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The 309 Artist in Residence Program supports and advocates for regional, national, and international artists whose socially engaged work supports inclusivity and is relevant to the punk community. Our commitment to diversity is reflected in our aim to sustain an Artist in Residency Program that serves all of our community regardless of age and class and gives voice to underrepresented creative populations, particularly POC and LGBTQ2+ artists. |
We accept Letters of Interest on a rolling basis. Please send a Letter of Interest, links to examples of your work,
and a paragraph describing how your work aligns with our mission to [email protected].
Our yearly calendar is curated collaboratively by our Co-Executive Directors through a nomination and voting process.
We seek artists working in contemporary visual art, including but not limited to, zine and DIY print practices, photography, installation, experimental sound art, and crossover practices that include fashion, filmmaking, performance art, music, and writing.
AIRS will have full 24-hour access to a live/workspace on the first floor and access to the archive for research purposes. For more information, see our 309 AIR STUDIO HANDBOOK.
and a paragraph describing how your work aligns with our mission to [email protected].
Our yearly calendar is curated collaboratively by our Co-Executive Directors through a nomination and voting process.
We seek artists working in contemporary visual art, including but not limited to, zine and DIY print practices, photography, installation, experimental sound art, and crossover practices that include fashion, filmmaking, performance art, music, and writing.
AIRS will have full 24-hour access to a live/workspace on the first floor and access to the archive for research purposes. For more information, see our 309 AIR STUDIO HANDBOOK.
- PROGRAMMING ~ Each Artist in Residence is offered the opportunity to create an educational or immersive experience for the local community. This can take the shape of a reading, lecture, open studio day, workshop, live performance, zoom programming, or other community engagement activity.
- THE 309 PUNK ARCHIVE ~ Each Artist in Residence participant donates one work created during their residency to the archive. The goal of the 309 Punk Archive is to inspire research and creative practice from our collective histories, which are currently preserved in the archive.
- PMA COLLABORATION ~ The Pensacola Museum of Art hosts the Annual 309 House Show. Each year, we exhibit a group show of the work created in the Artist in Residence Program.
Current Resident: May 2025
Miss Pussycat
@panaceatheriac
Miss Pussycat began her career in art and puppetry as a child in the Southern Baptist Church of Antlers Oklahoma as part of the Christian Puppet Youth Ministry. She is always excited to bring puppetry into the pantheon of contemporary art, as well as the subculture of underground music.
The magical collaboration that is Quintron and Miss Pussycat began at a Mardi Gras party in New Orleans. For thirty years, the two of them have been busy presenting live puppet shows and playing organ driven party music in rock clubs, pizza restaurants, and secret clubhouses all around the world. They also create puppet movies and videos and have released dozens of albums.
Their puppet movies and videos include Trixie and the Treetunks (forVBS), Frenchy and Jett (Disney), North Pole Nutrias (aired annually on Cox channel 10), and Electric Swamp which tells the story of Formosan termites and Ernie and Antoinette K-Doe. Quintron and Miss Pussycat were in the AMC dramatization of Anne Rice’s novel, Mayfair Witches, in 2023. They were also in David Simon’s Treme, playing themselves in the Halloween episode.
Miss Pussycat has enjoyed doing large-scale installations and exhibits of her puppets and their worlds at The Ohr- O’Keefe Museum, The Galveston Art Center, The New Orleans Museum of Art, The Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, and The Ogden Museum of Southern Art. She was the featured artist for GONERFEST 16 in Memphis Tennessee and was twice a featured artist for PROSPECT the New Orleans art triennial. Quintron is known for his electronic inventions, including the Drum Buddy, the Weather Warlock, and a water-conservation device called the Bath Buddy.
Together, Miss Pussycat and Quintron throw a fun party.
@panaceatheriac
Miss Pussycat began her career in art and puppetry as a child in the Southern Baptist Church of Antlers Oklahoma as part of the Christian Puppet Youth Ministry. She is always excited to bring puppetry into the pantheon of contemporary art, as well as the subculture of underground music.
The magical collaboration that is Quintron and Miss Pussycat began at a Mardi Gras party in New Orleans. For thirty years, the two of them have been busy presenting live puppet shows and playing organ driven party music in rock clubs, pizza restaurants, and secret clubhouses all around the world. They also create puppet movies and videos and have released dozens of albums.
Their puppet movies and videos include Trixie and the Treetunks (forVBS), Frenchy and Jett (Disney), North Pole Nutrias (aired annually on Cox channel 10), and Electric Swamp which tells the story of Formosan termites and Ernie and Antoinette K-Doe. Quintron and Miss Pussycat were in the AMC dramatization of Anne Rice’s novel, Mayfair Witches, in 2023. They were also in David Simon’s Treme, playing themselves in the Halloween episode.
