ADSF Emerging Artists Residency Program

About the Program

In the fall of 2021, Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe launched the pilot for our Emerging Artists Residency Program. In partnership with NEWSED Community Development Corporation, this program is designed to support emerging local talent and foster the continued economic development of Denver's most historic creative district.

Through the program, each artist receives:
- 3 months of free studio space in the Art District on Santa Fe Studio & Headquarters
- A $500 materials stipend
- A 4-week Business Basics course through NEWSED
- A chance to display their work in a group show in the Art District
- Mentorship and networking with professional artists in the community, and much more

Learn more about our current resident artists and alumni below!

Please note: we are not currently accepting applications. Check back soon!

Meet the Artists

Kelly Hall

Kelly Hall was born in Denver, Colorado in 1998 and raised in Aurora most of her life. She is a multi-media artist who uses photography, collage, and videography to connect ideas of identity, vulnerability, and memory. Growing up in Colorado, she has been heavily influenced by nature and city landscapes. Traveling alone has also made a large impact on her perspective as she often stops to notice and capture the mundane, yet intricate ways everything is connected.

Hall is also a collector of memories, cherishing objects or photos that freeze special moments. Through collage, she aims to intuitively paste these elements together, often showcasing abstract representations of love, family, grief, and acceptance. Her films allow these ideas to expand and come alive, giving more room for profound, yet ambiguous storytelling.

Hall’s reason for creating is to connect more with her intuition, honor those who have come before her, and preserve stories. She believes that preserving personal histories allows for stronger community building. She longs for her art to resonate with others who desire to learn about who and where that come from, showcasing a way for more authentic, vulnerable connections and conversations.

Sydnee Masias

Sydnee Masias is a multimedia artist from Denver, Colorado. Her education in the arts began as a student at the Denver School of the Arts. From there she went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Colorado Denver before moving into a professional graphic design career.

She has a love for the strange and unusual and her work explores themes of dreamscapes, dark folklore, and playful characters. Using vibrant colors, she creates whimsical pieces in all mediums. Often combining mediums and unexpected materials for her work. She derives inspiration from her culture, memories, and dreams. Her work often reflects the surreal.

With an interest in fashion, Sydnee has created several designs for the One Club of Denver’s Paper Fashion Show. She has also participated in Meow

Wolf’s Trashion Show, highlighting sustainable fashion out or unconventional materials. This interest is shown in much of her work where craft meets fine art and where art becomes wearable.

Sydnee aims to create art that reflects her experiences and that creatively challenges her. She enjoys merging themes and working to explore vulnerability through a beautiful and vibrant execution.

Catie michel

Catie Michel is an artist, muralist, and scientific illustrator guided by collaborative storytelling and our connection to the natural world.

Her background in field research and science communication grounds her creative work in attention, observation, and inquiry. As a devoted naturalist, Catie's creative process begins the moment she catches a rare glimpse into a vernal pool or hears the competing calls of owls at night. Finding great community in shared curiosity, she examines themes of connection (human/more-than-human), access, advocacy, and the intersection of science and art.

Cultivating safe spaces in which others can explore their own connections to the natural world, to themselves, and to each other is endlessly fueling. Catie explores what, in nature, is capturing our attention and what, in us, is looking back.