Sipp Culture is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2026–2027 Rural Performance / Production Lab (RPPL), a residency and creative development program supporting artists whose work is rooted in the histories, cultures, landscapes, and lived experiences of rural communities.

Designed for artists navigating moments of transformation in their practice, RPPL provides resources that help move ambitious ideas toward realization. Selected artists receive financial support ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, along with individualized residency opportunities, mentorship, strategic planning assistance, and access to creative space and community.

Artists living in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee are encouraged to apply.

Residencies are hosted at Sipp Culture’s campus in Utica, Mississippi, including the White Oak Artist Residency. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all experience, RPPL is designed around the needs of each selected artist, creating space for experimentation, reflection, research, production, and restoration.

At its core, RPPL recognizes the vital role artists play in shaping the future of rural communities. Through storytelling, performance, visual culture, movement, sound, and interdisciplinary practices, artists help expand public imagination and deepen our understanding of place.

Sipp Culture’s work is grounded in the traditions and innovations of Southern rural culture bearers. From architecture and music to foodways, spiritual practices, and community memory, these cultural legacies continue to influence the stories we tell and the futures we build.

Applications are open for five weeks and will close on July 17, 2026.

Learn more and apply today.