Miss Pussycat has enjoyed doing large-scale installations and exhibits of her puppets and their worlds at The Ohr- O’Keefe Museum, The Galveston Art Center, The New Orleans Museum of Art, The Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, and The Ogden Museum of Southern Art. She was the featured artist for GONERFEST 16 in Memphis Tennessee and was twice a featured artist for PROSPECT the New Orleans art triennial. Quintron is known for his electronic inventions, including the Drum Buddy, the Weather Warlock, and a water-conservation device called the Bath Buddy.
Together, Miss Pussycat and Quintron throw a fun party.
about our 2025 Airs
January | April Matteis (Pensacola)
www.aprilmatteis.com
April Matteis is a Pensacola-based artist whose work delves into the cycles of life, loss, and renewal, drawing on her personal experiences and the transformative power of art. Growing up surrounded by her father’s antique store and moped shop in Fort Lauderdale, she developed a lifelong fascination with forgotten objects and their stories. These early encounters with relics—from Edison phonographs to Zoltar fortune teller machines—ignited a deep connection to history, culture, and the beauty of repurposed things, which now shapes her mixed media assemblage work.
March | Julia Gorton (New York)
@julia_gorton_nowave
www.juliagorton.com
Julia Gorton is an acclaimed photographer, designer, and visual artist whose work captures the raw energy and spirit of New York City’s punk and no-wave scenes in the 1970s and 1980s. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, and a graduate of Parsons School of Design, Gorton became a pivotal figure in documenting the countercultural movements that defined an era. Her stark black-and-white photographs of iconic musicians, artists, and underground figures—including Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and members of the no-wave movement—are celebrated for their gritty authenticity and timeless aesthetic. Gorton's work offers an intimate glimpse into a transformative period in music, art, and cultural history, preserving the essence of a fleeting yet influential subculture.
Julia Gorton’s contributions continue to resonate, serving as both a visual archive and a source of inspiration for those who seek to understand and celebrate the intersections of art, music, and rebellion.
April | Ali Roudabush (Pensacola)
@ali_roudabush_tattoo
Ali Roudabush is a Pensacola-based visual artist beloved by the locals for her stunning tattoo designs. Ali owns The Western Rose, a collective of tattoo artists in downtown Pensacola.
May | Miss Pussycat (New Orleans)
@panaceatheriac
Miss Pussycat is a multidisciplinary artist, puppeteer, and musician celebrated for her whimsical and surreal creations that blend storytelling, music, and visual art. Based in New Orleans, she is best known as half of the iconic duo Quintron and Miss Pussycat, where her vibrant puppetry performances complement Quintron's experimental music. Together, they have become beloved fixtures in the underground art and music scene.
Miss Pussycat’s puppet shows feature a colorful cast of handmade characters brought to life through imaginative narratives that explore themes of friendship, mystery, and magic. Her work often incorporates elaborate sets, costumes, and props, showcasing her talent for crafting immersive, fantastical worlds. Beyond her puppetry, Miss Pussycat has exhibited her artwork in galleries and museums, further cementing her place in contemporary art. With a career that spans decades, she continues to inspire audiences with her boundless creativity, humor, and dedication to the DIY ethos.
June | La Reina (New Orleans)
@theofficiallareina
www.theofficiallareina.com
Coined as "The Ten Minute Stare Down," La Reina is a New Orleans cryptid hatched from the heart of Compton, a being of mysterious wonder with a taste for the hunt and sure to leave shivers down your spine. Crowned as the Queen of Sin City Burlesque 2024 and Supreme of Savannah 2024 of the Hostess City Hoedown.
July | Casey Niccoli (Twentynine Palms)
@ogclassicgirl
Casey Niccoli is a filmmaker, visual artist, and creative visionary best known for her influential contributions to the alternative music and art scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Based in Los Angeles, she emerged as a key figure through her work as a director and creative collaborator with the band Jane's Addiction. Her distinctive aesthetic helped define the band's visual identity and the era's broader alternative culture.
Niccoli is particularly celebrated for directing the groundbreaking short film Gift (1993), a semi-autobiographical exploration of love, addiction, and art that remains a cult classic. Her approach combines raw emotional honesty with experimental visual storytelling, blending music and film into an immersive artistic experience. In addition to her filmmaking, Casey has also worked extensively as a visual artist, channeling her creativity into photography, mixed media, and installations. Her work often explores themes of counterculture, individuality, and the human condition, leaving an indelible mark on the creative community.
