Programs
Ancestral Wellspring Collective offers various residency and collaboration opportunities prioritizing black and indigenous female identified artists, healers and herbalists
Spatial Justice. Cultural Sovereignty. Community Medicine.
Located in a historically landmarked building in the heart of North Beach, San Francisco, our space is a sanctuary for the preservation and practice of ancestral medicine and art. We are opening our 1,400 sq. ft. creative home to a cohort of Black and Indigenous female-identified practitioners to anchor their work, build their businesses, and heal our community.
We have access to a large restaurant space as well for larger events and exhibitions
The Exchange: A Model of Spatial Justice
We believe that in a city like San Francisco, access to physical space is one of the greatest barriers to cultural survival.
While we do not offer a fiscal stipend for this inaugural round, we provide a high-value Space Equity model. We have removed the overhead of San Francisco rent and high retail commissions so that 100% of your energy can go toward your craft and your earnings stay in your pocket.
What We Offer You:
The Sanctuary: Access to 1,200 sq. ft. of intentional indoor space for art installations, rituals, and private consultations, plus a 200 sq. ft. outdoor deck.
Additional Space: For large gatherings 150+ people we have an additional restaurant space available for private events
Economic Sovereignty: Dedicated space in our showroom to sell your offerings. You keep 85% of your sales with 15% going back to AWC.
Platform for Growth: Weekly access to the space to host workshops, ceremonies, or circles. You keep 100% of your ticket sales. We help you market across our social media platforms and email lists over a cumulative 10,000+ people strong.
The Living Apothecary: Full access to our community apothecary and tea bar, stocked and ready for you to share free herbal offerings with your guests.
Amplification: We use our digital platforms to drive direct donations and virtual tips to you, ensuring those who cannot attend in person can still support your labor.
Residencies
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Call for Residents: Culture Bearer & Artist-in-Residency
Centering Ancestral Memory, Ritual, and Creative Sovereignty
Location: San Francisco, CA
Focus: Black & Indigenous Female-Identified Multidisciplinary Artists
Duration: 6 monthsWe are seeking a Culture Bearer—an artist whose work serves as a bridge between the past and the future—to join our space as an Artist-in-Resident. We believe that art is not just aesthetic; it is a modality for healing, storytelling, and cultural survival.
This residency is a sanctuary for practitioners who weave poetry, altar work, and ancestral modalities into their creative expression. If your work lives at the intersection of spirit, history, and community, we invite you to make our space your home base.
The Offering (What we provide):
Showroom & Installation Space: Dedicated space to display and sell your works, whether they are physical pieces, publications, or ritual tools.
A Living Studio: Access to the space to create, write, or build altars. We encourage the space to be used for the process of creation, not just the result.
Workshop & Performance Venue: Weekly access to host community offerings be it a poetry reading, an altar-building workshop, a tea ceremony, or a cultural teaching. You keep 100% of your ticket sales/donations.
Visibility: Collaborative marketing through our networks to highlight your role as a guardian of culture in the Bay Area.
The Residency (What we’re looking for):
A Multidisciplinary Artist whose practice is rooted in Black or Indigenous cultural modalities.
A focus on Poetry, Altar Works, or Ritual Arts is strongly preferred.
A desire to engage with the SF community through a weekly public-facing offering (class, circle, or open studio).
Priority: This residency is dedicated to Black and Indigenous women as an act of spatial justice and cultural reclamation.
How to Apply:
We honor your time and energy. Please submit the following to
Artist Statement: Tell us about your culture bearing practice.
What lineages do you carry, and what does your art seek to preserve or provoke?
Portfolio of Intent: Share 3–5 examples of your work (photos, poems, videos of past workshops, or photos of your altars).
The Dream: Briefly describe how you would use your weekly workshop time to connect with the community.
Applications due by: June 20, 2026
Residency begins: Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 -
A Space for Ancestral Healing & Community Medicine
Location: San Francisco, CA
Focus: Black & Indigenous Female-Identified Folk Herbalists
Duration: 6 monthsWe are opening our doors to a local folk herbalist who is looking for a home base to grow their practice, share their medicine, and build community in San Francisco. This residency is designed to be an incubator providing the physical space and visibility needed to turn a seasonal practice into a sustainable business.
The Offering (What we provide):
Showroom Space: Dedicated shelf space in our storefront to display and sell your herbal offerings (tinctures, teas, salves, etc.). You keep 85% of your sales
Workshop Venue: Free weekly access to our space to host classes, circles, or workshops. You keep 100% of your ticket sales/donations.
Consultation Nook: Access to a private/semi-private area to meet with clients for 1-on-1 consultations.
Platform: Promotion of your work and events to our community and social media followers.
The Residency (What we’re looking for):
A practitioner rooted in folk traditions and ancestral medicine.
Someone ready to activate the space once a week through education or community gathering.
A commitment to 5-10 hours a week of presence in the space (flexible).
Priority: This residency specifically prioritizes Black and Indigenous women to honor the lineages of herbalism that have historically been marginalized.
