Learn more on Kohler's website.
About
Arts/Industry is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable collaborations between art and industry in the United States. The residency program is administered by the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, a nonprofit arts organization in Sheboygan, WI, and hosted and funded by Kohler Co., a private for-profit plumbing ware company in nearby Kohler, WI. Founded by visionary arts leader Ruth DeYoung Kohler, Arts/Industry provides artists a place to make their artwork in tandem with the skilled craftspeople who work for Kohler Co. The program is rooted in the collaborative efforts between contemporary artists and industrial artisans, resulting in brilliant works of art.
Hundreds of artists have benefited from this celebrated artist residency since its beginning in 1974. Arts/Industry offers artists the time and space to focus on the creation of new work in studios located within the Pottery and Foundry at the Kohler Co. factory.
Artists need not have experience working with clay or metal, but an interest in adapting industrial processes to their practice and an openness to the factory environment is needed. Residents are exposed to a body of technical knowledge that enables and encourages them to explore new ways of thinking and working.
Artists-In-Residence
The artists-in-residence participating in the Arts/Industry program hosted at Kohler Co. in the Pottery and Foundry have gone through a very competitive juried application process. Each year, up to twelve artists open to new ideas get to take advantage of the resources, technology, and materials of Kohler Co., to explore new ideas, processes, and perspectives for a three month residency. Many artists come to the program with no experience in the material they will be working with and are asked to come with an open mind and eagerness to learn and work.
