Now Place Residency
Now Place is excited to offer a residency program for individuals passionate about independent publishing, literature, art, community care, and the living fabric of Chinatown.
Residencies at Now Place are invitations to step into authorship and help shape the rhythm of an artist-run bookstore in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Residents receive a stipend and a platform to develop curatorial or community-building practices, while supporting the shop as a community experiment.
Each residency culminates in a final contribution — a showcase, printed project, or public event — supported by Now Place and added to our living archive of Chinatown care.
此间驻留计划
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Contact Information
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For any questions or special requests, please feel free to reach out at: [Your Email or Contact Number]
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Contact Information
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For any questions or special requests, please feel free to reach out at: [Your Email or Contact Number]
📚 Art & Publishing Residency
The Art & Publishing Resident shapes the artistic and publishing voice of Now Place. They research and select titles for the shelves, curate displays, and engage with the community through the lens of independent publishing and art. Residents also have access to Now Place’s print studio, with opportunities to create new work that bridges curation and making.
Focus areas
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Research, select, and display books and zines
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Manage consignment and relationships with presses and artists
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Develop seasonal displays and host small book- or art-centered events
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Create printed work using Now Place’s print studio (RISO and related tools)
Residency outcome
Each Art & Publishing Resident will create one print-related project — a zine, booklet, catalog, or other print experiment. At the end of the residency, they will be supported to present their work in an art show or showcase at Now Place, opening the conversation to the community.
🌱 Community Host Residency
The Community Host nurtures the daily rhythm of Now Place by helping to care for the shop while also supporting its role as a gathering space. Hosts welcome visitors, liaise with artists and partners, and play an active part in events, workshops, and other programs that connect Now Place with Chinatown’s cultural life.
Alongside this role, residents have access to Now Place’s print studio and mentorship from the Now Place team and visiting artists, supporting their own creative growth and participation in the community.
Focus areas
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Shop care: support sales, inventory, and maintain simple systems for money and books
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Event support: liaise with artists and partners, and assist during gatherings
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Community and art program support: contribute to Now Place’s community/art programs and workshops, helping ensure they are accessible and well-held. Strengthen ties among Asian diaspora, queer, feminist, and Chinatown communities, while welcoming diverse collaborators
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Documentation: record and reflect on shop life, events, and conversations as part of Now Place’s living archive
Residency outcome
Each Host will transform their documentation into a public contribution — such as a zine, a diary excerpt reading, a wall of quotes and fragments, or a small photo-text installation. This will be presented as part of the group showcase at the end of the residency, adding the Host’s perspective to Now Place’s collective memory.
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Contact Information
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For any questions or special requests, please feel free to reach out at: [Your Email or Contact Number]
Residency Details
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Positions: 2 (Community Host & Art & Publishing)
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Commitment: 2 days per week
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Duration : 4 months (with the possibility of renewal)
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Support :
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$1600 stipend
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Access to Now Place’s print studio
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Free entry to all Now Place events
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Mentorship from Now Place team & visiting artists
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This residency (2 days per week, for 4 months) is ideal for individuals eager to explore the intersections of independent publishing, community art spaces, and Chinatown’s cultural life. Residents will work closely with the Now Place team, gaining experience in community programming, book and zine curation, shop operations and printmaking, while developing a personal project that reflects both their own practice and the collective rhythms of the space.
FALL/WINTER 2025 cycle
📍 Location: 679 Clay St.
📅 Residency term: October 29, 2025 – Mar 1, 2026
📝 Apply by October 15, 2025
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Contact Information
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For any questions or special requests, please feel free to reach out at: [Your Email or Contact Number]
We’re looking for residents whose aesthetics and philosophy resonate with Now Place’s spirit of creation, care, resistance, and imagination. If you feel called to experiment, to build community, and to dream with us in Chinatown, we’d love to hear from you.
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Contact Information
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For any questions or special requests, please feel free to reach out at: [Your Email or Contact Number]
For any questions, please feel free to reach out at
nowplacesf@gmail.com
The residency program is sponsored by Chang Liu
