named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
#SlowTrainResidency
Mobile residency program that uses train travel in China as a space for reflection, cultural observation, and artistic experimentation.
Crystal Ruth Bell Residency
Supports artists exploring themes of mediation and cultural exchange through residencies in Beijing and Xiamen, with opportunities for collaboration and public presentation.
Digital Diasporas 联网离散
Remote residency program connecting artists across the Chinese diaspora through digital platforms and collaborative projects with partner organizations in Toronto, Shanghai, and Sydney.
Fiscally Sponsored Fellows
Provides fiscal sponsorship and support to artist collectives and cultural projects in New York, Shanghai, and Beijing, enabling funding access and administrative infrastructure.
Future of Memory 未来记忆
Remote fellowship program supporting artists exploring memory, surveillance, and technology through digital and performative practices.
Watershed Residencies
Residency program in the Adirondacks, NY, supporting multidisciplinary artists working on themes of identity, ecology, and belonging.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 2 activities
- Administers artist residency programsOperates and co-administers multiple artist residency programs, including the annual Crystal Ruth Bell Residency at Red Gate in Beijing, the Two To Three 二到三 program for Australian-based artists in China, and the 夜生活 Nightlife Residency with I: project space and The Neighborhood. Also hosts remote and virtual residencies for artists from the Chinese diaspora in partnership with international arts organizations.
- Operates and maintains a directory of artist residencies in ChinaCreates and maintains a free, publicly accessible online directory of artist residency opportunities in mainland China and Hong Kong. Conducts due diligence through interviews and site visits to verify programs and maintains an archive of closed residencies.
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Artist Legacy Preservation and Documentation 1 activity
- Conducts research and publishes cultural documentationConducts interviews and in-person research to verify residency programs and publishes cultural content including profiles of art spaces like PLATESPACE in Beijing and annual reports documenting organizational activities.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Offers capacity-building support for cultural practitionersProvides consulting, workshops, and technical assistance on budgeting, staffing, translation, design, and other operational aspects of launching and managing residency programs.
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Community-Engaged Public Art Projects 1 activity
- Organizes public art festivals, workshops, and educational projectsHosts public festivals such as The Future of Memory Festival, featuring resident and guest artists, and organizes educational art projects with schoolchildren in locations including Beijing and Qumalai, Tibet. Also conducts public workshops led by guest artists and supported events in the Adirondack Mountains and at Skidmore College.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Provides accessibility and community support servicesEnsures accessibility at public events through services such as American Sign Language interpretation. Publishes resource guides highlighting community and Asian-American organizations in NYC Chinatown and supports inclusive participation in cultural programming.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Provides fiscal sponsorship and project support to arts collectivesFunds and provides fiscal sponsorship to arts organizations including SHCR Shanghai Community Radio and BUFU, as well as emergency grants during the pandemic. Offers mentorship, fundraising advice, and project support to collectives such as The W.O.W Project and BUFU & Yellow Jackets Collective.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Produces creative city guides and cultural resourcesResearches, publishes, and maintains creative city guides for Chinese cities including Chengdu, Kunming, Lijiang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing, as well as thematic guides on queer culture, WeChat use, internet access in China, and pandemic safety for artists. These resources support artists and cultural practitioners with practical and contextual knowledge.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$80K
Contributions & grants$79K99%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$9821%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$113K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$55K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$23K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$23K
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -37.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 6
- JAY BROWN — DIRECTOR
- KIRA SIMON-KENNEDY — CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
- PAMELA LIOU — DIRECTOR
- RACHEL MARSDEN — DIRECTOR
- YA YUN ZHANG — CO-DIRECTOR
- ZARA ARSHAD — DIRECTOR
relationships · 54
Who they work with
- 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art Partner — Collaborated to host the Digital Diasporas remote residency for Chinese and Chinese diaspora artists in 2021.
