Current Resident Artists
The Native and BIPOC Artists in Residence programs, located in RSD’s Northrup King Building studios in Minneapolis, work to further artists’ growth by supporting them with space, time, professional development, visibility and artistic autonomy.
Residencies range from two weeks to several months. Artists have access to a fully-equipped studio; certain residencies also provide a stipend, supplies, accessibility and technical support, nutrition and documentation.
Application is by nomination by previous residency artists.
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Gayatri Narayanan
May–June 2025
In their dance practice, Gayatri Narayanan (They/Them) investigates the Brahmanical appropriation of Bharatanatyam and the embodiment of purity politics by oppressor-caste dancers. Connecting dance, caste, gender, and land relationship, Gaya is committed to understanding the ways in which we consume and regenerate violent stories through our bodies in relationship to the land. Parallelly, Gaya dances as a form of deep listening, a sacred expression of suffering, and most importantly, as a primary site of engagement with what remains unknown to them.
Their dancing is a site of burning, birthing, and all the magical muckiness in between. Currently, their practice is shaped by studying narrative practice, internal family systems therapy, Silvia Federici's work on feminism and the commons, the poems of Akka Mahadevi and Basavanna, Alexis Pauline Gumbs's experimental triptych, and Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez's book Let's Become Fungal! Gaya is focused on dancing to cultivate a sense of inner neutrality as a strategy of holding multiplicity, resisting ideas of reconciliation, and getting comfortable holding deep pain.
Gaya graduated with their Masters in Environmental Justice from the University of Michigan, towards which they wrote a thesis on Brahmanical Bharatanatyam as a Site of Embodied Environmental Casteism. Their thesis combined auto-archaeology, feminist political ecology, facilitation, performance, and zine making. They were guided by Dr. Kyle Whyte, Prof. Michelle Martinez, Dr. shakara tyler, Dr. Petra Kuppers, and Dr. Clare Croft in this work.
Deeply informed by their dance practice, Gaya offers deep listening and healing as a bodyworker in South Minneapolis. Their Patreon page is a great way to access consistent healing and support their work. Or, directly book a session with them! Gaya is also a facilitator, coach, and educator with Spring Up, a worker-owned co-op of queer and trans care workers and transformative justice practitioners.
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Akiko
August 2025
Akiko (She/Her/Hers) is a Twin Cities-based interdisciplinary storyteller, teaching artist, curator, and activist. The mediums she most commonly works with include poetry, music, dance, collage, and puppetry. Her work often includes themes of anti-oppression and social change. A native of Osaka, Japan, Akiko tells stories that reflect the narrative of immigrant women of color that are often underrepresented in white eurocentric society. For seven years, Akiko has worked as an activist creating both visual and performing art pieces that center around social issues. Telling stories for social change is a crucial part of Akiko’s artistic practice. In addition to creating and performing, Akiko has worked closely with the Minneapolis community through teaching at schools and museums, working for large-scale community art projects, and curating shows.
