OPAC
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCY PROGRAM
At OPAC, we believe artists are more than creators—they are storytellers, researchers, collaborators, and community builders. Our Artist-in-Residency Program invites artists to immerse themselves in the people, places, and stories that shape our community. Through partnerships with local nonprofits, public agencies, and neighborhoods, resident artists create projects that spark conversation, strengthen community connections, and inspire new ways of seeing the world around us.
Each residency is unique, but all share a common goal: using creativity to build a more connected, vibrant, and resilient community.
Unlike traditional residencies that provide studio space alone, OPAC's residencies are community-based.
Artists work alongside residents, local organizations, educators, and subject matter experts to explore issues that matter to our community.
Our Approach
Residencies may include:
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Community workshops
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Public art installations
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Performances
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Storytelling projects
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Exhibitions
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Educational programs
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Neighborhood activations
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Environmental stewardship
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Neighborhood Resiliency
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Cultural documentation
Every residency culminates in a public experience that invites the community to participate in the creative process.
Current Residency
Artist applications will open Fall 2026. Please sign up for OPAC’s newsletter to receive updates.
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027
Creative Tides: Coastal Artist Residencies
Funded through the California Coastal Commission's Whale Tail Grant Program, Creative Tides is a series of artist residencies exploring the relationship between art, environmental stewardship, and California's coastline.
Working alongside community partners throughout Ventura County, artists will engage residents in creative experiences that celebrate coastal ecosystems while encouraging environmental responsibility and conservation.
Past Artist Residencies
The Esperanza Project | Arcelia Martinez
Artist and cultural organizer Arcelia Martinez addressed the Teen Latina Mental Health Crisis through a year-long residency supported by the California Arts Council and Bank of America. She created monthly charlas (craft-and-chats) for teens, quarterly salons on rotating mental health topics, and ultimately produced a short documentary that was screened in schools and in the community.
Looking for Oxnard | Luis Guereca
Podcast producer and storyteller Luis Guereca explored the people, neighborhoods, and untold stories that define Oxnard through his community-centered podcast, Looking for Oxnard. His residency highlighted local voices while encouraging residents to see their city through new perspectives.