Grand Canyon National Park Artist-in-Residence Program
CAE2202
Summary Note
Since 2020, the Grand Canyon National Park Artist-in-Residence program has welcomed artists to live and work at the Canyon to engage in creative research and reflection, and to create work that contributes to the Park’s cultural and historic legacy.Biographical Note
In 2018, Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) was asked to take the successful NPS Artist-in-Residence program at the canyon and turn it into a sustainable, vibrant program to forever contribute to the cultural and historical legacy of Grand Canyon National Park. After a year-long consulting engagement, a new program was launched, and GCC hosted their first Artist-in-Residence in the Verkamp’s apartment on the South Rim. By 2022, GCC added a Program Manager, several partnerships with local Arizona and Nevada museums, and received over 165 proposals from artists across the globe.
Scope and Content
The National Parks System of the United States offers artist residency opportunities of varying kinds at some of its parks. These programs have been at the discretion of individual park superintendents as a public outreach effort based around scenic values. The Grand Canyon National Park hosted such a program from 2003 to 2017, when it was terminated due to lack of resources. In 2020, the park worked with its official nonprofit partner, Grand Canyon Conservancy, to design a new program to host artists on the South Rim. Envisioned to be international in scope and of a quality deserving of its spectacular location, it provides artists the time and space to explore and develop significant work.
The program welcomes applicants from a wide variety of artistic disciplines, including visual art (two and three-dimensional, photography, sculpture, painting, textiles, drawing, or collage), installation or land-based art, printmaking, audio (performance or composition), film (documentary, fictional, or art), writing (poetry, fiction, essays, storytelling, or playwriting), ethnographic fine art, new media, performance art (choreography, dance, or theater arts professionals), social practice, and interdisciplinary arts.
In their applications, artists articulate how their projects would contribute to a greater understanding of the Grand Canyon (in its broadest interpretation) through research and public engagement. Projects naturally evolve and change during the residency, but focus remains relevant to the Canyon and its communities.
While in residence, artists are encouraged to work collaboratively with NPS staff and to make use of the Park’s many resources, including its collections, archives, hiking and backpacking opportunities, scientists, educators, experts on wildlife, geology, conservation, interpretation, and engagement. Materials include documents, audio and video files, digital images, press materials.
Arrangement
- Series 1: Grand Canyon AIR Program Materials
- Series 2: 2021 Artists
- Series 3: 2022 Artists
- Series 4: 2023 Artists