The Artist in Residence program at Grand Canyon National Park offers artists the opportunity to practice and share their discipline with park visitors at one of the most beautiful sites in the world. Through impactful, site-specific, community-engaged work, the program seeks to inspire the community to deepen their knowledge of Grand Canyon National Park.

The program is tied directly to the National Park Service Interpretation and Resource Education goal of inclusive storytelling and Grand Canyon Conservancy’s goal “to inspire generations of park champions to cherish and support the natural and cultural wonder of Grand Canyon.”

Contemporary artists focused on site-specific community engagement, social practice, and immersive or interactive artworks are encouraged to apply. We seek a variety of voices and strategies for engaging our visitors in underrepresented stories about the park.

In 2025, three artists will be selected to live and work on Arizona's South Rim of Grand Canyon. Artists in Residence are expected to deliver an interactive project with programming to our guests and/or community during their stay.  

Residency Period

Artists may indicate their preferred dates (3 -10 weeks) during the following months. The most popular months for visiting the park are in bold. Because residencies are awarded in order of a person’s acceptance to the program, preferred dates cannot be guaranteed. 

• February
• March
• April
• June
• July
• August

Provided Resources:

• Accommodations (Residents generally stay in the Verkamp's residence on the South Rim. The residence is a private one-bedroom apartment with a studio space, kitchen, bath, living room, queen bedroom, and other amenities. Artists who are unable to use stairs are housed in ADA accessible housing if available.)
• $200 for travel
• Up to $300 for supplies
• $750 stipend per week
• Backcountry trip support
• Limited staff support
• Special access to park roads and trails
• Marketing exposure (~ 850K online audience + PR opportunities in TV, radio & print)
• One artist a year is selected for an exhibition at Northern Arizona’s University School of Art & Design’s Beasley Gallery in Flagstaff.
• Alumni are invited to participate in additional opportunities like proposal reviews, webinars, blog posts, and local exhibitions.

Selection

Proposals will be reviewed by a peer panel of alumni, local artists, and curators. Three artists will be selected for 2025. Those selected will be contacted with an offer around September 15, 2024.  Spaces are offered in order of acceptance to the program and based on the applicant’s preferred time of year. A verbal commitment is required within one week of the offer.

Selected artists may not defer their residency to another year.

Upon acceptance, applicants must review residency protocols, sign several agreements, and complete a background check.

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 for public spaces.
• Artists from Indigenous or other marginalized communities.

Application Requirements

Artists should prepare to provide the following: 

General information: demographics, contact information and preference, online account info (website, social media handles, etc.)

Artist Statement (any length) and brief Bio (200 words max)

CV or resume (optional)

Documentation of your work demonstrating your ability to complete your proposed project: Up to 15 images and/or 6- minutes of media, with titles, dates, medium, and descriptions.

Press / Media: Articles, publications, relevant media (optional)

Video Introduction (optional) – Up to 2 minutes; who you are, why you want to do this, what you can bring to the park, etc.

Project Plan, including: 

• Project Title
• Description (500 words)
• Overall summary of the project, including answers to the following questions:
  • How will a person experience the work?
  • What aspects of Grand Canyon will be highlighted?
  • Why is this content or experience important?
• Timeline & Resources:
  • Research & development phase:
    • What will be needed to complete this phase?
    • List 2-3 questions to drive your research and planning efforts.
  • Project Delivery:
    • What will be needed to complete this phase? (ie. supplies, weather, location, marketing, etc.)
    • Will there be any “artifacts” of the work?
    • Outline a rough schedule for the project during your preferred residency length.

Donation of $1 or more

Instead of an application fee, we ask that you offer a gift in any amount to the Artist in Residence program through Grand Canyon Conservancy. While you will be asked to include proof of your gift in the application, your donation amount will not be shared with the review panel or relevant to the decision-making process.

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE

You may also donate by phone at (928) 556-5300 or mail a check/money order to PO Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. Donations that accompany an application must be received before the proposal deadline.

In “Donation Comments,” please indicate this is for the 2025 Artist in Residence application.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications must be complete before July 15, 2024.
• Proposed projects must plan to engage people and focus on any element of the Grand Canyon’s environment, history, and/or culture within the following limitations:
• No alteration (or damage to) the area (Leave No Trace).
• Family-friendly and accessible to global audiences.
• Artwork about Indigenous culture must be created or co-created by an Indigenous artist or organization. Relationships must be cultivated independently.
• Artists must demonstrate a high level of professionalism in their application materials and communications.
• To the best of their knowledge, artists must be physically able to work at high altitudes.

Questions? 

Please see our Residency FAQ for the answers to commonly asked questions.

If you have any questions or require support completing your proposal, please get in touch with Clover Morell, Residency Program Manager, at cmorell@grandcanyon.org or 928-368-7154.