Call Description

2026 Residency Program is Focused on Environmental Concerns

The Lucid Art Foundation’s Residency Program for 2026 will focus on art and science in relation to the environment at large in light of our climate crisis. The program emphasis directs artists towards alternative ways of raising awareness and promoting action. Climate crisis areas include: biodiversity, habitat loss, rapid melting of polar ice caps and its consequences, ocean pollution, food security issues, animal migrations, soil pollution in agriculture and food chain issues, forest extinction, and the sixth mass extinction.

The Foundation will create an advisory environmental scientist group that the invited artists can connect with for information and consultation during their residency. Artists working in land-based art, visual arts, video/new media, music composition, writing, poetry, or performance choreography will be considered.

The 2026 residency will also encourage collaborative projects with scientists and ecologists. Applicants must submit a project proposal (3,000 characters maximum) for what they plan to explore and how it will address climate crisis. This proposal will include: what the artist plans to explore during their residency as it relates to environmental concerns, and an action plan about how their work can bring awareness to their particular environmental area of exploration after their residency.

The residency is a 3-week stay, usually between March and November, for artists in serene, retreat-like surroundings. This program encourages artists to delve into a contemplative state with their studio work. Solitary explorations in a remote place enable artists to unplug from their daily routines and find a deeper connection with nature.

The residency will provide a house to live in, located in the center of the Foundation campus in Inverness, California. The house has WiFi, a bedroom, living room, bathroom, wood burning stove, and full kitchen stocked with necessary cooking utensils. Parking and laundry facilities are onsite and all linens are provided. The house has electric heat. Cell phones will most likely work here, but with a reduced range of coverage.

The residency artist will use a studio called the “Ark.” The studio was built in 1960 and was originally used by painter Gordon Onslow Ford, then by painter John Anderson (1962-1964), and finally by mixed-media artist and scholar Fariba Bogzaran (1995-2011). The large studio has a wood-burning fireplace, sink, high ceilings with upper loft, wood walls, skylights, and a private deck off the sliding glass patio doors. There are modular bases with wooden tops available for arranging various worktable configurations. There is no Wi-Fi in the studio. There is also a print shop (in a separate building) with a Sturges press available for use by artists who are experienced printmakers. Only water-based mediums may be used on the press.

The Lucid Art Foundation will create a group online exhibition in 2027 of residency artists to address environmental concerns and promote climate crisis action. The artists will be asked to submit work either from their residency period or work created after their residency.

As our location is remote, artists must have a car to use during their entire residency. There is no stipend and meals are not provided during the residency.

During the residency, artists have the opportunity to meet and dialogue with a Lucid Art professional artist associate who will visit the artist studio and engage in conversation with them about their work. A weekly tea and conversation will be scheduled with staff, artist associates, and/or scholars.

Artists will be given a tour of Gordon Onslow Ford’s studio, shedding light on the historical and environmental context seeding the residency program and campus.

Due to the limited number of artists who can attend per year, the Foundation would like to give opportunities to new artists. We only allow applications from artists who previously have not participated in our residency program.

The Application Process closes Monday, November 3, 2025 at 10:59pm (Los Angeles time). Applicants will be notified in January 2026 of the jury’s decision.

Application Requirements

1. Project Proposal: Please submit a proposal (max. 3,000 characters) for what you plan to explore and how it will address climate crisis. This proposal will include: what you plan to explore during your residency as it relates to environmental concerns, and an action plan about how your work can bring awareness to your particular environmental area of exploration after your residency.

2. Artist’s Statement: Please provide a brief statement about your work in relation to the mission* of the Lucid Art Foundation (max. 1,000 characters). 

*The mission of the Lucid Art Foundation is to explore the phenomena of the inner worlds and deep levels of consciousness through visual arts, spontaneous painting, writing, and other means to make visible the otherwise invisible, creating an inclusive way of seeing that is in harmony with the natural world of which we are a part.

3. Please provide a short bio and recent exhibition history from the last 5 years (max. 1,000 characters).

4. Have you ever lived and worked in a remote area?

5. If no to question 4, are you comfortable living in the countryside next to the wilderness and a nature preserve?

6. What aspects of this residency attracted you?

7. How did you hear about the Lucid Art Residency Program? 

8. List three professional references.

9. The Foundation encourages the use of nontoxic artistic media. We do not accept applicants who use oil-based paints, turpentine, spray paint, or any media that are volatile or have strong odors.

10. No large power tools are allowed on campus.

Eligibility Criteria

18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada.

Have not been a Lucid Art Foundation artist-in-residence previously.

Have use of a car for transportation to, from, and during the entire residency.

Have an MFA or equivalent in independent studio work and an exhibition history. 

We do not accept applicants who use oil-based paints, turpentine, spray paint, or any media that are volatile or have strong odors.

The Selection Committee will consider artists working in land-based art, visual arts, video/new media, music composition, writing, poetry, or performance choreography.

Submit a project proposal and artist statement.

Submit a short bio and recent exhibition history from the last 5 years.

Applications require submission of work samples created within the last two years: visual artists must submit 10 images; musicians or audio artists must submit 2 audio files (each max. 60MB); and new media/video artists or choreographers must submit 2 videos (each max. 9MB). Writers are required to upload a PDF (max. 2MB) of their work. Applicants are welcome to submit a variety of work samples in addition to the required amount mentioned above.

Submit a list of three professional references.

Answers to all required residency questions.