Elsewhere Building, AKA The Temple to the Muse

Is an eclectic, radical, imaginative portal in the heart of Paonia, Colorado

Artist residency. Community learning. Sacred gathering.

Elsewhere Studios Residency Program ~ Nonprofit

Elsewhere Studios Residency mission is to weave local and global communities together, and hold the creative process as a bridge between the artist and the community. Through all of our projects, we nurture artists, educate the next generation of creatives, and gather our neighbors into a thriving ecosystem of art, culture.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2026/27!

We are thrilled to announce that the Elsewhere Studios nonprofit will once again be hosting artist residencies for a concentrated season - for part of the year in the Elsewhere building while working on growing a network of local hosts across the valley - farms, studios, retreat cabins in the mountains - where residencies can also happen. We’ve done it before with our farm residency and it worked well for everyone.

This first call for applications is for residences within the months of November 2026 through April 2027. If you're interested in becoming a resident artist, please read through the information linked below and then complete our simple application.

We hope to welcome you to Elsewhere Studios soon and can't wait to see and support the magic you'll create here!

Application deadline - Sept 15th ~ Acceptance/denial letters sent Sept 25th ~ Contracts due- October 15th

Residency Info

“We believe art is how humans make meaning, find themselves, and belong to each other and to place. When artists are given time, space, and community, something essential is unlocked — not just in them, but in the world around them.”

ANNOUNCING THE NONPROFIT FALL FUNDRAISER!

Join us for a night of creativity and community like you’ve never experienced before!

Early-Bird tickets on sale until September 30th.

Tickets

Interested in competing in the Junk to Funk?!

Applications are open for 6 lucky designers/teams of two.

Apply to compete

Help Us Build the Ultimate Junk Pile!

Junk to Funk is fueled by creativity—and by your donations! We're collecting clean, reusable materials that can be transformed into incredible wearable art during our live design competition.

We're looking for items like:

Clothing (rips and tears are perfectly fine!)
Fabric, lace, felt, and textile scraps
Buttons, ribbon, trim, zippers, ties, belts, and scarves
Faux flowers, feathers, beads, sequins, and costume jewelry
Interesting plastic, metal, foam, cardboard, and other lightweight found objects
Any unique, clean materials you could imagine becoming part of an amazing costume

Please do not donate dirty, moldy, hazardous, or bulky items. If you wouldn't want to craft with it, we probably can't use it!

Donation Drop-Off:
Look for the Junk to Funk Donation Bin in the bike storage area off the alley by Elsewhere Studios.

Thank you for helping us turn discarded materials into extraordinary works of art while supporting Elsewhere Studios residency program.

Opening Soon in the Elsewhere Temple to the Muse Basement

MUSE TEAHOUSE

‘Members of a Sacred Existence’

A community hub and gathering place in the Heart of the Elsewhere building

The MUSE Teahouse is opening downstairs this winter as an independent business, with a strong commitment to supporting the nonprofit mission of Elsewhere Studios. The Teahouse intends to partner with the nonprofit to provide a welcoming space for community events, creative gatherings, workshops, and special programming.

The MUSE Teahouse will host:

An evening and into the night non alcholic family friendly space
A well rounded full tea menu, afordable food, and elixires.
Classes and study sessions
Storytelling nights and open mics
Community salons and dialogues
Youth workshops and presentations
Artist fundraisers and showcases
Informal mentorship and collaboration

It is both a classroom and a commons—a place where learning happens naturally through presence and conversation.

Rolling Artist Fundraiser — Donate Your Work

Elsewhere Studios and Coyote Club are launching a season-long rolling fundraiser, featuring curated pop-up shops throughout spring and summer. We’ll also host a dedicated Elsewhere Studios / Coyote Club booth at many of the region’s most loved community events.

We’re inviting artists to contribute original works, prints, small editions, handcrafted goods, or creative merchandise to help fuel:

Youth scholarships through the Coyote Club
Artist residencies and teaching stipends
Community arts programming at the Muse Teahouse

Your donated pieces will be thoughtfully displayed, credited, and shared in alignment with our mission of cultivating creative culture and intergenerational learning.