About the Program
The Artist in Residence Program at Grand Canyon National Park provides a unique opportunity for visitors to engage with the land, cultures, and histories of the region through emotional, spiritual, and intellectually stimulating contemporary art – including exhibitions, films, performances, workshops, and unique participatory projects.
Artists are selected annually for residence through a competitive application process. A review panel of local arts leaders select artists who can provide world-class educational and interpretive experiences to the community while enjoying the opportunity to work in a location that inspires pure awe.
The Artist in Residence program serves the priorities of the National Park Service’s Department of Interpretation and Resource Education including inclusive storytelling and climate change and aims to highlight differing perspectives on this precious natural resource.
Residency Period
Artists may indicate their preferred dates and potential scheduling conflicts. Because residencies are awarded in order of a person’s acceptance to the program, preferred dates cannot be guaranteed. Please note that we do not schedule residencies between December 16 – January 31 due to weather conditions.
Provided Resources:
- Free private accommodations for you + one guest. (Pending availability, ADA housing will be provided for those who are unable to use stairs.)
- $750 stipend per week
- $250 stipend for travel
- Supply reimbursement of up to $300
- Staff support
- Special staff access to park roads and trails
- Access to archives and park staff including scientists and historians
- Marketing exposure (~ 850K online audience + PR opportunities in TV, radio & print)
- One artist or alum is selected annually for an exhibition at Northern Arizona’s University School of Art & Design’s Beasley Gallery in Flagstaff.
- Opportunities to work with Grand Canyon School students (only K-12 school inside a National Park) and Grand Canyon Conservancy members.
- Alumni are invited to participate in additional opportunities, such as alumni gatherings, proposal reviews, webinars, blog posts, and local exhibitions.
Selection
Proposals are reviewed by a peer panel of alumni, local arts leaders, and curators. Three artists will be selected for 2026. Those selected will be contacted with an offer in Fall 2025. Spaces are offered in order of acceptance to the program and based on the applicant’s preferred time of year.
Priority will be given to:
- Projects that show potential to meaningfully impact our community.
- Projects that are well-researched, engaging, and specific to Grand Canyon.
- Artists with demonstrated success engaging groups of people with their work.
- Artists with experience in making work on public lands.
- Artists who embrace concepts, histories, and narratives that haven’t been well-represented in the past.
Application Requirements
Artists should prepare to provide the following:
General information: demographics, contact information, communication preferences, online account info (website, social media handles, etc.), birthdate, and accessibility needs. *If applying as a team of two, please provide info for the primary contact.
Artist Statement and brief Bio (500 words combined / 3000 characters / 2 pages)
CV or resume (optional upload)
Documentation of your work demonstrating your ability to complete your proposed project:
- 5 – 15 portfolio images with titles, dates, medium, and descriptions.
- Up to 3 videos and/or audio clips (at 2 minutes max each) with titles, dates, medium, and descriptions.
- Text (up to 3 poems and/or 9 pages of prose or nonfiction) with notes for context if needed.
Press / Media: Articles, publications, relevant media (optional upload)
Responses to the following questions:
- Have you been to Grand Canyon National Park? (yes/no)
- Why are you a good fit for this residency? (What do you bring? What do you hope to gain?) (no word limit)
- What are your top three preferred residency dates? (Provide start and end dates for each residency)
- Do you have any substantial scheduling conflicts in 2026?
Project Description, including:
- (Working) Project Title + Short Description (2,000 characters max. / ~ 350 words)
- How will this someone experience this project or program? (2,000 characters max. / ~ 350 words)
- How many hours of public engagement would your project deliver? (1,000 characters max. / ~ 175 words)
- What aspects of Grand Canyon will be highlighted, and why is this important? (2,000 characters max. / ~ 350 words)
- Will any stand-alone artwork will be produced because of this project (if any)? (ie. pamphlets, photos, paintings, sculptures, sound files, videos) If so, please explain. (1,000 characters max. / ~ 175 words)
Application Fee
Because we are a non-profit organization, we request applicants pay the nominal application fee of $25. Please email residency@grandcanyon.org if you require a reduction.
Applications for 2026 will be accepted from May 15 – July 15, 2025.
Artist in Residence Application
Website link: https://www.grandcanyon.org/experience-grand-canyon/residency-program/artist-in-residence
