Newly Expanded Artist Residency Program Launches in Troy: Tech Valley Center of Gravity and Collar Works Partner to Support Local Artists
Applications Now Open for Capital Region Artists to Join a No-Cost Residency Program With Studio Access, Fabrication Training, and a Public Showcase
TROY, NY, July 9, 2025 — Tech Valley Center of Gravity (TVCOG) and Collar Works have joined forces to offer an expanded residency opportunity for Capital Region artists.
Launched in 2024, TVCOG’s Digital Fabrication for Artists Residency was created in response to growing interest from local artists eager to explore digital fabrication technologies like 3D printing and laser cutting. The residency provides local underserved artists with the tools, training, space, and support needed to create original work using these tools, along with the opportunity to share it with thousands of visitors during downtown Troy’s annual Victorian Stroll.
Entering its second year, the residency is expanding, thanks to a new partnership with Collar Works. In addition to all of the original program benefits, the expanded program will also provide this year’s residents with access to dedicated studio space and resident status at Collar Works’ 50 4th Street location.
The collaboration was inspired by the experiences of local artist Kate Kosek, who participated in both the Digital Fabrication for Artists Residency and the 50 4th St Residency simultaneously in 2024 and found the combined experience instrumental in expanding her artistic practice. Her success served as a catalyst for developing this formal partnership for the 2025 Residency program, which is being launched thanks to support from the Arts Center’s “Arts Thrive & Grow” grant program, Launchbox and the T Backer Memorial Foundation.
“This co-residency program was designed by artists, for artists,” said TVCOG Programming Manager Elisabeth Kuchera. “By combining resources- Collar Works’ studio space and creative environment with TVCOG’s technical training and equipment- we’ve built a residency that will have a lasting creative impact on participants, well beyond the end of the program.”
Through this residency, selected participants will:
- Receive free, intensive instruction in digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, and vacuum formers
- Gain 24/7 access to TVCOG’s full equipment suite and makerspace
- Receive a dedicated studio at Collar Works’ 4th Street location, just around the corner from TVCOG
- Join two vibrant communities of artists and makers
- Create innovative new works using their new skills, TVCOG’s suite of digital fabrication tools, and a materials stipend
- Showcase their work to the public during Troy’s Victorian Stroll, one of the region’s largest cultural events
Applications for the 2025 residency are now open and will be accepted through July 25, 2025. More information and applications can be found at www.tvcog.net/residency. All classes are also open to the public. Contact [email protected] for more information.
About Tech Valley Center of Gravity
TVCOG is a nonprofit makerspace and STEAM education center in downtown Troy, NY, dedicated to democratizing access to tools, training, and technology. TVCOG provides fabrication equipment, entrepreneurial resources, and collaborative space for makers, artists, and innovators.
About Collar Works
Collar Works is a contemporary art space and nonprofit residency provider supporting emerging and underrepresented artists in Troy, NY. Through exhibitions, studio residencies, and public programming, Collar Works cultivates creativity and community.
This program is made possible with support from the Arts Center of the Capital Region's “Arts Thrive and Grow” initiative. “Arts Thrive and Grow” has been funded by New York State, Kathy Hochul, Governor. We thank Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her extraordinary commitment and leadership, and our elected officials who represent our grantmaking region: Senators Jake Ashby and Neil D. Breslin; Assemblymembers Scott H. Bendett, Patricia Fahy, John T. McDonald III, Angelo Santabarbara, Phil Steck, and Mary Beth Walsh. Additional support is provided by Launchbox, which provides individual warehouse and work suites from 150 to 1,000 square feet, and the T Backer Memorial Foundation.