Step One: Letter of Intent (LOI) and Work Sample

Prospective residents will send a simple letter of intent (LOI), either written or in an audio recording, that describes your interest in participating in the Come to the Table initiative. Consider the questions: Why SPACE, why you, why now? What do you need from others in the field? What can you offer to your peers? In addition to the statement, applicants will also be asked to send a short work sample (approx 10 pages). 

Applications will be read by a Selection Council composed of SPACE alumni and two SPACE staff members representing artists, administrators, and educators. Each application will be scored by three members of the council. LOIs will be scored on compatibility with the goals of the Come to the Table Initiative, congruence with SPACE’s unique setting and structures, and professional merit. The 100-150 applications that receive the highest average scores will move on to the second step. 

Step One of the application process will be due December 15th by midnight EST.

Step One FAQs

How many applications are you accepting?

  • For 2024, we are accepting 500 applications. This capacity allows for us to focus on a thoughtful, comprehensive review of each application received. 

What is the composition of the Selection Council? 

  • The Council is composed primarily of SPACE alumni with two members of the SPACE staff. They were chosen for their understanding of SPACE’s operations and ethos, their varied backgrounds in multiple areas of the industry, and their thoughtful approach to beginning this new initiative. There are representatives of artists, administrators, and educators on the Council.   

Is the first step anonymous? 

  • Names and identifying information are not shared with our selection council. There is a specific coding process included in the application form that removes these identifiers from your application when shared. In addition, our 2024 application process is designed to decenter institutional affiliations and accolades and instead focus on what SPACE has to offer you right now and what you can offer the SPACE community. 

  • Please ensure that your name does not appear on your Letter of Intent (LOI) or your work sample. Materials submitted with identifying information cannot be considered. 

How does SPACE prevent conflict of interest?

  • SPACE works hard to prevent conflict of interest possibilities whenever possible. During the first step of the review process SPACE removes names from all application materials to help ensure anonymity. SPACE will ask that reviewers disclose to our team any personal connections to applicants they are already aware of so that applications can be assigned properly from the beginning. Additionally, reviewers are instructed that if context clues reveal the identity of an applicant that they have a personal relationship with, they are to inform the SPACE team. Those applications will be reassigned to another reviewer. 

Can I apply for multiple cohorts? For example: both as an administrator and an artist?

  • We recognize that many in our field wear multiple hats in the industry but we ask that you select only one cohort to apply under. Applicants who apply under more than one cohort will not be considered. 

What are the length requirements for the LOI? What format?

  • Please submit either a written PDF that is no more than one page (single spaced) or an audio recording (MP3 or WAV) that is 3 minutes or less. 

What are some examples of a work sample? How long should it be?

  • Work samples will vary based on the cohort. For administrators it might be your best annotated budget or financial philosophy, the grant you are most proud of, the marketing campaign that best describes you, etc. For artists it might be ten pages of a play you have written, a song, sketches of your scenic or costume design, your directorial philosophy—any selection that showcases your work. For educators it might be your best lesson plan, your educational philosophy, or an excerpt of a work you have written for your field. These samples can be works in progress.  

  • The Come to the Table Initiative is a brand new program and we are still learning what types of work samples will fit all our different applicants. If you aren’t sure what to submit or what form your sample should take, please attend the virtual Q&A. or email us at residencies@spaceonryderfarm.org

  • What represents a short but meaningful work sample will vary by cohort, but please consider roughly ten pages as a guideline. Please remove any identifying information for your work sample. Work samples with identifying information cannot be considered. 

Does my work sample need to be the same as the project I want to work on in residence?

  • No, your work sample does not need to be the same project you work on in residence, the work sample serves to help SPACE get to know you and how you contribute to the field. Round Two applicants will be invited to provide a description of  what they want to work on at SPACE. 

How many work samples can I include in my application?

  • Please only submit one work sample. 

How should the work sample be submitted?

  • Written works should be submitted in PDF form. Even if your submission is a presentation, please save it in a PDF format. It is the best way to keep the integrity of the design. If it is recorded (audio only) please submit it in MP3 or WAV file.   Both of these files will be able to be uploaded to the application form. 

  • If you would like to submit a video for your work sample (a scene of your play being performed, a marketing video, a presentation, etc), there will be a field to paste a link for a Youtube or Vimeo video.  Please refrain from stating your name in your video or submitting a video in which your likeness is identifiable as the creator. 

  • To preserve the anonymity of step one applications, please make sure to title your submissions with the code you create on the application form (first and last initial and month and day of your birth).