Twelve months of quiet studio work on a car-free island, unsealed for five hours: the 2026 Arts Center Artists-in-Residence open the rooms where the work is made, half-finished canvases and reference walls and all. It is informal and open to all ages, so you can ask an artist what a piece is for and get a real answer. LMCC calls it the last one in 2026.
What to expect
Take the ferry to Soissons Landing and walk to the Arts Center at Building 110, where studio doors along the residency corridor stand open. Artists are in the rooms with their work and happy to talk; some set out sketchbooks, prints or materials to handle. Plan roughly an hour inside, then more for the island itself — the Arts Center galleries are open the same hours.
Good to know
- Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street (1 to South Ferry, R/W to Whitehall St, 4/5 to Bowling Green) and from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Br
- RSVP is requested through LMCC even though admission is free — do it before you leave the mainland, phone signal on the island is patchy
- The Arts Center is Building 110, a short walk from Soissons Landing; check step-free access and stroller routes with LMCC before you go
- Check the last return ferry before you settle in — island departures thin out in the evening and there is no other way off
- Good for families: the format is drop-in, and the residency corridor is easy to browse with kids in tow
- Bring water and a layer; the island is exposed and windier than the waterfront you left
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket?
No. LMCC lists free admission with an RSVP requested; the ferry to Governors Island is a separate ticket.
Can I talk to the artists?
Yes — that is the point of the format. LMCC describes it as an informal look at the residents' workspaces and creative processes.
Is there anything else to see at the Arts Center?
Yes. The Arts Center's exhibition galleries are open the same afternoon, including Leslie Wayne's show in its final weekend.
