Mentorships & Internships

The Artist in Residence Program at Olive’s Porch is a grant-funded opportunity for early to mid-career artists to spend four months in Murphy and Brasstown, North Carolina focusing on their craft while working within and building community. 

Participants will live on the Folk School campus and have access to a studio at Olive’s Porch, a new community-focused space in downtown Murphy.  

The residency will provide ample time for creative practice and opportunities to engage and inspire through demonstrations, conversations, and collaborations. 

Building on one of the original goals of our founders, Olive Dame Campbell and Marguerite Butler, this opportunity is focused on traditional Appalachian craft, music, and dance and aims to support the next generation of tradition bearers, keeping alive time-honored practices. We hope to foster a creative space where folks can build relationships that will carry beyond their time in the studio. 

The residency provides housing and meals and a $2400 stipend. Artists will focus on honing their craft, with scheduled public engagement through demonstrations or open studio time. Artists will have access to additional paid teaching opportunities and the ability to sell their work. 

Applications for our 2023 Artist in Residence Program have closed. We’ll have more information soon about 2023 participants and applications for the 2024 program.