WORCESTER—A partnership between the City of Worcester, the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the College of the Holy Cross continues this summer, offering paid creative residencies for local artists at the college’s Prior Performing Arts Center.
The Worcester Cultural Coalition announced Monday that the HC x WCC: Creative Residencies for Worcester Artists at The Prior program will return in 2026, marking the final year of a three-year collaboration funded through Holy Cross’ Scholarship in Action initiative. The expanded program will support four Worcester-based artists or artistic companies with space, financial support and technical resources to develop works in progress during the summer.
“For the third year, this partnership with the Prior Performing Arts Center continues to be one of the most meaningful investments we make in Worcester’s creative community,” said Fabian Barracks, the city’s cultural development officer and executive director of the Worcester Cultural Coalition, in the announcement. “We have seen firsthand the real impact this program has had on Worcester creatives and how it has strengthened their practice, expanded their networks, and deepened their connection to the community.”
Barracks said the expansion reflects the program’s growing impact on the city’s arts scene, adding that the investment “is not only shaping individual careers but enriching Worcester’s cultural life as a whole.”
Kyle Frisina, Holy Cross faculty director of the Scholarship in Action project and assistant professor of English, said the program was designed to strengthen ties between the college and the local arts community.
“This partnership between Holy Cross, the City of Worcester, and the Worcester Cultural Coalition emerged from the question, ‘How can a campus-based performing arts center contribute to the local arts ecosystem?’” Frisina said in the announcement. “The first two seasons of summer residencies have built collective knowledge that will serve our community for years to come.”
The residency program launched in 2024, when local artists Cyrille Vincent and Daniel Gay were selected to develop film and musical works. In 2025, artists Jesse Kenas Collins, Diana Khong and Angelique B. Webster participated, creating instrumental, theatrical and film projects centered on local stories and performers.
Residencies take place at the Prior Performing Arts Center, which includes a 400-seat concert hall, a flexible 180-seat theater and multiple studios and rehearsal spaces. The summer sessions are focused on artistic development rather than public performance, allowing artists to tailor the facilities to their creative needs.
“The Prior Performing Arts Center is proud and privileged to be the fount of logistical and artistic contributions to the original creativity stemming from the roots of its surroundings,” said Jeffrey de Caen, Nancy Savage Skinner ’79 Director of the Prior Performing Arts Center, in the announcement.
Applications are open to solo artists and collaborative groups working in disciplines including theater, dance, music, film and media, literature, visual arts and interdisciplinary arts. Each selected artist or company will receive a $2,500 stipend, along with up to $1,000 in additional technical or production support.
Residencies take place over five to 10 consecutive days between July 6 and July 19, 2026, with scheduling determined by the artists and the Prior. Participants will also take part in structured reflection and discussion about their creative process.
Applications for the summer 2026 residencies are open now and must be submitted by March 31 at 5 p.m. Additional information is available through the Prior Performing Arts Center.
