The Fleur and Charles Bresler Artist Residency
In honor of patrons Fleur and Charles Bresler, VisArts invites applications and proposals from local, national, and international artists for a four-month residency at our studios in Rockville, Maryland.
The Bresler Residency provides three dynamic individual artists or collaborative artist groups the gift of time, space, and financial support, along with a unique opportunity to create a new body of work, evolve an existing body of work, or develop a project in a stimulating, supportive environment. · The Bresler Residency encourages interaction, dialogue, experimentation, and exploration with the VisArts artist community and the local community.
Bresler Residents present their work in solo exhibitions at VisArts. VisArts provides studio space free of charge, and provides a $2,000 stipend (paid over 4 months).
The Bresler Residency cannot provide housing.
VisArts follows CDC, regional, and local guidelines. If there are new pandemics or additional Covid surges, artists must be prepared for online community gatherings in place of face-to-face meetings. Accordingly, we ask that you include ideas for online engagement in your project description.
VisArts is committed to continuing to explore the potential of art to transform individuals and communities, engage radical imaginations, build safe and equitable spaces for artists and audiences, and cultivate trust, empathy, creativity, and diversity. One of our main gallery spaces is located on Gibbs Street, named in honor of William Gibbs, Jr., whose advocacy for equal pay for Montgomery County’s African American teachers led to a precedent-setting case for which Associate Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was a lead attorney.
Bresler Residents are encouraged to initiate in person and/or online outreach with the VisArts and greater Rockville communities. Rockville is a progressive, diverse city in the DC metropolitan area. It ranks nationally and statewide as a leader in environmental sustainability and use of green power. Rockville is recognized for its high quality of life, excellent schools, numerous public parks, and well-educated population.
Bresler Residents are also encouraged to engage a variety of audiences, ages, and cultural orientations within the Rockville community, in person and/or online, by accessing and interacting with local resources, including the history of William B. Gibbs, Jr.; the history and heritage of African Americans in Rockville; the City of Rockville; the Beall-Dawson House and Museum; Montgomery College Visual and Performing Arts Departments; Montgomery College and other local schools; the Montgomery County Public Library; the Potomac River/Rock Creek watershed; Rock Creek National Park; historic sites, organizations, and groups in the DC metropolitan area.
September 2026 – January 2027 Bresler Residency + Montgomery College Collaborative Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Partnership
VisArts is proud to continue our partnership with Montgomery College's Collaborative AiR for our September 2026 – January 2027 Bresler Residency.
During the September 2026 - January 2027 Bresler Residency, the selected artist or artist team will, in addition to fulfilling the terms of the Bresler Residency:
- Be embedded in the Rockville and Germantown Montgomery College Art Departments
- Receive an additional $3,000 stipend
Applicant Qualifications
- Qualified applicants are professional individual artists or collaborative artist groups over the age of 18; the program is not designed for undergraduate students or commercial artists.
- Artists working in all media are welcome to apply, but VisArts can’t support the use of hazardous materials that require specific ventilation requirements.
Montgomery College is an academic institution committed to promoting equal opportunity and fostering diversity among its students, faculty, and staff.