Call Description

The Artist-in-Residence Program at Zion National Park offers professional artists of various mediums the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the park's inspiring landscape. The Program offers free housing and a $500 travel reimbursement for the selected artists. A donation piece is required.

The Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Program is co-managed between the Zion National Park Forever Project and the National Park Service. 

This application period will be used to select three artists for the three month-long residencies offered in 2026.

Background

Zion canyon’s establishment as a National Park is deeply tied to several landscape painters of the early 20th century. These artists include Frederick Dellenbaugh, Howard Russell Butler, Mary Russell Ferrell Colton, and Adele Watson. The legacy of these artists continues into the present. For more information on the history of artists in Zion, visit https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/historyculture/the-art-of-zion-national-park.htm.

Since 2010, the Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Program has welcomed painters, sculptors, fiber artists, paper artists, woodcarvers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, performers, dancers, fiction writers, and poets as Artists-in-Residence.  

For more information about Program, visit Artist-in-Residence Program - Zion National Park.

For the photo gallery of donated artwork, visit NPS Photo Gallery - Artist-in-Residence.

For information on the 2025 Artists, visit Zion National Park Announces the 2025 Artists-in-Residence.

For videos about former Artists-in-Residence, visit Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Video Playlist. 

Residency Months for 2026:

• February 2026
• June 2026
• Mid-October to mid-November 2026.

Housing:

• The artist will have access to rent-free, furnished, single housing within the main canyon of Zion National Park during the 4-week Residency.
• Housing is located at the historic Grotto House in the Grotto area of Zion National Park.
• The housing policy allows the artist to have a guest for up to 7 nights.

Travel:

• The artist must fund their own travel to and from Springdale, UT.
• While a personal vehicle is not required, bringing a vehicle is highly recommended due to the remoteness of Zion National Park.

Supplies:

• The artist must be self-sufficient and provide all necessary supplies to work on their art.
• Supplies used by visitors during public programs may be paid for by the Zion Forever Project.

Reimbursements: 

• Upon the completion of all requirements of the Residency, artists will receive a $500 reimbursement to assist with the costs of travel and supplies. See the "Rules and Terms to Apply" for more details.

Contracts:

• Zion National Park Artists-in-Residence must sign a Volunteer Service Agreement and an Artist-in-Residence contract upon arrival to the park. See the "Rules and Terms to Apply" for more details.

Artist-in-Residence Judging Panel:

All applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges composted of Zion National Park Forever Project staff, National Park Service staff, National Park Service Volunteers, and Zion Arts and Humanities Council (Z-Arts) members.

Applications will be ranked based on factors such as artistic quality, the appropriateness of the art to the National Park Service, the professionalism of the artist, and the artist’s interest in public arts education. Artforms that would be unique to the Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Program will receive additional consideration. 

Application Timeline:

• August 1, 2025: Application window closes.
• July – August 2025: All submissions will be reviewed by the panel during the first round.
• Late August/Early September 2025: Applicants moving to the final round will be contacted for interviews. Applicants not moving onto the final round will be notified.
• September 2025: Phone interviews for finalists.
• October 2025: Final selections will be made.
• January 2026: Selected artists for the year will be announced to the public.

Application Requirements

Application Materials:

1. Please submit an Artist Statement. No more than 5,000 words. Explain what you hope to accomplish during a residency at Zion National Park. How would you expect the experience to contribute to your artistic development? How would your residency or your art benefit the park?
2. Please attach a professional resume. Document cannot be more than 2MB. Please include links to any professional websites and/or social media accounts you manage for your art
3. Please attach 3-5 items of the following allowed media types as your portfolio:

• Images
• Videos
• Audio
• PDFs

Visual artists (painters, photographers, sculptors, etc.): Please submit examples of 5 different works.

Performing artists and videographers: Please submit at least 3 products/compositions/videos, not to exceed 20 minutes total.

Literary artists (writers, poets, etc.): Please submit at least 3 samples, no more than 4 pages each.

Application Fee

The fee for this application is $20. This fee is reduced from previous years ($25 in 2024). 100% of the fee goes directly to the Zion National Park Forever Project and is exclusively used to manage the Artist-in-Residence Program – reimbursing the artists for their travel and supplies, providing supplies for public programs, and the creation of this application website.

If you are unable to afford the application fee due to personal financial reasons, please email zion_artist_in_residence@nps.gov. Finances should never be a barrier to making art.

Eligibility Criteria

Qualifications:

• The Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Program is only open to individual artists. The Program is not open to couples, pairs, or families.
• Artists must be at least 18 years old at the start of the Residency.
• Artists of all skill levels (professional and non-professional) are welcome to apply.
• Artists of all mediums are welcome to apply.
• Artists must be able to live in Zion National Park for 4-weeks during the Residency.
• Artists must be able to fund and coordinate their travel to and from Zion National Park.
• International applicants must be eligible to receive a J-1 visa.

Questions:

Any questions may be directed to zion_artist_in_residence@nps.gov.

Thank you for your interest in the Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence Program! We look forward to reviewing your application!