International Summer Program

The International Summer Program is hosted annually from July through August. The 2025 Program will be from July 7 – August 2, 2025. 

Q: Do I have to be onsite for the entirety of the program?

Yes, we require accepted artists to be onsite for the duration of the program. 

Q: What activities are planned?

Participants work on their own creative projects and/or the projects of fellow artists. They also attend workshops, lectures, movement sessions, and exhibitions and have access to The Watermill Center Collection and the Library of Inspiration, which includes an extensive archive.

Q: What does a typical day look like?

After breakfast, all participants and staff meet to review the schedule and prepare for the daily activities, which take many forms. Lunch and dinner are enjoyed all together. The time in between meals is used for project development, collaborating with others, participating in workshops, etc. Artists spend the full day onsite, returning home after dinner. Participants are expected to help maintain their environment, cleaning up after themselves and helping others. Each day begins roughly around 9:45 AM with the morning meeting and ends around 9:30 PM after dinner.

Q: I am an artist with a disability; how can I participate?

The Watermill Center is committed to providing accessible programs and services for artists with disabilities. There are many ways for artists with disabilities to participate in the International Summer Program! For questions about accessibility or accommodations, please email us at access@watermillcenter.org.

Q: How much does participation in the Summer Program cost?

It is free. Since 2008, the tuition for each International Summer Program artist has been provided in full by the Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation. The Foundation covers housing, food, local transportation, materials needed for work in the program, and the facility’s operating cost. The Foundation raises these funds through sponsorships from foundations, as well as individual benefactors who support the mission of The Watermill Center.

Artists are required to pay the costs of their travel to New York and The Watermill Center. We encourage you to find individual funding through scholarships, foundations, and grants if needed. The Watermill Center provides a modest stipend to help offset travel costs and personal expenses.

Q: What are the housing accommodations?

All participants stay in double-occupancy rooms in the onsite Residence building or in nearby rental houses.

Q: What is meant by “local transportation is provided”

Vehicles are provided for transport to and from The Center within the Hamptons area. It is recommended that you have a driver’s license, though it is not required for admission to the program. We will ensure that each house has a driver to bring you to/from The Center daily.

Q: Are meals provided?

Yes. A trained chef prepares lunch and dinner and a continental breakfast is provided. On Sunday, the chef is given the day off, and participants are given a modest per diem to enjoy lunch and dinner in the town or at home.

Q: Will there be any opportunity to present my work?

All artists, including performers, are asked to submit a project proposal with their application. Some project proposals will be selected for presentation during the festival, while some artists will be selected independent of their proposals, allowing them to focus on possible collaborations with others. However, all are free to pursue new projects during the program, even if not presented during the festival. There are infinite possibilities for new ideas and projects to come about, growing out of collaboration and exchange with fellow participants, visiting artists, or Watermill staff and curators. We expect that new projects will emerge over the course of the four weeks and some may be included in the final presentations. 

Outside of the key events of the festival, there will also be opportunities to share in-progress works and ideas with the local community and fellow artists through public and educational programs.

Q: Why should I submit a project if I am a performer?

We ask that all applicants submit a project proposal. For performers who do not typically devise their own works, even a simple proposal will give the Summer Program team better insight into the performer’s artistic interests and sensibilities.

Q: Can you waive the application fee?

No. The required application fee goes directly to SlideRoom, which collects and stores applications online. The fee does NOT go to The Watermill Center. As such, we are unable to waive the application fee.

Q: I don’t have a credit card to pay the application fee; what should I do?

Applicants lacking a personal credit card have successfully processed the application by asking a friend, family member, or colleague to help by using their credit card to make the payment online. You can begin the application immediately without paying any fee. The fee is only due when you complete the application and wish to submit it.

Q: My credit card is based on a currency other than US dollars.

The SlideRoom portal will accept any major credit card for payment and will convert your local currency into the US dollar equivalent at the time of payment.

Q: I am a multi-disciplinary artist; which samples should I send?

Make sure you submit samples that show off your work in the best way possible. That doesn’t mean that your material has to look professionally produced, but try to send samples that are easy to understand and visually clear. A strong, concise work description will help us understand your submitted material.

Q: I have too much I want to show; how can I choose?

Choosing is difficult, but also intrinsic to the artistic process. Send us your best samples. We prefer to receive more material with an application. Offering too few materials can prevent us from grasping one’s work. If you have a website, include that on the application as we may visit that if we need more information.

Q: My work is not presented in English.

We accept media samples (video, photos, visual artworks) in any language, but the review panel will be in English. If you are worried about communicating your ideas to the panel, you may wish to translate these or a portion of them for submission. Please ensure that all of the form questions are answered in English. Of course, we actively solicit applicants from all over the world and are pleased to see the material in different languages.

Q: I am waiting for some last-minute video material to arrive; can I submit it after the deadline?

No, all media must be submitted online through the SlideRoom portal by the application deadline. Once the portal is closed, no further adjustment of your application will be possible.

Q: I have a lot of material on my website. Can I link to it?

We have a section on our forms for you to provide your website information if you so choose. The panel may visit your website should they require further information, but it is not guaranteed. Please ensure that you upload any material you wish to be reviewed directly into the SildeRoom portal in the MEDIA section.

Q: Will the deadline be extended?

No. Please submit your application as early as possible, ideally one week before the deadline, to avoid any potential problems. We do not accept late applications.

Q: When will we be notified if we are accepted?

You can expect to hear from the committee by April via email. We understand that everyone is eager to make plans, so please know that we do our best to review materials promptly. Applicants may be contacted for additional information after they have submitted their applications. If you have any other questions not explained in the application materials, please email applications@watermillcenter.org.

The program is open to national and international artists 18+ years of age. A variety of disciplines are accepted, including, but not limited to: visual arts, media/new genre, performance, architecture, film/video, literature, theater, dance, interdisciplinary arts, and music composition.

Working knowledge of English is helpful for international artists, as an interpreter will not be provided.

The Watermill Center is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and disability. For special needs or questions about accessibility, please get in touch with access@watermillcenter.org.

Q: How are artists selected to participate in the Summer Program?

A committee, including Robert Wilson, reviews all applications and reflects on artistic abilities, objectives, achievements, and creative potential. Selections are made with the objective of finding  complementarity and diversity within the final group, with varying disciplines, countries, and professional and artistic backgrounds, while aiming to ensure a balance between new and returning artists.

Q: Who is typically admitted to the Summer Program?

Each year differs. There is no typical profile. Some participants are very advanced in their practice, while others are still studying. We complement this group by inviting a select number of artists, technicians, and performers who will assist in the construction and realization of project Artists from all disciplines and backgrounds are welcome to apply.

Q: Is there an age limit? What is the average age of participants?

Any artist over eighteen years old is welcome to apply. On average, artists tend to fall between 20-40 years old, but there is no rule.

Q: Can our theatre/dance company or artistic collective apply as a group?

The International Summer Program is not designed for group applications. Group members are encouraged to submit individual applications, which will be reviewed separately. We cannot guarantee if one member of your group were to be accepted that the other members of your group would also be accepted. The Watermill Center’s Artist Residency Program, which operates year-round, caters well to groups. Please see our website for additional information.

Q: Can I apply to The International Summer Program if I have also applied to the Artist Residency Program?

While artists are welcome to submit applications to both programs, applicants are encouraged to reflect on which program best suits their needs at this time. While the Artist Residency Program focuses on providing time and space for a project to develop, the Summer Program prioritizes collaboration, exchange, and a communal context. No artist will be accepted to both programs in a given application cycle.