Expanding Creative Horizons: The Church Announces 2025 Residency Program

The Church, the center for art, creativity, and community located in Sag Harbor and founded by Eric Fischl and April Gornik that opened in April 2021, announces the continuation of our RESIDENCY program for 2025. Residents have been nominated for selection by community members and industry colleagues that include Fischl, Gornik, Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella, Workshop & Residency Manager Samuel Havens, along with artist Arcmanoro Niles, Dominic Molon (RISD Museum), writer Paul Greenberg, artist Margaret Garrett, Julie Barer (The Book Group), writer Drew Zeiba, playwright James Tyler, Zach Feuer (co-founder, Forge Project), Ebony Haynes (52 Walker), Kemi Ilesanmi (KGI Projects), artist Nanibah Chacon, artist Susan Bachemin, Jenny Jaskey (American Academy of Arts and Letters), writer Jill Bialosky, fashion designer Mary Jane Marcasiano, and others.

Our 2025 Artists & Scholars in Residence are: Emily Coates (dance, choreography, and performance), Roomful of Teeth (vocal band), Mila Tina (interdisciplinary performance), Abby Lloyd (interdisciplinary), Braden Hollis (painting), Rachel Herz (scientific research-writing), Paulo Josepetti (fashion design), Jayne Deely (playwriting), Shizu Saldamando (painting & mixed media), Alison Cynamon (illustration and mixed media), Rayos Magos (interdisciplinary), Koray Duman (architectural design), Madison Willing (music composition), Wayne Gonzales (painting), Chié Shimizu (sculpture and mixed media), Ursala Hudson (interdisciplinary), Esteban Jefferson (painting, photography, and mixed media), Funto Omojola (photography and mixed media), Sarah Resnick (writing), Jordan Ramirez-Puckett (playwriting), Anthony Akinbola (mixed media), NSangou Njikam (playwriting), James Esber (painting and mixed media), Madjeen Isaac (painting), Helen Schulman (writing), Angel Dimayuga (interdisciplinary), Darby Raymond-Overstreet (printmaking, mixed media, and digital), Jazzmen Lee-Johnson (interdisciplinary), Hollis Chitto (beadwork and quillwork), Daniel T. Gaitor Lomack (interdisciplinary), Cusi Cram (playwriting and performance), Matty Davis (performance, dance, and choreography), and Ada Calhoun (writing).

“Our rhythmic, annual cadence features diverse makers and mediums and fosters artistic innovation and cross-disciplinary dialogues between artists of all backgrounds. We aim to keep alive the tradition of artistic ingenuity that is endemic to the history of Eastern Long Island,” said Pasquarella.

When co-founders April Gornik and Eric Fischl first built and conceived of The Church, a key component was an interdisciplinary residency program. The intent was to nurture artistic innovation and dialogue, while making artistic processes and concepts accessible to the wider community. The residency was located within The Church itself and managed by Chief Curator Sara Cochran. Inaugural artists residents in 2021 and 2022 included the Martha Graham Dance Company, Claude Lawrence and Leslee Stradford, Jay Hardin, Mary Ellen Bartley, Jim Gingerich, Adam Gopnik, Bill Goldstein, and others.

Since its inception, the residency has grown exponentially, bringing over 100 artists, makers, and scholars to Sag Harbor in the past two years alone. In 2024, we welcomed a total of 65 residents, including our Community Residency of six artists from the region and a total of 45 percent BIPOC residents across the whole program. In 2025, we’ll continue to build upon this momentum, extending the average residency duration to three weeks and promoting interaction and engagement of residents within the local community.