The 2023 Tough Artists have been chosen!
Meet the artists

This annual exhibit, started in 2007, showcases the work of artists who complete a summer residency at the Children’s Museum to prototype  and create a new piece where children interact with the art and the art can withstand the rigor and enthusiasm of the interaction. It is one of the Museum’s longest running and most rewarding programs.

The program connects artists from all arts to the resources and visitors at the Children’s Museum. Selected artists generate and implement interactive, immersive and/or collaborative projects and connect the art-making process to the larger museum context and the museum visitor. Artists are tasked to make a direct impact on the visitor experience by creating an entirely new piece to be displayed in the Museum. Throughout the residency, artists prototype and evaluate their process to achieve the desired outcome. We believe the magic of the Tough Art residency comes from this on-the-floor prototyping, where children interact with the art.

learn more

• Tough Art Residency web page
• NEW!  Tough Art: Making Art as Strong as Kids by Anne Fullenkamp and Claire Pillsbury
• Attractions Management magazine, 2021 Issue 1
• Contact Lacey Murray, Art Exhibition and Residencies Manager, [email protected]

Due to the COVID pandemic, we transitioned our Tough Art residency to a virtual experience in Summer 2020 and it yielded such interesting work that we continued it in 2021.

Selected artists created art-making activities related to and inspired by their artwork/process for people to engage with at home or wherever they might be.

Check out the projects:

• 2021 Tough Art @ Home artists and projects
• 2020 Tough Art @ Home artists and projects