PR: Local DC Creative Ad Agency This January Launches “NOOK,” New Artist Residency Program

Local DC Creative Ad Agency This January Launches "NOOK," New Artist Residency Program

The selected DC-area artist to be given a $5,000 stipend, workspace access, mentorship from across DC arts ecosystem, visibility through agency's platforms and more

Washington D.C.-based independent creative agency This January is launching its first-ever artist residency program called NOOK, which will invest in one DC-area artist at a time, offering funding, mentorship, and community. The eight-week program will allow individual artists to develop new work and meet mentors across the DC arts ecosystem, and at the end of the program, each artist will have the opportunity to give a public artist talk at This January's Logan Circle studio, and have created install-ready work that will join the agency's collection. The program name "NOOK" was inspired by the artists' dedicated workspace, which will be within a cozy corner, or nook, of the agency's office.

"Zach and I are so excited to launch NOOK, something we've been working on and have been wanting to do for a long time," said Maggie Winters, Co-Founder and CCO of This January. "We're extremely proud to be part of the DC creative community, and are always on the hunt to find new ways to create new opportunities for this community, find new people to be part of it, and uplift artists who have great ideas, but may just need that extra push to help them realize their potential. We hope NOOK can be another way we can help invest in that talent, and ultimately, we want to continue to find ways to give back and invest in the community that's been so wonderful to us. And NOOK, overall, is yet another way we want to show the world why DC's creative talent and scene are on the rise, and prove that our city is a contender to be the next great creative capital."

The selected artist will be mentored by This January's Co-Founders and CCOs Maggie Winters and Zach Goodwin, along with an art mentor including Victoria Reis, Founder of Transformer, a Washington, DC based 501 (c) 3 artist-centered, non-profit visual arts organization.

Here is what the selected artist will receive from NOOK:

• Stipend: $4,000 (50% at start, 50% at completion)
• Materials: $1,000 materials stipend (artist purchases directly)
• Workspace: Access to This January's (TJC) office space on Wednesdays and Fridays with a dedicated work area in the open office
• Mentorship: Regular check-ins with Maggie Winters (Co‑Founder & CCO), Zach Goodwin (Co‑Founder & CCO), and art mentors including Victoria Reis from Transformer and Teddy Rodger, Cultural Programs Curator, Goethe-Institut Washington
• Content & Visibility: Content capture with the TJC team, TJC team to post on social and tag the artist at various intervals throughout the process (artist is also encouraged to post and share the residency process)
• Donate one work (install‑ready) to the This January collection

Eligibility and who This January is looking for:

• This January's top criteria for selecting an artist will be finding that impossible-to-define x-factor. The agency doesn't want anyone letting their perception of the boundaries of "art" or traditional parameters get in the way of applying, as they welcome all insiders, outsiders, and exceptional weirdos.
• All DC or DMV-based artists are welcome to apply (they must live or work in the DC area).
• All disciplines welcome (visual, design, installation, new media, sound, AI/creative tech).
• They also encourage applications from underrepresented artists and practices.
• Additional Criteria:
• Someone with a unique POV.
• Feasibility of this idea or exploration in 8 weeks
• Alignment with space constraints

For those interested in applying, please fill out the application form by Friday, December 19th. The first chosen artist will be notified in early January, and additional applicants may be chosen on a rolling basis thereafter.

For questions, please reach out to Maggie at maggie@thisjanuary.com.

You can find additional information on This January and the NOOK artist residency program website, or below.

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Additional information on NOOK:

What You'll Do

• The chosen artist will have a theme they're exploring, or a goal for their residency, before the program begins.
• Weeks 1-2:
• Getting started, settling in
• Introductions to the TJC team
• On-camera interview at the start of the residency
• Weeks 3-7:
• Progress continues!
• BTS content capture
• Sit downs with local folks from the art community
• Plan and schedule artist talk
• Week 8:
• Final on-camera interview + content capture of final artwork
• Artist talk at This January's office  

Access, Conduct & IP

• We strive to accommodate access needs within reason; standard anti‑harassment and studio conduct policies apply
• Artist retains all rights to their work; non‑exclusive, credit‑required license to This January for use across platforms
• Artist insures work in transit; general liability in space covered by This January (artwork insurance not included)
• Artist is an independent contractor, employment benefits are not included.

About This January: This January is a D.C.-based indie ad agency, dedicated to building next year's biggest brands. Founded by Maggie Winters and Zach Goodwin in 2020, the agency is a creative force in a city outside of the typical advertising 'norms' like NYC and LA. They're building a reputation for their focus on craft across all their work—from traditional TV spots and short films to engaging social posts and owned channels, working with brands like Lufthansa, Nike, Mistercap with Wiz Khalifa and more.