August | Bvlbancha Liberation Radio (New Orleans)
@bvlbanchaliberationradio
www.bvlbancharadio.net
Bvlbancha Liberation Radio is a grassroots media collective based in New Orleans, Louisiana, dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices, decolonial narratives, and community empowerment. "Bvlbancha," the Choctaw name for the area now known as New Orleans, translates to "place of many languages," reflecting the collective's mission to honor the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the region.
Through podcasts, interviews, and live broadcasts, Bvlbancha Liberation Radio provides a platform for critical discussions on Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and the intersection of cultural preservation and modern resistance movements. The collective collaborates with local activists, artists, and knowledge-keepers to create content that educates, inspires, and builds solidarity across communities. Rooted in a commitment to decolonization and storytelling, Bvlbancha Liberation Radio serves as both a cultural archive and a call to action, fostering dialogue and collective liberation for present and future generations.
September | Caroline Gikas & WM Johnson (Chattanooga)
@carolinegikas
@wm.johnsonphotography | www.wmjohnsonphotography.com
Caroline Gikas is the Director of Exhibitions at Stoveworks and a visual artist. Caroline graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South, majoring in Art History, focusing on Contemporary and Conceptual Art while studying photographic processes and behavioral psychology.
WM Johnson is a photographer/darkroom printer and musician living in the historic Highland Park neighborhood of Chattanooga, TN.
October | Reema Eqab (Pensacola)
@convenientfeels @remaequb
Reema Eqab is a Palestinian-American artist, activist, and community organizer based in Pensacola, Florida. Deeply connected to her cultural heritage, Reema uses her art and advocacy to amplify Palestinian voices and shed light on social justice issues both locally and globally. Through her multidisciplinary creative work, Reema explores themes of identity, resilience, and resistance, drawing inspiration from her heritage and lived experiences.
November| Alyssa Osceola (Sarasota)
@aj_osceola
www.alyssaosceola.com
Alyssa Osceola is a multimedia illustrator and artist based in South Florida, where she has lived her entire life. A 2023 graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design, she specializes in pen and ink techniques but works across a variety of mediums to bring her creative visions to life. Her art explores diverse themes, with a strong emphasis on expressing her tribal culture, delving into the macabre, and capturing the intricacies of the human form. Beyond traditional illustration, Alyssa is a multifaceted creator who pursues lyric and music writing, costuming, and special effects makeup, all incorporated into experimental film.
www.aprilmatteis.com
April Matteis is a Pensacola-based artist whose work delves into the cycles of life, loss, and renewal, drawing on her personal experiences and the transformative power of art. Growing up surrounded by her father’s antique store and moped shop in Fort Lauderdale, she developed a lifelong fascination with forgotten objects and their stories. These early encounters with relics—from Edison phonographs to Zoltar fortune teller machines—ignited a deep connection to history, culture, and the beauty of repurposed things, which now shapes her mixed media assemblage work.
March | Julia Gorton (New York)
@julia_gorton_nowave
www.juliagorton.com
Julia Gorton is an acclaimed photographer, designer, and visual artist whose work captures the raw energy and spirit of New York City’s punk and no-wave scenes in the 1970s and 1980s. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, and a graduate of Parsons School of Design, Gorton became a pivotal figure in documenting the countercultural movements that defined an era. Her stark black-and-white photographs of iconic musicians, artists, and underground figures—including Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and members of the no-wave movement—are celebrated for their gritty authenticity and timeless aesthetic. Gorton's work offers an intimate glimpse into a transformative period in music, art, and cultural history, preserving the essence of a fleeting yet influential subculture.
Julia Gorton’s contributions continue to resonate, serving as both a visual archive and a source of inspiration for those who seek to understand and celebrate the intersections of art, music, and rebellion.
April | Ali Roudabush (Pensacola)
@ali_roudabush_tattoo
Ali Roudabush is a Pensacola-based visual artist beloved by the locals for her stunning tattoo designs. Ali owns The Western Rose, a collective of tattoo artists in downtown Pensacola.
May | Miss Pussycat (New Orleans)
@panaceatheriac
Miss Pussycat is a multidisciplinary artist, puppeteer, and musician celebrated for her whimsical and surreal creations that blend storytelling, music, and visual art. Based in New Orleans, she is best known as half of the iconic duo Quintron and Miss Pussycat, where her vibrant puppetry performances complement Quintron's experimental music. Together, they have become beloved fixtures in the underground art and music scene.
