The Villa Barr Experience
Discover your creative haven in Michigan! Villa Barr is located on four acres of landscaped grounds in the countryside outside of Detroit, Michigan. This property was sculptor David Barr’s dream house and studio, and residents enjoy access to a private studio equipped with wood and metal working tools. Visiting artists also enjoy the use of the beautiful architect-designed home.
We run three residency sections each year, Spring, Summer, and Fall. We accept two artists each section, one Visiting Artist who resides in the home, and one Local Artist who has access to the studio. Each artist is provided with a private studio space in addition to the main shared studio. Residents are each awarded a $500 materials stipend. Visiting artists are also awarded a $500 travel stipend.
We work with all residents to create flexible opportunities to network and share your work with the public. Click here to see examples of previous residents.
How to Apply
Click here to access our submission manager when you are ready to apply. You’ll need to prepare a portfolio of up to 10 works, a brief artist bio, an artist statement, two references and a project proposal.
Strong project proposals state a clear vision for how your work will engage with the public. Your public engagement could take many forms, including hands on workshops, demonstrations, or installation-based projects suitable for display in a public park. Great proposals additionally engage with Villa Barr Art Park grounds, gardens, history, or studio in thoughtful and creative ways that will also bring the public out to see what you are up to. We work to market and support artist projects to engage the widest possible audience.
Selection process
Applications are reviewed by a panel of jurors lead by a rotating guest juror.
Applications are reviewed wholly, with emphasis on the portfolio and a clear, strong project proposal.
The Space
The four acres of Villa Barr Art Park is a public park, so you can expect visitors to the gardens, pond, and walking paths. The home and studio are private and not open to the public except during special events planned by the resident artist. The home consists of a ground level with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a skylit, lofted upper level of open-concept living space with an office, kitchen, and large living/dining area with a grand piano. The upper level of the house is only accessible via a spiral staircase.
There are two private studio spaces and one shared studio space at Villa Barr. Visiting artists will use the home studio attached to the main dwelling. It houses worktables, storage and a sink with easy access to the main shared studio that contains woodworking equipment with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. Local artists work in the separate outbuilding that contains metal-working tools and an open, heated workspace with lofted ceilings and a large window that overlooks the grounds.
For a full inventory list of available tools, supplies and equipment, click here
Villa Barr is located in the countryside, and there is no public transportation available, so residents will need to plan for their own transportation while residing on the property. It is a 35 minute drive to downtown Detroit, with access to vibrant arts and cultural institutions such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, The Arab American National Museum, MOCA Detroit, Pewabic Pottery, the Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit, and dozens of galleries. Outside of Detroit, visit the University of Michigan Art Museum, Cranbrook Art Museum, The Flint Art Museum, and The Toledo Art Museum within an hour’s drive, and the world-class Frederick Meijer Sculpture Gardens is a worthy day-trip two hours away. For summer visitors, the nationally known Ann Arbor Art Fair happens in July.
See our FAQ section below for more details about practical considerations for your residency
Spouses, partners and children are welcome at Villa Barr! The residence has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
Pets are not permitted.
Please visit our submission manager to get up-to date information about deadlines and results. Click here
One of our staff will be there to welcome you into the home when you arrive, give you a tour of the studio and grounds, and show you how to use the alarm system. We will coordinate with you a check-in time during our business hours, 9-5 M-F. If you arrive after hours or on the weekend, please plan to book yourself accommodations until we can check you in to the home.
Selected artist are awarded a $500 stipend. $250 will be disbursed to you upon arrival and the remaining $250 upon successful completion of your residency and responsibilities. Both the visiting artist residing in the home and the Michigan artist utilizing a studio space will receive a stipend. The visiting artist will also receive a $500 travel stipend.
If the artist project proposal includes a ticketed event or class/workshop with paid registration, Novi Parks and Recreation will split any proceeds with the artist 60% artist / 40% Novi.
The closest airport is the Detroit airport, DTW. It is about a 35 minute drive to Villa Barr from the airport. One of our staff will pick you up from the airport if you arrive within our business hours. If you arrive outside of our business hours, we will coordinate to pick you up from your hotel during the next available business day.
