The Artist in Residence program at Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) offers artists of any discipline the opportunity to work at one of the world's most beautiful sites. Through impactful community-engaged programming, our residency inspires visitors and locals to deepen their connection to Grand Canyon National Park.

We seek inspiring and resourceful artists who engage contemporary, interactive, immersive, and/or socially engaged methods to make positive environmental and cultural impacts through their work.  

We are interested in supporting artists who focus on:   

• Climate Resiliency
• Environmental Sciences
• Natural and Cultural Histories
• Historical Interpretation and Preservation

Our artists:

• Come from a multitude of backgrounds and disciplines.
• Give us hope in times of crisis and help us envision a better future. 
• Help others derive inspiration and enjoyment from Grand Canyon. 
• Tell stories that connect us to the land and its people.
• Ask hard questions that help us better prepare for the future.
• Conduct deep research to help us understand where we’ve been and where we are going. 

Annually, three artists are selected to live and work on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona for 3-10 weeks. Residents are selected for the relevance and impact that their projects or programs can make on our visitors. 

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?
• Why are you a good fit for this residency? (What do you bring? What do you hope to gain?
• 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. 

(Indigenous Tribal Members + Grand Canyon Community Members may apply for free. Please email Clover Morell at cmorell@grandcanyon.org and/or Dennis Alvarez at dalvarez@grandcanyon.org with proof of tribal affiliation or residency in Grand Canyon National Park, Tusayan, Valle, or Williams.)

Eligibility Criteria

Applications must be completed before July 15, 2025. Do not wait until the last day to apply. Technical support may not be available if you run into any problems with your application or the application software. Applications will only be accepted through Call for Entry. If you are unable to apply using Call for Entry, you may request submission by email or snail mail no later than July 10, 2025 by emailing Clover Morell at cmorell@grandcanyon.org and/or Dennis Alvarez at dalvarez@grandcanyon.org.

Solo artists or collaborative duos may apply. Collaborations should submit materials under one collective or primary name and provide examples of previous work completed together. 

Proposed projects must be interactive, immersive, or socially engaged and focus on the Grand Canyon’s environment, history, and/or culture within the following limitations:

• No alteration (or damage to) the area (Leave No Trace). Collection of materials is strictly prohibited within the park.
• 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 care and consideration in their communications with Grand Canyon Conservancy staff.

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 need help completing your proposal, please email Clover Morell at cmorell@grandcanyon.org and/or Dennis Alvarez at dalvarez@grandcanyon.org.

For more information about Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park, please visit grandcanyon.org.