El Cerrito Creative ReUse (ECCRU) Artist Residency
12-month residency for artists working with recycled materials, $2,000 stipend, access to recycling center materials, exhibition support.
The City of El Cerrito offers a twelve-month artist residency at the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center, supporting local artists who work with recycled materials and promote environmental stewardship through art. The ECCRU Artist Residency provides a $2,000 total stipend ($1,000 every six months), access to materials at the recycling center for artistic projects, on-site storage bin for materials, and support for an exhibition at the end of the residency. Artists create work in their own workspace, which is not provided. The program encourages applications from artists in all mediums including painters, textile artists, musicians, performers, photographers, printmakers, film/video artists, and conceptual/installation artists. Eligibility requires residency in El Cerrito, Richmond, Kensington, Albany, or Berkeley, being at least 18 years old, and demonstrating commitment to upcycling and creative reuse. Artists must attend a mandatory tour of the recycling center and demonstrate they have access to a safe workspace with proper tools. The program aims to inspire community thinking about sustainability and consumption through art.