Fountainhead Arts Announces 2026 Residency Artists
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 13, 2025 - Miami, FL. Fountainhead announces its 2026 artist residency selections, a roster of 21 exceptional contemporary artists from around the world and working across various media. Selected artists will live and work at the Fountainhead home in Miami’s historic Morningside neighborhood for one month. During their time in residence, artists will connect one-on-one with renowned curators, collectors, and arts professionals and the public.
Fountainhead Residency offers artists the opportunity to establish relationships and foster connections that can help them thrive in their careers; be immersed in and inspired by Miami; and have time and space to create, research, and explore. The program fulfills the organization’s mission to elevate artists’ voices and present their work in a welcoming environment.
This year’s applications were thoughtfully reviewed by an esteemed panel of curators and program alum working across the nation, which included Bonnie Clearwater, Executive Director and Chief Curator, NSU Art Museum; Liz Cohen, a Fountainhead alum and professor at Arizona State University; and Thomas J. Lax, curator, Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Founded in 2008, Fountainhead has hosted over 580 artists from 50 different countries, and countless U.S. cities to date.
The 2026 artist residency roster includes:
Session 1: January 7 to February 4, 2026
Sponsored by Leomi Foundation
Madison Donnelly (Connecticut) | More information
Rei Xiao (New York) | More information
Samantha Joy Groff (Pennsylvania) | More information
Session 2: February 18 to March 18, 2026
Alina Orlov (Israel) | More information Sponsored by Artis
Leilah Babirye (New York) | More information Sponsored by Human Rights Foundation
Jacqueline Surdell (Illinois) | More information Sponsored by Lois Whitman Hess and Eliot Hess
Session 3: April 1 to 29, 2026
Mauro Giaconi (Mexico) | More information Sponsored by Adriana and Ricardo Malfitano
Maya Weishof (Brazil) | More information
Tariku Shiferaw (New York) | More information
Session 4: May 13 to June 10, 2026
Anthony Akinbola (New York) | More information
Napoles Marty (Rhode Island) | More information
Nao Bustamante (California) | More information Sponsored by Francie Bishop Good and David Horvitz
Session 5: June 24 to July 22, 2026
Maya Fuji (California) | More information
Pachi Muruchu (New Jersey) | More information In partnership with ZⓢONAMACO
Piero Penizzoto (New York) | More information
Session 6: August 5 to September 2, 2026
Antonius Tin-Bui (Illinois) | More information Sponsored by Hesty Leibtag and Terry Verk
Omar Mendoza (Mexico) | More information
Tobias Bradford (United Kingdom) | More information
Session 7: September 16 to October 14, 2026
Ad Minoliti (Argentina) | More information
Eilen Itzel Mena (United Kingdom) | More information
Walker Bankson (Georgia) | More information In partnership with YoungArts
For press inquiries, contact Nicole Martinez, Deputy Director at nicole@fountainheadarts.org or 305-450-0414.
About Fountainhead
Founded in 2008, Fountainhead Arts is Miami's oldest-running artist residency, inviting 24 artists annually to live and work in Miami in one-month-long residency sessions. With a mission to elevate the voices, visibility and value of artists in our society and make their work accessible in a welcoming environment, Fountainhead has welcomed over 580 artists from 50 countries and myriad national and international cities. It is considered one of the most prestigious American residencies for its robust career development objectives, which directly connects artists with professionals who can impact their careers, enhances their visibility through visual and critical documentation, and provides resources that continue beyond their initial residency. Major support for Fountainhead is provided by the State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation, the Arison Arts Foundation, and others. Learn more at fountainheadarts.org.
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