- A4 Residency Art Center Partner — Partner residency program in Chengdu
- A4 in Sydney Partner — Collaborating organization in Sydney for the Digital Diasporas remote residency program
- ACENTRICSPACE Partner — Partner residency program in Shanghai
- Aaajiao Partner — Guest artist who participated in internal workshops and hosted a public workshop at the festival.
- BUFU Partner — Fiscally sponsored collaborative living archive focused on (pan)Black and (pan)Asian cultural relationships
- BUFU & Yellow Jackets Collective Partner — Fiscally sponsored and supported by China Residencies with mentorship, fundraising advice, and project support.
- British Council China Funder — Provided support for the development of creative city guide resources.
- British Council China Funder — Provided support for the development of creative city guides and related resources.
- British Council China Partner — Supported the development of creative city guide resources.
- CAC in Shanghai Partner — Collaborating organization in Shanghai for the Digital Diasporas remote residency program
- Center for Book Arts Partner — Presented Meme Tactics at the Contemporary Artists’ Book Conference.
- Chen Tianzhuo Partner — Collaborated on an educational art project with children in Qumalai, Tibet
- Chinese European Art Center Partner — Partner residency program in Xiamen
- Chronus Art Center Partner — Collaborated to host the Digital Diasporas remote residency for Chinese and Chinese diaspora artists in 2021.
- Copyright Cultural Fund Funder — Provided funding for the Two To Three 二到三 residency program.
- Dar al-kalima University Partner — Co-presented the MDOCs 2021 Forum in June 2021.
- Documentary AFrica Partner — Co-presented the MDOCs 2021 Forum in June 2021.
- EICTV Cuba Partner — Co-presented the MDOCs 2021 Forum in June 2021.
- Essex County Arts Council Funder — Provided support for the Watershed Residencies workshops in the Adirondack Mountains in 2021.
- Feng Zhixuan Partner — Co-presented the "Northern Scenery" (Feng Guang Bei Guo) project at PLATESPACE's WeWork location in 2019
- Found Sound Partner — Collaborator on the 夜生活 Nightlife Residency program.
- Future of Memory Partner — Collaborated with China Residencies to launch an open call on algorithmic resistance.
- Gendai Partner — Collaborating organization in Toronto for the Digital Diasporas remote residency program
- Gendai Gallery Partner — Collaborated to host the Digital Diasporas remote residency for Chinese and Chinese diaspora artists in 2021.
- Guan Yun Partner — Participated in an educational art project with children in Qumalai, Tibet
- Guanlan Original Printmaking Base Partner — Partner residency program in Shenzhen
- He family Partner — Three generations of the He family partner with Lijiang Studio to host the residency program on their farm in the Lashihai valley.
- I: project space Partner — Co-organizer of the 夜生活 Nightlife Residency program.
- Inside-Out Art Museum Residency Partner — Partner residency program in Beijing
+ 24 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist Empowerment through Residency Navigation and Funding Accessmethodology: artist_support_through_guidanceBy offering curated guidance and financial strategies, the organization increases artists’ ability to secure and participate in residencies because practical support reduces systemic barriers to access, especially for underrepresented and diasporic artists.
- Cross-Cultural Artistic Experimentation via Residenciesmethodology: cross-cultural_experimentationBy facilitating collaborative residency programming across national and cultural contexts, the organization fosters international artistic experimentation because shared creative practices enable mutual learning and challenge dominant narratives, particularly around Chinese diasporic identity.
- Mutual Aid as Infrastructure for Artist Supportmethodology: mutual-aidBy providing direct mutual aid—including medical, legal, and housing support—the organization sustains diasporic and marginalized artists because addressing material precarity enables continued artistic practice and cross-border engagement.
- Structural Platform Model for Artistic Productionmethodology: structural_platform_modelBy functioning as an experimental, open, and load-bearing platform—conceptualized as a structural metal plate—the organization enables diverse artistic projects because it provides stable yet flexible infrastructure that supports risk-taking and interdisciplinary work without requiring fixed locations or permanent teams.