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Navasota Artists In Residence
The Arts Council has partnered with the City of Navasota for an Artist in Residence program in the wonderful community just 25 minutes south of College Station on Highway 6. The Navasota Artists in Residence program gives two to three artists the opportunity to live and create art at the Horlock Art Gallery & History Museum. Provided by the City of Navasota, the house features living, studio, and gallery space, to create a unique experience and atmosphere for the artists.
Apply For Residence
Apply for the Navasota Artist in Residence program for Fall 2023!
The term of the residency is roughly five (5) to six (6) months; and will require participation in community events and programs.
Each artist will receive a one-time $600 stipend at the beginning of the residency to assist with groceries, fuel, and supply purchases.
Current Navasota Artist In Residence
Sarah Gomez
My work centers around the protection and safety of the LGBT+ community in their own homes. As a lesbian couple who recently graduated from university, my partner and I found ourselves in a brand new city without any connections to other lesbians or knowledge of the local culture. We were afraid and vulnerable, unsure of how to build the kind of community we had before. The internet became our lifeline, allowing us to connect with others like us through Twitter, Discord servers, Tik Tok and subreddits. Online spaces are curated by the users, yet the algorithms continuously remind us that we are not welcome.
The internet is not always a safe space for the LGBT+ community. The internet can be a breeding ground for this type of rhetoric, with clout goblins and narcissism encouraging rage-baiting and promoting extremist views, which are spread through algorithmic loopholes, leading to real-life violence against our community. This is ‘Stochastic Terrorism’, which is used to describe the intentional use of inflammatory language and rhetoric to incite violence by individuals or groups against a particular community or individual. The emotional impact of this type of violence can cause deep fear, vulnerability, and exhaustion.
We have seen time and time again how this type of rhetoric causes real-life violence against the LGBT+ community. The Pulse Nightclub Shooting in Orlando, the shooting at a gay bar in Dayton, and the murder of Mark Carson are just a few examples of how extremist views can lead to tragic consequences. As of April 2023, over 100 anti-transgender bills have been introduced in 22 state legislatures, with many states signing those bills into law. These bills seek to restrict access to healthcare, ban transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, and prohibit transgender individuals from using public restrooms and facilities that match their gender identity.
As a result of so much chaos, my partner and I have decided staying hidden was the best way to protect our bodies. The stillness of our home offers the illusion of peace, safety, and hope. We can increase our body sizes without fear of judgment and rest our anxiety in a private space. We bury ourselves in blankets to feel unseen, with only a window to observe. This type of indirect violence has devastating consequences and causes many in the LGBT+ community to hide from the outside world completely.
Past Navasota Artists in Residence
