The Coastal Oregon Artist Residency (COAR) Program is a partnership between Recology Western Oregon and Astoria Visual Arts (AVA), a non-profit membership organization to enhance, strengthen, and promote the arts in Greater Astoria. The program seeks to support the creation of art from recycled, repurposed, and discarded materials recovered from Recology’s Astoria Recycling Depot and Transfer Station.
COAR provides selected artists with access to discarded materials, a stipend of $1000 per month, and a large studio space at the Recology Recycling Center. By supporting artists who work with recycled materials, AVA and RWO hope to encourage people to conserve natural resources and promote new ways of thinking about art and the environment.
Two 4-month residencies begin in July each year. During residencies, artists have weekday scavenging privileges and access to the onsite studio. At the conclusion of their residencies, Recology Western Oregon and AVA will host a reception and public exhibition for the artists, featuring artwork made during their residencies.