Newledo Residency Opportunity

Newledo offers a residency opportunity for creative practitioners to conceptualize, develop or create work that responds to the site or broader bioregion, addresses the climate crisis, engages the public in regenerative principles or advances awareness for greater resiliency and climate conscious living.

Newledo is located on a former 100 year old 18-acre dairy farm. Wide open pastures, surrounding forests and nearby dynamic Oregon coastline and Yaquina Bay provide rich inspiration. A resident elk herd passes through the site on frequent occasions. Various migratory birds stop by the pastures and ponds, providing great bird watching opportunities. And the property borders a swath of forest wonderland with trails carved out by the elk.

Resident artists are invited to immerse themself in the site, set-up temporary observation stations and install early stage or developed works across the farm including the farmhouse, 2 ponds, 2 creeks and pastures.

Fabrication and studio space is available in the rustic barn or covered carport.

Additionally, residents are welcome to host events, workshops or presentations to promote one’s work.

We are open to practitioners at all stages of one’s career.

We offer one residency at a time but have ongoing projects and occasional events happening, managed by Newledo or others who reside in the area. We are artists and industrial designers and love connecting with other practitioners. So there is opportunity to engage with other creative folks, join in the events and activities, join us in a shared meal or have full privacy and quiet time, if preferred.

All residencies include a private furnished room with a shared or private bathroom. Alternate housing such as tiny house parking or camping is also welcome. Included is use of all shared common areas in the main 5-bedroom house, access to the 18 acres and barn, wifi, laundry and utilities. We have Starlink so wifi calling access is available for most carriers.

Food/beverage is not included but we have a spacious kitchen available for use. And Newport, just minutes away, has a locally owned food coop, freshly caught fish for sale at the dock, a weekly farmers market, latino and vietnamese grocery stores and big name grocery stores. Plus you can buy fresh eggs from the 7-year old neighbor who sells them from his mailbox. And there are countless good dining options in the area.

Temporary storage space can be provided for tools and materials, either in our shed or in the barn. Storage for personal items can be provided in the main house, depending on how much room is needed.

We’re located 3 miles from Newport, along Highway 20. Its not very safe to bike Hwy 20 nor is there any public transportation between us and town, so personal transportation is necessary.

Newport is a vibrant fishing and tourist town of 10,000+, and has all the basic amenities, including grocery stores, hardware stores, banks, ATMs and gas stations. Oregon State University hosts Haftield, a marine science research center, offering free lectures and connection to resident and visiting scientists. NOAA docks its research vessels in the bay. Rogue Brewery is headquartered here. Nearby are other coastal communities, such as Yachats, each offering their own unique character to the Central Oregon Coast.

The closest airports are Eugene (1.5 hrs away) and Portland (2.5 hrs away). There is a shuttle option from Portland airport to the coast. But once arriving to the area, personal transportation would be necessary to get between Newport and our farm.

The Central Oregon Coast offers an abundance of stunning sites to see and experience, from hiking, beach biking and kayaking to crabbing, kiteboarding, fishing, surfing, whale watching and more. With a combination of rugged rocky coastline and wide-open, sparsely populated beaches, there is much to enjoy. Surrounding forested hillsides provide great hiking and mountain biking trails. Foraging abounds from mushrooms to mussels and seaweed to the many edible plants in the region.

One should expect to bring any materials and equipment needed. There are some building supplies and hardware stores in the area but it's limited. And there are no art supply stores out here.

The pastures and surrounding trails are quite muddy during the winter and spring so good hiking boots or muck boots are recommended. The temperatures tend to fluctuate throughout the day, even during the summer, so layered clothes seem to work best. Rain attire is highly recommended for fall through spring visits.

Basics such as toiletries, insect repellent, sunscreen are typically available in Newport. Fortunately, we have no ticks and few mosquitos in the region.

There is some great biking riding in the region and we offer storage space for bikes, when not in use.

There are rental shops in Newport, for heavy equipment, and outdoor equipment such as kayaks, surf gear, bikes and more. We also have ample room to store watercraft such kayaks or surfboards, during one’s stay.

Participants are welcome to schedule their arrival/departure as needed.

The Central Oregon Coast does experience 4 seasons, with ample rainfall November through April. During January and February we can get light snow and/or freezing rain on occasion.

June through early October tends to be perfect with 75F degrees most days, a refreshing breeze and blue skies. Bonus, if it does get warmer, we have both the coast, rivers and a bucolic lake nearby.

Residencies are available for the week, month or year, depending on the need, and are offered on a sliding-scale. For reference, average rates are between $200-$400 for the week. (We offer a discount for longer stays). We strive to keep the rate well below typical accommodation costs to stay at the coast. All proceeds, from the residencies, do go towards supporting regenerative projects at Newledo.

Logistical issues such as transportation and securing VISAs for international artists would be the responsibility of the participant.

Couples and Visitors Policy: Practioners are welcome to bring their partners and have visitors, if staying in the downstairs master bedroom or in their own accommodations (trailer or tent).

Pets/Service Animals Policy: Practioners are welcome to bring pets if they come with their own accommodations (trailer or tent) and would be expected to be responsible for their pet during their stay. We don’t have fenced areas and there are coyotes and mountain lions in the vicinity.

There are rental shops in Newport, for heavy equipment, and outdoor equipment such as kayaks, surf gear, bikes and more. We also have ample room to store watercraft such kayaks or surfboards, during one’s stay.

Insurance/Coverage Policy: We are a very small outfit and so cannot provide insurance coverage to participants’ belongings, including works of art, materials and tools. All items would be the responsibility of the participant and, unless agreed upon with us, would be expected to be removed from the property at the conclusion of one’s residency.

Maintenance and Upkeep Responsibility: During one’s stay, one would be expected to respect all common areas, and ensure all personal areas (room and designated studio/ workspace/ installation space) is returned to its original condition.

Noise Policy: We tend to have quiet hours during the week between 10pm and 6am. We’re flexible on the weekends.

Additionals: We’re anti-gun so no firearms allowed. We’re flexible on moderate alcohol and mild drugs consumption. Smoking is not welcomed in the main house.

Fire Policy: We’re sensitive to wildfire vulnerabilities. Open flame, use of candles, bbqs and campfires are dependent on the season. These practices should be confirmed with us beforehand.

Cancellation Policy or Early Departure: Payment for residency is to be provided prior to one’s stay. Refunds are only available for cancellations made 2 weeks prior to one’s stay or in the case of emergency.

Practitioners would need to submit the overall concept of one or more projects to be worked on during one’s stay, work samples (photos, audio, slides, video, text, sample pages, etc), preferred time and duration of stay and potential needs during one’s residency.

Newledo is particularly excited to provide opportunity to practitioners working under the broader umbrella of sustainability/regenerative, experimenting with new projects outside of their typical comfort zone or venturing into new media they haven’t explored previously. With 18+ acres to work in, we invite site specific, large scale and earthwork based projects.

Any projects that would result in changes to the property (i.e., relocating earth, cutting or removing plants, etc.) would need to be reviewed.

Ownership of all brought or artwork created onsite will be retained by the practitioner.

To learn more about Newledo’s residency program and for details about the application process, contact Nicole Cousino, [email protected]