Description:

Artists have played an important role in the formation, preservation, and enjoyment of national parks. Over a century ago, by painting landscapes of the American West, artists publicized many of the natural wonders of a land little known to an eastern populace. Their body of work helped to foster appreciation for these national wonders which ultimately resulted in the establishment of many national parks. Artist’s interpretation of park landscapes through many types of media connects people to these special places, which is an essential part of the preservation and protection of America’s national parks.

At Great Basin National Park, artists will be surrounded by the natural beauty of the Park from the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak to the depths of Lehman Caves. The Park offers the solitude of the wilderness and provides expansive and renowned dark-sky stargazing. The sights, sounds, and textures of the environment, along with uninterrupted time, offer a respite from typical daily life and provide inspiration for creative work.

Great Basin National Park is very remote. The closest town is Baker which has few to no amenities. Artists will find amenities in Ely, Nevada, 60 miles away.

We are selecting 3-4 residences from this call. Each residence will occur in 2025. The residencies are as follows:

Summer residence. The artist may choose a 2-3 week residency during July and August. This is a CAMPING residency. Most camping gear is provided (tent, stove, cots, camp kitchen, etc).  Artists should be familiar and confident with camping prior to applying for this residency. A campsite will be provided. The artist may choose their preferred campground within the Park. Please be aware that internet service is unavailable and public WiFi at the visitor centers is spotty. Cell service is limited and varies between carriers. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Summer is a beautiful time within the Park, with much to explore.

Fall residence. The artist may choose a 2-3 week residency during September (camping) or November (housing). Please see CAMPING info above, and HOUSING info below. The September camping residency will take place during the Park's Astronomy Festival - a stellar event!

Winter residence. The artist may choose a 2-3 week residency during January and February. This residency has Park housing. Lodging includes a furnished private bedroom within a shared living space (kitchen and bathroom). Washers and dryers are available and the kitchen includes major appliances (refrigerator, stove, sink) and basic utensils and dishes. The selected artist is responsible for bringing everything else they may need. Please be aware that internet service is unavailable and there is limited public WiFi. Cell service is also limited and varies between carriers. Pets and smoking are not allowed. In winter the park is very quiet and likely to be covered with several feet of snow. A residence may choose to explore on snowshoes or cross country skis. Storms may make travel to amenities in Ely more difficult.. In winter the Park is very quiet and much of the Park is covered with several feet of snow. A residence may choose to explore on snowshoes or cross country skis. Storms may make travel to amenities in Ely more difficult.

We are selecting one REGIONAL Artist-in-Residence (AIR) from this call. The artist must live and work in Nevada or Utah and may apply for any season.

Each AIR will present one public program in the Park during their residency. The winter program may take place in a local school rather than the Park. The AIR will also present one virtual public program after their residency which will be organized through Great Basin National Park Foundation (GBNPF). GBNPF is the nonprofit partner of Great Basin National Park, and is financially supporting this residency.

Each AIR will provide a digital portfolio of visual art, writing, music, or performance created during the residency. The digital portfolio will not be monetized, and exclusive rights will not be requested. Artists will always be credited with their work when digital items are used. Digital portfolios will be shared with Great Basin National Park and GBNPF.

Each AIR will donate one physical artistic piece (if applicable), along with a digital representation of the artistic piece within one year of their residency. The donation may be displayed in the Park for up to three years, after which it will be transferred to GBNPF for unrestricted use. Each AIR will provide a deed of gift to GBNPF for donated work(s) allowing rights to both digital & physical pieces.

Artists will be selected based upon their demonstrated professionalism, artistic integrity, creativity, ability to interpret Great Basin National Park and the Great Basin Region, and ability to reside in a remote location (camping and/or housing). Artists' professional resume and personal statement should address the above to be competitive within this application.

Application Requirements

All artists must submit:

A Professional Resume 

A Personal Statement which includes "Why Great Basin National Park?", a public program concept, and addresses the artists’ ability to reside in a remote location and work independently.

Visual Artists: Provide 6-12 images. Clearly label each image with your name, work's title, medium, and dimensions. 

Writers/Poets: Provide 6-12 short works or 1 long work. Clearly label each work with your name and its title. Examples include: Six Short Poems or other short writing samples of artistic merit (less than 1 page each) or One Short Story, Essay, or Manuscript Excerpt (10 pages max).

Composers, Musicians, Performing Artists, Video, Film: Provide no more than six short selections (about 6 minutes total) or 1 long selection (about 10 minutes total).

All artists: All materials must be submitted through the online process. Additional materials or links to additional materials will result in disqualification.

Eligibility Criteria

Please apply for all seasons you would like to be considered for. 

Residencies are open to visual artists, literary artists, musicians and other creative activity media artists. 

This call is open to artists that reside anywhere, but one spot each year will be held for a regional residence for an artist that lives and works in Nevada or Utah.