STAR: Teacher Residencies - Florida Alliance for Arts Education

The State of Florida is filled with talented, dedicated artists who are also talented and dedicated, certified full time public school teachers. Their lives are spent trying to balance the challenge of expressing their artistic selves while pursuing their profession as a public school educator.

The STAR program is designed to honor and nourish the artist in the educator by providing five public school educators from Florida with the opportunity to pursue their artistic work in the inspiring environment of the prestigious Hermitage Artist Retreat.

A Hermitage residency is a gift of time and space for artists to attend to their work. There is no requirement to produce. It is intensely personal time for concentration AND a community of artists from different disciplines with which to share and learn. Artists invited seize the opportunity and find themselves more productive than at any other time in their creative lives.

Selection criteria:

Full-time arts teacher in Florida Public School (e.g. creative writing, dance, music, theatre, visual art) Note: charter schools only eligible if managed by school district (eg having control over curriculum and admissions).
Artistic quality of work

RESIDENCY FAQ:

What is expected? While there is no requirement to produce completed works during the residency, resident artists are encouraged to use this gift of time to work on current works or new bodies of work. At the conclusion of the residency, resident artists will collaboratively produce a one-hour event open to the public, in which each artist will explain and/or demonstrate their work (may include performances or open studio tours, etc.).
What is provided? A suite with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette; a work area or studio space; beach access; wireless internet and printer access; a keyboard or piano for composers
What is NOT provided? Meals (except a welcome dinner); travel support; art supplies/equipment; smoking facilities (this is a no-smoking campus indoor & outdoors); accommodation for spouses/family/guests/pets (this is a solo residency)

The Hermitage Artist Retreat:

The Hermitage Artist Retreat is a not-for-profit artist community on 8.5 beachfront acres on Manasota Key in Englewood, FL. Its five historic buildings have been lovingly and expertly restored and adapted into living space and studio space for writers, painters, poets, playwrights, sculptors, composers, and other primary creators. In five short years, the Hermitage has become one of the premiere artist communities in America. Our artists are Pulitzer winners, MacArthur winners, Guggenheim winners and NEA winners. They are among America’s more influential and creative artists.

2024 Timeline

Application opens: February
Deadline for submission: April 11
Announce Recipients: mid-May
STAR Residency: July 2-14
General Public Event with the STARS TBD

Questions? Email: director@faae.org

Quotes from Past STARs

Slide 1

"I found Poetry in this place, but most of all I found the me that had been buried beneath the load of the teacher’s life. The turquoise waters of the gulf and solitary pursuit of my art have left an indelible mark on me."

- Joanna Fox

Slide 2

"My artist residency at the Hermitage was a wonderful experience. The location was not only beautiful, but an inspiring place to work as well. The staff was great and went out of their way to make us feel welcome and at home. In addition, I made lifelong friends with the other artists I shared time with there. You owe it to yourself to apply for this incredible opportunity. "

– John Stiles

Slide 3

"What an amazing experience being a 2017 STAR! The location and the ambience are perfect for concentrating on personal art! I still keep in touch with my fellow STARs as well!"

– Gerald Obregon

Slide 4

"Being given the STARs program opportunity really helped to bring me back to my "artist self" that had gotten a little lost during my years of teaching. Coming out of my residency, I was inspired to apply for and begin an MFA program to keep that artistic momentum going."

–Marisa Flint

Slide 5

"The STARS residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat is one-of-a-kind opportunity to re-connect with yourself and find your true source of creativity and artistic expression. "

– Mirena Suarez

Slide 6

"I truly appreciated my residency at the Hermitage. To say it is a magical place, is an understatement. The weeks to freely open up to my own self, reflect, and work in peace unconditionally, was a dream come true. The location is like a portal to new ideas, and much can be gained with solitude and application. I completed several large and a few smaller pieces and experimented with a new medium. Thanks and best wishes to all who travel there!"

– Rose Shaw

Slide 7

"My time at the Hermitage Retreat allowed me to prioritize a routine of daily writing. In the almost two years since I left the beautiful little cottage on the beach, I have written more than I had in all the years prior. I will always be grateful to the STAR program, and I share my renewed optimism for writing both as a form of creative expression as well as a potential career with my students. Thank you so much. "

– Tara Casey Salovitz

Slide 8

"I never would have had the time to finish my manuscript without the Hermitage. Beautiful and serene surroundings allowed me to find and put thoughts on paper and complete my book."

- Daniela Drazan

Slide 9

"The sound of the shells as the ocean raced upon the gulf shore. The radiant sunrises and sunsets. Before I came to the residency… I began the ideation of my new works. I wanted a dream-like setting lush flora fauna and animals herons, and egrets. When I arrived all the ideation became a reality, I walked into the lush environment I imagined for the direction of my new works. The hermitage is a quiet restful spot right on the shore of the ocean and just across the street another body of water ideal for those who love to kayak, if you can find the time in between your thirst for the solace and productivity the residency fosters. I thank the jurors of the Star Teacher Residency for giving a creative solace to a Teaching Artist. The time spent there was peaceful, rejuvenating and productive. Thank you again for the experience."

– Julie Orsini Shakher

Slide 10

"The STARs program was a great benefit to me in that it allowed for dedicated time and energy to one project, a novel I had been working on for quite some time. The time at the Hermitage was peaceful and allowed me to not have to worry about other "life" events. The only thing I had to worry about was doing the work and preparing my meals."

- Troy Jewell

Slide 11

"I found the experience gave me the opportunity to plan what I can do with the art I produce. As a teacher, students come first. This simply means the art produced by me is something that is more of a strong example for students to follow and to find the encouragement to produce their art. Students over the years have also encouraged me in that my art is to be shown and appreciated as well. This collaboration with my students and the STAR opportunity has allowed me to do that."

– Jeff Byers

Slide 12

"STAR allowed time to reevaluate my goals and to practice new art techniques - time we never give ourselves in daily life."

– Joy Williams

See past STAR Artists

STAR: State Teacher/Artist Residency

Selection criteria:

RESIDENCY FAQ:

The Hermitage Artist Retreat:

2024 Timeline

Quotes from Past STARs

Please join with us in congratulating the 2023 recipients