Miss Pussycat’s puppet shows feature a colorful cast of handmade characters brought to life through imaginative narratives that explore themes of friendship, mystery, and magic. Her work often incorporates elaborate sets, costumes, and props, showcasing her talent for crafting immersive, fantastical worlds. Beyond her puppetry, Miss Pussycat has exhibited her artwork in galleries and museums, further cementing her place in contemporary art. With a career that spans decades, she continues to inspire audiences with her boundless creativity, humor, and dedication to the DIY ethos.
June | La Reina (New Orleans)
@theofficiallareina
www.theofficiallareina.com
Coined as "The Ten Minute Stare Down," La Reina is a New Orleans cryptid hatched from the heart of Compton, a being of mysterious wonder with a taste for the hunt and sure to leave shivers down your spine. Crowned as the Queen of Sin City Burlesque 2024 and Supreme of Savannah 2024 of the Hostess City Hoedown.
July | Casey Niccoli (Twentynine Palms)
@ogclassicgirl
Casey Niccoli is a filmmaker, visual artist, and creative visionary best known for her influential contributions to the alternative music and art scenes of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Based in Los Angeles, she emerged as a key figure through her work as a director and creative collaborator with the band Jane's Addiction. Her distinctive aesthetic helped define the band's visual identity and the era's broader alternative culture.
Niccoli is particularly celebrated for directing the groundbreaking short film Gift (1993), a semi-autobiographical exploration of love, addiction, and art that remains a cult classic. Her approach combines raw emotional honesty with experimental visual storytelling, blending music and film into an immersive artistic experience. In addition to her filmmaking, Casey has also worked extensively as a visual artist, channeling her creativity into photography, mixed media, and installations. Her work often explores themes of counterculture, individuality, and the human condition, leaving an indelible mark on the creative community.
August | Bvlbancha Liberation Radio (New Orleans)
@bvlbanchaliberationradio
www.bvlbancharadio.net
Bvlbancha Liberation Radio is a grassroots media collective based in New Orleans, Louisiana, dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices, decolonial narratives, and community empowerment. "Bvlbancha," the Choctaw name for the area now known as New Orleans, translates to "place of many languages," reflecting the collective's mission to honor the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the region.
Through podcasts, interviews, and live broadcasts, Bvlbancha Liberation Radio provides a platform for critical discussions on Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and the intersection of cultural preservation and modern resistance movements. The collective collaborates with local activists, artists, and knowledge-keepers to create content that educates, inspires, and builds solidarity across communities. Rooted in a commitment to decolonization and storytelling, Bvlbancha Liberation Radio serves as both a cultural archive and a call to action, fostering dialogue and collective liberation for present and future generations.
September | Caroline Gikas & WM Johnson (Chattanooga)
@carolinegikas
@wm.johnsonphotography | www.wmjohnsonphotography.com
Caroline Gikas is the Director of Exhibitions at Stoveworks and a visual artist. Caroline graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South, majoring in Art History, focusing on Contemporary and Conceptual Art while studying photographic processes and behavioral psychology.
WM Johnson is a photographer/darkroom printer and musician living in the historic Highland Park neighborhood of Chattanooga, TN.
October | Reema Eqab (Pensacola)
@convenientfeels @remaequb
Reema Eqab is a Palestinian-American artist, activist, and community organizer based in Pensacola, Florida. Deeply connected to her cultural heritage, Reema uses her art and advocacy to amplify Palestinian voices and shed light on social justice issues both locally and globally. Through her multidisciplinary creative work, Reema explores themes of identity, resilience, and resistance, drawing inspiration from her heritage and lived experiences.
November| Alyssa Osceola (Sarasota)
@aj_osceola
www.alyssaosceola.com
Alyssa Osceola is a multimedia illustrator and artist based in South Florida, where she has lived her entire life. A 2023 graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design, she specializes in pen and ink techniques but works across a variety of mediums to bring her creative visions to life. Her art explores diverse themes, with a strong emphasis on expressing her tribal culture, delving into the macabre, and capturing the intricacies of the human form. Beyond traditional illustration, Alyssa is a multifaceted creator who pursues lyric and music writing, costuming, and special effects makeup, all incorporated into experimental film.