How to Apply:
We want to keep this low-barrier. Please send a brief intro to our email or a 3-minute video covering:
Your Story: Tell us about your lineage or how you came to work with the plants.
Your Medicine: What kind of offerings or workshops are you dreaming of hosting?
Your Goal: How would having access to this space help you grow in the next 6 months?
Applications due by: June 20, 2026
Residency begins: Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 -
A Sanctuary for BIWOC-Centered Ceremony, Circle, and Ritual
Location: San Francisco, CA
Focus: Black & Indigenous Women/People of Color (BIWOC) Practitioners
Duration: 6 MonthsWe are seeking a Healer-in-Resident to anchor the spiritual and communal heartbeat of our space. This residency is a dedicated container for a practitioner whose work is a direct offering to the Black and Indigenous Women and People of Color (BIWOC) community.
We recognize that healing justice requires physical sanctuary. This residency provides a consistent, beautiful, and safe home for your ceremonies, ritual work, and circles—removing the barrier of high SF rental costs so you can focus entirely on the medicine you carry for our people.
The Offering (What we provide):
The Ritual Container: Primary weekly access to our space to host ceremonies, healing circles, or ritual gatherings. You keep 100% of your ticket sales or sliding-scale donations.
Healing Nook: Priority access to a quiet, intentional space for 1-on-1 healing sessions or private ritual work.
Sanctuary Support: Use of our communal altar space and [mention any supplies you have, like floor cushions, candles, or sound bowls].
Community Bridge: Active promotion of your offerings to our network, specifically framing your work as a dedicated BIWOC-only or BIWOC-centered resource.
The Residency (What we’re looking for):
A Healer or Ritualist with a practiced commitment to BIWOC-centered healing.
Offerings that may include: Grief circles, birth/postpartum rituals, ancestral connection ceremonies, energy work, or communal prayer.
Core Requirement: Your public offerings in this space must be specifically designed for and center the experiences of the BIWOC community.
Priority: This residency is held for Black and Indigenous women healers to honor their roles as the traditional keepers of community wellness.
How to Apply:
In the spirit of mindful connection, please share the following with
Your Practice: Describe the modalities you carry and how they serve the BIWOC community.
The Vision: What kind of monthly or weekly rhythm do you envision for your circles or ceremonies? (e.g., A Full Moon circle for Black mothers or A weekly grief ritual for Indigenous kin).
Community Safety: How do you approach creating a culturally safe container for your participants?
Applications due by: June 20, 2026
Residency begins: Fall 2026 - Spring 2027
FAQs
Is the space open to the public?
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AWC offers a Private Community Model: All workshops, art shows, events and ceremonies are RSVP-only (no public walk-ins). This allows us to maintain a sacred, intimate environment for our work.
How do I schedule my events?
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We have a shared community calendar where you can choose the slots of time that you would like to offer your events. For large events ( 150+ people will require extra coordination with our staff )
How can I contact you?
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Email us if you have any questions about any of the residencies or application process
Rooted in Care: Wellness Offerings for Black Birthworkers
Sustaining the Guardians of Black Motherhood
In a landscape where Black maternal health is a site of both crisis and profound resistance, our birthworkers—the midwives, doulas, and community healers—are the front line. They are the ones holding the hands, the hearts, and the sovereignty of Black birthing people.
To honor their labor and protect their well-being, Ancestral Wellspring Collective is proud to offer our Curated Wellness & Herbal Boxes. These are intentional offerings of plant medicine and ritual care, gifted directly to those who serve Black mothers and maternal health organizations in San Francisco and beyond.
The Reality: Why This Work Matters
The statistics surrounding Black maternal health in the United States are a call to action.
The Disparity: Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, regardless of income or education level.
The Doula Difference: Research consistently shows that the presence of a doula is a game-changer. Birthing people supported by doulas are less likely to have a C-section, less likely to experience birth complications, and significantly more likely to have positive, empowered birth experiences.
The Burden of Care: While Black birthworkers are closing these gaps and saving lives, they often do so at the cost of their own nervous systems, navigating systemic medical racism alongside their clients.
Our Herbal Offerings: Medicine for the Front Lines
Our wellness boxes are designed specifically to replenish the vitality, spirit, and physical health of the birthworker. Each box features offerings from our Herbalist-in-Residence and local BIWOC makers, including:
Nervine Tonics & Adaptogens: To support the nervous system during long births and high-stress advocacy.
Mineral-Rich Tea Blends: To deeply nourish the body after sleepless nights and physical labor.
Ritual Tools: Hand-crafted candles, flower essences, or bath soaks to facilitate the closing of a birth and the clearing of energy.
Educational Resources: Information on ancestral postpartum traditions and decolonized maternal care.
Partner With Us
We distribute these boxes to local midwives, doula collectives, and community organizations dedicated to Black maternal health.
If you are a Black birthworker or organization: Reach out to us to be added to our distribution list.
If you are an herbalist or wellness organization: that offers self care/wellness support products and would like to offer in kind donations for the wellness boxes feel free to reach out!
If you are a community member: You can donate to AWC to ensure a local doula receives the medicine they need to keep doing this life-saving work.
