Record-Breaking Applications Mark 2026 Elebash Uncharted Artist in Residence Program
At a time when New York’s creative community is navigating mounting economic pressure, Greenwich House Music School is building on more than a decade of sustained support for independent artists through its Elebash Uncharted Artist-in-Residence program.
We’re proud to introduce the six New York City–based performers selected for the 2026 Elebash Uncharted Artist-in-Residence program: Jacquelene Acevedo, Audry Funk, DoYeon Kim, Erika Ji, Miriam Elhajli, and Firas Zreik.
Now in its 12th year, Uncharted continues to provide something increasingly rare in the cultural sector: sustained support for artists at the early stages of new work development before a project reaches the touring circuit, before it finds a presenter, and often before it’s ever performed publicly.
This year’s cohort was selected following the most competitive open call in the program’s recent history, with applications increasing 350% over 2024.
Sustaining Creative Life in New York
The surge in applications mirrors broader trends affecting artists citywide. A December 2025 report from the Center for an Urban Future, Creative New York, describes a cultural workforce that has “rarely felt more fragile.” The report notes:
- A 4.4% decline in the city’s resident artist population since 2019
- A severe affordability crisis impacting creative workers
- A 27% wage gap, with artists of color earning significantly less than their white counterparts
For independent performers, the challenge isn’t only creating meaningful work; it’s sustaining it financially and logistically in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Uncharted was designed to meet that challenge directly.
What the Residency Provides
Unlike programs that culminate in a single performance opportunity, Uncharted is structured to extend the life of each project beyond one night on stage. The residency includes:
- A $5,000 stipend
- 20 hours of rehearsal space with backline technical support
- Secure overnight equipment storage
- Full retention of rights to work created during the residency
- Dedicated curatorial support to shape project narratives
- Targeted marketing and promotional support
- A 30-minute featured performance in the Uncharted concert series
- Three-camera video capture, professional audio, and photography at no cost
The goal is simple but powerful: give artists the infrastructure to develop work that is artistically rigorous and viable for future touring and presentation.
As Uncharted co-founder and curator Jennie Wasserman (NJPAC, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall) notes, the program centers on the idea that artists need time, space, and trust long before an audience arrives.
A 120-Year Commitment to Artists
For more than a century, Greenwich House Music School has served as a creative home for New York artists. The Uncharted residency extends that legacy into today’s realities, where sustaining a career in the arts requires not only talent, but tangible institutional backing.
“Uncharted is an intentional effort to ensure that visionary artists can afford to keep calling this city home,” said Rachel Black, Director of Greenwich House Music School and co-founder of Uncharted.
Past Uncharted alumni – including Shaina Taub, Mireya Ramos, Marc Ribot, Brandee Younger, Sofia Rei, Aaron Diehl, and Celisse – reflect the program’s long-term impact on New York’s cultural landscape.
2026 Uncharted Concert Series
Residency performances will take place in Greenwich House Music School’s 90-seat recital hall—an intimate downtown venue that has hosted legendary artists including John Cage, Morton Subotnick, and Meredith Monk.
- April 22 — Jacquelene Acevedo and Audry Funk
- April 29 — DoYeon Kim and Firas Zreik
- May 6 — Erika Ji and Miriam Elhajli
Tickets start at $20 and will be available in March. Seating is limited.
Learn more and reserve tickets at: greenwichhouse.org/music-school/uncharted
Media Contact: Marisol Cruz, mcruz@greenwichhouse.org
