The Shandaken: Governors Island residency program takes place in a 3,000-square-foot, year-round, multi-use cultural space in the Nolan Park section of New York City's Governors Island.
Located on the top floor of the historic Block House, also called Building 9, this site opened in July 2021 with a collaborative educational initiative in partnership with Hunter College MFA. In this unique program, graduate students worked with teens from New York City public schools to produce prints, posters, and zines inspired by Governors Island.
The class took place in Shandaken's print studio, which is currently available to all individuals working on Governors Island during the public season, such as other organizations' artists in residence or individuals who are employed by any of the island's tenants and partners. The studio boasts many printmaking tools but is primarily focused on the Risograph—a digital offset technology that utilizes compostable, soy-based inks.
From summer 2021 through winter 2022, the studio hosted a Printer in Residence. This free, three-month-long opportunity allowed two New York City artists to explore the potential of the Risograph. Since summer 2022, the studio has also hosted an ongoing educational series for young people and adults from marginalized communities who learn to use printmaking as an outlet for creative self-discovery and expression.
These programs grew out Shandaken's previous work on Governors Island, including a residency program that offered yearlong awards of free studio space to 12 artists from 2018 through 2020; a COVID19-relief program that offered free studio space to 5 artists negatively impacted by pandemic in summer 2020; and many free public programs.