For the question you can’t leave unanswered.
Give it five months of your full attention.
WHATIF is a five-month residency at NODE Studio NYC for artists, technologists, scientists, writers, researchers, and creative thinkers exploring new possibilities in digital art.
It's built around a burning question in your work: something you need to create, explore, test, or understand, and wouldn't be satisfied leaving unanswered.
Your question should come from something you're already thinking deeply about. It might explore how technology changes the way we create, how science can inspire new forms of artistic expression, how storytelling evolves in digital spaces, or how people interact with art in unexpected ways.
You don't need to come from the art world, but your curiosity should lead you toward it. What matters is that your exploration has the potential to challenge, expand, or redefine what digital art can be.
Bring that question and a sense of how you'd pursue it. We'll provide a stipend, workspace, and technical support to explore it through research, experimentation, making, and collaboration.
Here's what you can expect from us, what we ask of you, and a few things worth knowing before you apply.
What you get from us
- $25,000 to focus on your work
- A $5,000 monthly stipend for five months to help you focus on answering your burning question through research, experimentation, and making.
- A studio built for experimentation
- A dedicated workspace within NODE Studio NYC, shared with fellow residents, the NODE team, and others working in the Studio. You’ll have access to the display, production, and prototyping infrastructure that powers our Palo Alto flagship, along with people who know how to use it.
- A trip to Palo Alto, CA
- We’ll cover flights and lodging for a visit to NODE’s headquarters in Palo Alto. Meet the team and get a backstage look at the making of a future exhibition, expanding your sense of what’s possible in your own work.
What we ask of you
- Show up
- This is an in-person residency, not a remote fellowship. We want people who enjoy being around other creative minds, sharing ideas, and occasionally getting pulled into an unexpected conversation.
- Make something happen
- Partway through the residency, you’ll create an experience for the NODE community based on your own practice. We’ll agree on the event together: a workshop, talk, performance, screening, shared experiment, or another format that brings people into your process. You’ll also participate in a closing showcase to share where your work has landed.
- Keep us in the loop
- Join weekly office hours with a member of the NODE team to help you answer your question and make progress in your own practice. These check-ins are a chance to share what you’re trying, work through challenges, and identify the support you need.
If that sounds like your kind of place, we’ll probably get along.
Your ideas. Your work.
What you create belongs to you.
You retain the rights to everything you submit with your application and everything you make during the residency.
By applying, you’re confirming that the materials you submit are yours to share and that the information in your application is accurate.
The fine print
(because there has to be some)
We’d rather spend our time talking about ideas, but a few things are important to know.
- The agreement
- Applying doesn’t create a contract, job offer, or employment relationship. Selected residents will sign a Residency Agreement before starting.
- Who can apply
- You must be at least 18 and propose a question to pursue through digital art and technology. People from all disciplines are welcome. You can apply individually or as a collective of up to two people. Collectives submit one application, designate one lead contact, and share one stipend.
- What’s not covered
- Housing, relocation, local transportation, living expenses, health insurance, and visa sponsorship are not included.
- How we select residents
- NODE and its selection committee make the final decisions. Finalists may be invited to interview. We may not be able to provide individual feedback.
One last thing
Some questions stay with you until you make the work that answers them.
WHATIF gives you five months to pursue yours with focus, take it seriously enough to test it, and share what you discover with others doing the same.
So, what if?
Bring your burning question.
Make the work that answers it.
Application deadline: December 10