Art That Matters to the Planet: Wild America
March 22 – July 27, 2025

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY, invites artists to submit work for our fourth annual juried exhibition of Art that Matters to the Planet.

Art that Matters to the Planet explores the ways in which art and artists can help to shape a more sustainable future. Art that Matters to the Planet: Wild America will coincide with the 70th anniversary of the publication of Wild America: The Record of a 30,000 Mile Journey Around the Continent by a Distinguished Naturalist and His British Colleague, by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher.

We are pleased to announce that Kenn Kaufman will be serving as the juror for 2025. Kaufman is an American author, artist, naturalist, and conservationist who was strongly influenced by the artwork and writing of Roger Tory Peterson. In particular, Wild America inspired Kenn to pursue birds all over North America while he was still a teenager.

With Art that Matters to the Planet: Wild America, we will consider three main themes:

• Exploration. In the spirit of the Big Year, we encourage submissions from artists who incorporate exploration of, knowledge about, and advocacy for the wild places of North America. 
• Place-based artworks. We hope to see artworks that share the unique spirit of the wilderness around you in a way that inspires us to discover it or re-discover it through new eyes.
• Environmental impact. With this exhibition, we hope to learn about the impact of conservation efforts which have taken place over the past 70 years, as well as ongoing efforts to preserve the natural world.

Below are a series of locations for suggested focus. The jury selection will prioritize these and other locations listed in the book—these are merely a fraction of the places Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher visited during their travels. It is also recommended that potential applicants read or otherwise familiarize themselves with Wild America—it can often be found in physical copy form at local libraries or universities, and a PDF of the book can be accessed here.   

 Exhibition summary:

1953-55: Wild America

In April of 1953, Roger Tory Peterson met his British cohort James Fisher in Newfoundland, and together they began a 100-day, 30,000-mile journey around the continent, documenting the birds, scenery, and people they saw along the way. Their journey was later documented in a book called Wild America, first published in 1955.

2025: Art that Matters to the Planet: Wild America

2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of Wild America. Along with this anniversary, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI) is revisiting the journey and publication with Art that Matters to the Planet: Wild America, a juried exhibition of artworks which tell a story about the wild spaces in North America. With Art that Matters to the Planet: Wild America, RTPI will revisit the original journey through the eyes and voices of artists living in the areas visited by Peterson and Fisher, and by artists who incorporate exploration of nature into their practice.

Artists will be judged based on three criteria:

1)      Originality: artwork that explores dynamic ways to communicate and demonstrates the persuasive role that artists can play in advocating for the preservation of our earth.

2)      Personal Voice or Vision: artwork with an authentic and unique point of view and style, especially in regard to the artist’s understanding of/research about their subject(s).

3)      Technical Skill: artwork that uses technique to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and shows skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative.

In a world of exceptional natural beauty and overwhelming environmental challenges, help us to make a case that art is indispensable to create a better world.

ABOUT THE JUROR

A keen naturalist from the age of six, Kenn Kaufman has worked as a writer, artist, editor, and leader of international birding tours. He has authored or co-authored 14 books about birds and nature; his most recent, The Birds That Audubon Missed, was published in May 2024. As a boy, he was strongly influenced by the artwork and writing of Roger Tory Peterson. In particular, the Peterson and Fisher classic Wild America inspired Kenn to pursue birds all over North America while he was still a teenager—an adventure later chronicled in his book Kingbird Highway.

ABOUT THE ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE

Roger Tory Peterson’s signature contribution to the arc of the global conservation movement was the modern field guide. Trained as an artist, Peterson understood the power of art to inform, to inspire and to illuminate in regard to the natural world. The experience of using the field guide sparked a revolution–it helped millions of people across the globe really see the natural world. To be inspired by it. To fall in love with it. Throughout his multifaceted career, Peterson helped us to see the challenges, too–the devastating impacts of pesticides, habitat loss and other environmental ills. Through art and action, he also demonstrated that each and every one of us can make a difference in protecting the earth’s diversity of plants and animals.

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is a living embodiment of the field guide. In fulfillment of our strategic vision, a primary goal is the nurturing of the next generation of artists working at the nexus of art and nature. More than ever, we need art–we need artists–to explore dynamic new ways to help us experience the beauty of the natural world, the environmental challenges we face, and the opportunities for recovery and redemption.

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Include information for individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, insurance value, and brief description. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Friday, January 10, 2025. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply

EXHIBITION DATES: March 29 – July 27, 2025

LOAN DATES: March 14 – August 11, 2025

LOCATION: The Roger Tory Peterson Institute, 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown, NY 14701

ACCEPTABLE MEDIA CATEGORIES: All categories of art are welcome.

SPECIFICATIONS: 

• For crated works, crate dimensions shall not exceed: 78” H x 78” L x 36” W and shall not exceed 150 pounds.
• In the instance of exceedingly large/bulky works, the dimensions and aesthetic of the gallery space will be taken into account.
• All work must be original to the submitting artist.
• Recent works (created since 2019) will be given preference.

NOTIFICATION:

• All submitting artists will be notified by email upon the receipt of their submissions and will be notified regarding exhibition selection by February 10, 2025. 
• Artwork packing and shipping instructions will be sent with selection notification. 

ARTIST RESPONSIBILITIES:

Artists selected for Art that Matters to the Planet exhibition are responsible for the following:

• Packing costs
• Works which are ready for display
• Publication quality images of works selected for the exhibition

RTPI RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute is responsible for the following:

• Insurance of the artworks while in transit and onsite at RTPI
• All costs associated with shipping and installation of artworks
• All costs associated with producing an exhibition catalogue

TIMELINE 

October 1 - Call for entries opens

January 10 - Submission deadline

January 11 - February 3 - Exhibition jurying

February 10 - Selected artists notified

March 1 - Deadline for receipt of loan agreement

March 14 - Deadline for art to arrive at RTPI

March 28 - Exhibition opening reception

March 29 - Exhibition open to the public

July 27 - Exhibition closes

Application Requirements

APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Artists should focus on a specific series or project which aligns with the exhibition themes. Artists may submit any combination of materials that provide a holistic picture of their overall artistic practice. In addition to images of finished artwork and an artist statement, submitted materials may include images of sketches, journal entries, photographs, published writing, videos or other relevant materials. All submitted materials must be available for inclusion in the exhibition. Include descriptions both for series/projects and individual artworks, including title, date, processes, materials, dimensions, and insurance value. Once artists are selected by the jury, RTPI will work with artists to decide which artworks will be featured in the exhibition. RTPI may choose multiple artworks from selected artists in order to fully represent a series or project. Artists may also include whether they would be interested in presenting talks, workshops, or demonstrations, should scheduling allow.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: All entries must be submitted online via CaFÉ by Friday, January 10, 11:59 pm, MDT. Due to the expected volume of submissions, we will be unable to respond to inquiries about the application requirements or process. For assistance with your application, please refer to: https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/how-to-apply-artists/#apply

Eligibility Criteria

Emerging, mid-career, and established artists are eligible and encouraged to apply.