January 29, 2026 - The Miller Art Museum announced today that the Dome House Al & Mickey Quinlan Artist Residency will return for its sixth year, with the 2026 residency scheduled for August 2 through September 27, 2026. The application deadline is Friday, April 17, 2026.
Launched in 2021 in partnership with the Quinlan/Wagner family, the eight-week residency offers Midwest visual artists a fully immersive live/work experience at the Dome 
House, an iconic, artist-designed structure nestled in the dunes along Lake Michigan near Whitefish Dunes State Park. The program supports focused creative development while emphasizing meaningful public engagement through workshops, artist talks, open studios, and other unique programming.
Over the course of five years, the program has evolved into a sought-after opportunity for emerging and mid-career artists, attracting applicants who are interested in producing ambitious new bodies of work deeply informed by place, process, and public engagement. The program has become a pillar of the Miller Art Museum’s mission to connect artists and community through meaningful opportunities to explore, celebrate, and advance the visual arts.
“The Dome House Residency has become a defining part of our commitment to artists and community,” said Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, Executive Director of the Miller Art Museum. “Each year, we witness the powerful role that time, place, and connection play in advancing an artist’s practice.”
The Dome House—designed and built in 1978 by artist and printmaker Albert F. ‘Al’ Quinlan—is a twin-lobed, domed concrete structure. Purposefully conceived as a sustainable live/work space, the home offers a rare balance of solitude and expansiveness, making it uniquely suited for deep creative inquiry. Artists selected for the 2026 residency will be provided with: An 8-week live/work residency, a dedicated studio and residence immersed in Door County’s natural environment, opportunities for public engagement, and professional visibility through Miller Art Museum exhibitions, communications, and community partnerships. Resident artists commit a minimum of five hours per week to public-facing outreach activities, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on dialogue, access, and creative exchange.
Past residents have consistently cited the Dome House Residency as a pivotal moment in their artistic development. Projects generated during the residency have included expansive drawing and painting series, site-responsive installations, including After All by Minnesota-based textile artist Amy Usdin on display through February 22 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, community workshops, and culminating exhibitions that draw visitors from across the region.
The program’s success mirrors a broader regional and national recognition of Door County as a destination for the arts. With its concentration of cultural institutions, natural beauty, and engaged audiences, the Peninsula has increasingly been highlighted as fertile ground for creative residencies that prioritize both artistic rigor and public connection. “The Dome House Residency carries forward a legacy of mentorship, curiosity, and access to the arts—values that have shaped the Miller Art Museum from the very beginning.” Meissner-Gigstead added.
The Miller Art Museum welcomes artists from across the Midwest states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to apply. Application details and more information can be found by visiting https://millerartmuseum.org/ or https://www.domehouseart.org/. Applications for the 2026 residency will be accepted through Friday, April 17, 2026.