As part of my board role at Resident Advisor, I work with the global team to develop resources and projects that support cultural exchange and independent cultural businesses across borders.
Launched in July 2024, the Artist Visa Guideis a collaboration between RA, Basement NYC, and Wire Festival that was inspired by community discussions at the 2023 Wire Festival and longstanding challenges artists and organizers face in bringing international talent to the US. This free guide aims to act as a first step towards de-mystifying the process of obtaining an O-1 visa.
The O-1 visa process presents a huge barrier especially for emerging artists and those without significant financial means to perform in the US. Likewise, the requirements, costs, and years-long process also creates significant challenges and financial risks for independent/small venues and organizers in the US, hindering their ability to establish grassroots cultural exchange. Cultural exchange is essential to running a successful business, as well as promoting tolerance and advancing equity across local-global scenes.
This is an evolving project. We will continue to drive this initiative by making resources widely available, providing practical policy proposals with advocacy tools, and the goal of free legal advice to artists with a dedicated fund.