USI Residencies at SWALE HOUSE, Governors Island

Swale Lab + Urban Soils Institute are hosting tandem residencies on Governors Island, NYC, available in 1 WEEK, 2 WEEK and 1 MONTH increments from May 1 to October 31, 2024. 


Do you have a research project related to food, water, soil or eco-fiction? We are looking to support artists, writers, and ecologists engaged in environmental justice, regenerative agriculture, and issues around the climate crisis.

NOTE: This is NOT a live-in residency. You will NEED SEPARATE ACCOMMODATIONS in NYC.


Urban Soils was invited by Swale to maintain a Soils Room in the house. We created a small soils library with information from the NY Reconnnaissance Soil Survey, including maps and some history and oveview of NY urban soils. The other half of the room features a desk and some wall space and to accommodate a small artist residency. It’s a great little room looking out onto the front porch, and offers some good opportunity to engage with public on the porch or as they come in to the house.

Swale House maintains other simultaneous residencies in the water room, the food room and the eco-fiction room at the rear of the house. You may apply for any of the spaces (please specify), otherwise your application will be for the Soils Room.

All residencies at Swale House (house #11 on Governors Island) have access to

  • An ecotopian library collection (an expanding resource including books, natural and cultural objects people note as tools for change)

  • A public space to share your project

  • A soil library

  • Tools including a hydrophone and microscope

  • Monthly soil testing workshops and access to soil scientists

  • A growing community eager to be in dialog with and support of your work

USI specifically encourages scientist + artist collaborations, as part of our Project:Soils initiative. Weeks are structured Monday to Sunday, with private work time during the week and public engagement on the weekends. We want to hear about your project ideas and how we can support them.



What we ask of prospective residents:

  • Commit to being present for weekend open hours from 11am-5pm Saturday + Sunday, and commit to opening the house + interacting with visitors 1 day each weekend of your residency

  • Submit a paragraph-long proposal outlining how the space and resources will be used

  • Submit 5 images or 3 writing samples that explain your work

  • Propose three different residency time slots that would work for your stay, in order of preference

  • let us know if you do social media, tag @urbansoilsmania, @project_soils_usi_ , @swalenyc and @governorsisland, we’d love to share, aggregate and amplify your posts

No vehicles allowed on the island (extenuating circumstances sparingly accommodated).

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Since 2019, USI has been grateful to host a residency on Governors Island, NY at the invitation of Mary Matttingly + Swale Lab. The historic house is the site of land-based programming attendant to Mattingly’s food justice initiative, Swale. Accepted residents explore the intersections of soil, culture, water and food, punctuating their studio time with a weekend public interaction or event. USI’s monthly free soil testing events serve as an excellent resource for all Swale House residents. All residents are invited to submit proposals for USI’s fall Soils Symposium.

Send us a proposal for USI’s Residency, Symposium or both!