The Meal-Based Artist Residency Program

Authors: Marc Fisher, Dushko Petrovich, Lisa Anne Auerbach, Nathan Pearce, Damon Rich, Andy Sturdevant, Irene Tsatsos, Lee Tusman, Mairead Case, Jordan Knecht, Erica Dawn Lyle, Hazel Meyer, Peter Redgrave, Ian McMurrich, Matt Distel, Paul Nudd, Scott J. Hunter, Cara Kuball, Dan S. Wang, Sue Uhlig, and Todd Lerew.

Publisher: Public Collectors (2018)

Edition of 518

If you've been following Public Collectors' work for the last couple years, you've probably heard about the Joong Boo Residency Program. For that project Marc Fischer from Public Collectors invited out of town artists to apply for a residency that consisted of Fischer taking the artist resident to eat Korean food at Joong Boo Market in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood, at no cost to the resident. After 38 of these residencies, the project has ended, but not before inspiring several similar residencies in other cities. This booklet describes the ideas and intentions behind the project, includes sample full-length reports on three of the residencies by Fischer, and reflections from 20 of the residents who detail their experience. 

"We can create informal structures that will enable the positive experiences we want to have in our cities. They don’t have to cost a lot of money and the scale can be whatever we want it to be. To this end, in August 2016 I launched a meal-based artist residency program under the authorship and administration of my project Public Collectors. The Public Collectors Joong Boo Residency Program consisted of me buying Korean lunch for the resident at Joong Boo Market on 3333 N. Kimball Avenue in Chicago. I hosted 38 residents in just under two years before ending the project in July 2018.

This booklet shares the history and outcomes of my meal-based artist residency program. I’ve also provided background information and suggestions for others who are interested in adopting this model for their own projects. There is a handy list of factors to consider when starting a meal-based residency. I have also given the residents space to share what their Joong Boo residency meant to them.

This booklet also serves as a launch vehicle for my next residency: the Public Collectors Courtroom Artist Residency, which will bring artists to Criminal Court in Chicago to witness its operations, followed by a meal where we can discuss what we have observed."

–Marc Fischer