Studio space, time and opportunity. Aside from raw talent and hard work, these are some of the most important ingredients for an artist to work and that’s what nine residencies will provide John Maggio, a professor at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Department of Art.

Maggio, who will be on research leave in the spring semester, has been awarded nine artist-residency offers. This spring and summer, he will attend five residencies at The Banff Centre (Alberta, Canada), the American Academy in Rome (Rome, Italy), Pouch Cove Foundation (Newfoundland, Canada) and the Ragdale Foundation (Lake Forest, Ill.) and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (Amherst, Va.).

Each of the experiences will provide the UNCG professor the opportunity to work in relative seclusion with other artists. The Ragdale Foundation, for example, provides residencies for 200 emerging and established artists, writers and composers every year. The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts provides artists with a bedroom, studio and three meals per day. Aside from breakfast and dinner, the days are unstructured, giving artists unfettered time for their work.

“This honor is bestowed upon John Maggio in recognition of his outstanding work,” the Ragdale Foundation said in announcing the award.

The residencies are acquired through an application process that includes a proposal, slides of work, letters of reference and a biography.

Maggio has deferred four of the artist-in-residency offers: Fundacion Valparaiso (Almeira, Spain), The Tyrone Guthrie Centre (Annaghmakerrig, Ireland), The Hambridge Center (Rabun Gap, Ga.), and the Vermont Studio Center (Johnson, Vt.). These residencies will be taken in 2006 and 2007, Maggio said.