309 Artist In Residence Alumni
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@kyaniteeye
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@famousgabetattoo
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@that_so_and_so
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@pinheadgunpowder
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@hurreyupcp.arts
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@smarkgubb
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@JamalSTEELE
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@yusukehorsejeanokada
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@abbaphone
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@Sovereign _stone_jewelry |
@locolono_designs
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@enikoujj
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@smhoak
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@panhandle_slim_
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@leakingbrainart
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@cookies__and__cake
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@wm.johnsonphotography
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@jimbo_easter
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@feliciaegail
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@kimdahling
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@roscoe__hall
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@gytrashh | @cindy_crabb
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@future_juju
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@bumpkin.bpm
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@croadcore
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@malevitus
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@julia_gorton_nowave
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@thepoppygarcia
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@movetk
@broilerk
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@skottcowgill
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@surrounder_band
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@mikebrodie_thepolaroidkidd
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@malloryluana
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@Malevitus
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Testimonials
I cannot speak highly enough about the 309 Punk Project Artist in Residence program. My time at the house was truly a gift. The visionary founders and dedicated supporters behind this project have created a space that is nothing short of phenomenal—a place where the transformative energy of resistance and punk culture is kept vibrantly alive. The deep conversations and intense intersections with fellow artists and community members nourished my spirit and ignited my passion to create new work and collaborate with the house itself. This beloved project is a remarkable contribution to the art world. ~ Kim Darling, Artist In Residence, 2023
As an artist in residence at 309 Punk Project, I was afforded the freedom to reinvestigate my art practice, respond site-specifically, and interact with and serve an extraordinary community. Through social practice, photography, video, sound, and installation, I had the chance to honor my hometown community and my friend who'd passed away, a previous tenant of 309 N 6th Ave. The 309 Punk Project gave me a haven to make artwork again while simultaneously enlivening my career as a visual artist overall. ~ Felecia E Gail Artist In Residence, 2023
As a late-in-life artist, I wanted to reboot my photography practice, which I began in my punk rock years, 1976-1980, in New York City. For almost four decades, I put my work aside to raise a family and be a design professor at Parsons School of Design. I am very good at helping others realize their potential, and I needed to do that myself. 309 Punk Project invited me to be a resident during their first year as a non-profit. I used my time in the house to photograph over a hundred members of the local community – neighbors, past residents, artists, punks, activists, art students and faculty, and members of the queer community. This opportunity helped me realize that as a photographer, I could use photography as a tool to connect with a divergent community by making portraits with them one by one. Two years later, I am still deeply connected to 309 and the people I met there, and I have returned to photograph them repeatedly. My residency helped me gain the confidence and experience I was missing and desperately needed. I have since taken this project to Los Angeles, Manhattan, London, Delaware, and Mobile – and in the coming year – Buffalo, Scranton, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Tokyo. ~ Julia Gorton, Artist In Residence, 2022
As an artist in residence at 309 Punk Project, I was afforded the freedom to reinvestigate my art practice, respond site-specifically, and interact with and serve an extraordinary community. Through social practice, photography, video, sound, and installation, I had the chance to honor my hometown community and my friend who'd passed away, a previous tenant of 309 N 6th Ave. The 309 Punk Project gave me a haven to make artwork again while simultaneously enlivening my career as a visual artist overall. ~ Felecia E Gail Artist In Residence, 2023
As a late-in-life artist, I wanted to reboot my photography practice, which I began in my punk rock years, 1976-1980, in New York City. For almost four decades, I put my work aside to raise a family and be a design professor at Parsons School of Design. I am very good at helping others realize their potential, and I needed to do that myself. 309 Punk Project invited me to be a resident during their first year as a non-profit. I used my time in the house to photograph over a hundred members of the local community – neighbors, past residents, artists, punks, activists, art students and faculty, and members of the queer community. This opportunity helped me realize that as a photographer, I could use photography as a tool to connect with a divergent community by making portraits with them one by one. Two years later, I am still deeply connected to 309 and the people I met there, and I have returned to photograph them repeatedly. My residency helped me gain the confidence and experience I was missing and desperately needed. I have since taken this project to Los Angeles, Manhattan, London, Delaware, and Mobile – and in the coming year – Buffalo, Scranton, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Tokyo. ~ Julia Gorton, Artist In Residence, 2022
309 permanent RESIDENT ARTISTS
The 309 Punk Project offers two upstairs rooms to the local community for fair, all-inclusive, rent with a renewable yearly lease.
Sean Linezo is an experimental producer, filmmaker, artist and archivist. His most recent work is an on-going project called AnArchive, a collection of stories and a series of films featuring the Pensacola punk community from the 1980's to today. His work has been featured in exhibitions nationally and internationally including New York City, Tokyo, and Los Angeles. He is a co-founder of the 309 Punk Project and is a 309 Resident Artist.
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Barrett Williamson is a Pensacola musician and recording artist. He has been in Zerox 82, Apostate, The Hazards, and Rezolve. He is a long-standing resident of 309, living there for the past several years. Barrett has returned as a 309 Resident Artist.
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