We do provide a bicycle for your use and there is a Kroger Grocery a 10 minute bike ride from the house, but getting anywhere else without a car will require some planning. There are no bus lines or other public transportation available from Villa Barr to anywhere. If renting a vehicle is not an option, what we do have is a door-to-door private transportation service within Novi provided by People’s Express. You need to submit your request 3 days in advance, and the fee is $4 each way with free access for some categories of riders. Click here for more information about People’s Express and how to use it.
For longer trips, you will need to rent a vehicle.
Applicants can choose to apply as a “Michigan Artist” who does not require housing, or a “Visiting Artist” who does require housing. Michigan artists enjoy the same privileges and responsibilities as the visiting artists but do not live in the house. Michigan artists have access to a private studio space, but need to be considerate of the Visiting Artist living in the home by not using the woodworking studio tools or making lots of noise after 8:00pm. Michigan artists do receive the stipend and are still expected to fufill their project proposals.
Michigan artists have the additional responsibility of being a welcoming host to the visiting artist by planning at least one outing in collaboration with the visiting artist to a destination that you both might enjoy. We encourage but do not require the Michigan artist to welcome the Visiting artist into your community in whatever manner you think would benefit them and serve as an example of Midwestern hospitality. You can state in your project proposal how you might serve as an ambassador to the visiting artist.
Visiting Artists are Responsible for:
- Living expenses including meals.
- Sourcing supplies and materials used to create artworks.
- Maintaining the house in a clean and orderly fashion and reporting any damage.
- Executing your project proposal and delivering an agreed-upon form of public engagement.
- Internet access is not available at Villa Barr Art Park. The City will reimburse the Artist for expenses relating to using a hot spot at the property.
- Transportation, unless separately arranged through Friends of Villa Barr Art Park. There is no public transportation nor shopping within walking distance.
- Leaving the home and studio clean and free of debris upon departure.
This handbuilt, historic home is not wheelchair accessible. The upper level of the house is only accessible via a spiral staircase.
Michigan winters are cold, with temperatures below freezing. The spring is wet and rainy, the summers are hot and humid, and the autumn is perfect. Temperatures will be chilly for our spring and fall residencies and a warm coat and weatherproof boots are advisable. Spring visitors will enjoy seeing the many flowering trees on the property bloom, summer visitors might want to pack a bathing suit for day trips to the beautiful Great Lakes beaches, and fall visitors will be treated to the splendor of the fall colors.
Yes, international artists are welcome! Artists are responsible for obtaining their own visas to come to the United States. Most artists can come on a visitor visa, but certain countries do participate in the visa waiver program. Because the process can take some time, make sure to check the visa appointment wait times.
If accepted, we are able to provide letters of invitation.
We are open to applications in which more than one artist works collaboratively towards a joint project proposal. One project proposal per individual/group per residency period. The $500 stipend would be split between the artists. If two Michigan Artists apply to work as a collaborative team, both artists would work out of the barn studio. If two Visiting Artists apply to work as a collaborative team, both artists would work out of the home studio. All artists have access to the main studio, but Michigan Artists need to be respectful of the Visiting Artists by not making noise in there past 8:00pm.
If a Visiting Artist brings their family or partner to the residency, the partner is not considered a part of the collaboration (unless they applied jointly). The partner is permitted to make full use of the home, and home studio (you can work that out with your partner!) but will not have guaranteed access to the main studio or the barn. Partners are not eligible for stipends unless they applied jointly with the Visiting Artist.
Each accepted artist has a defined period time of in which they may come and make use of the residency. You are not required to stay for the entire duration of that period. It may be as long as three months or as short as one so long as you can complete your project proposal during your stay. Exact dates of residency availability will be provided upon acceptance, and have some flexibility. You are expected to work at Villa Barr during the course of your residency, though you may leave for up to two weeks during that time if necessary. You must vacate the property at the end of your contract.
We will work with each artist to determine a date for any events included in the project proposal.