of members from Skowhegan’s Board of Governors and the upcoming summer faculty. Jurors in the first round of application reviews also include members of the Skowhegan Alliance (an alumni committee), and distinguished artists, many of whom are alumni. The reviews take place in person and the dynamic of in-person meetings is important to the discussion and in adequately addressing each individual's application. This is part of why the process has been delayed. All applications are presented to the jurors anonymously.

I did not apply for the 2020 Session. Can I apply for the 2021 Session?

No. The participants for the 2021 Summer will be selected from the 2020 applicant pool. New applications will not be accepted.

When can I apply for the session in Summer 2022?

Applications for the 2022 Summer Session will open in November 2021.

How can I contact someone if I have further questions?

You can email us at help@skowheganart.org. We will be checking emails during regular business hours (M-F, 9:30am - 5:30pm EST). As staff are working remotely, we ask for your patience in receiving a response.

Contact Us

We understand that this is an unpredictable time for everyone. If you have any concerns or additional questions about changes to the summer session, please reach out to us directly by emailing help@skowheganart.org.

We also encourage you to review the list of artist resources as another avenue for staying connected and finding support during this time.