Call Description

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 2027.

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 2026 Artists, visit Zion National Park Announces the 2026 Artists-in-Residence.

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

Residency Months for 2027:

• February 2027
• June 2027
• Mid-October to mid-November 2027

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 of the Residency.

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.
• Zion National Park entrance fees will be waived for the duration of the Residency.

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 members of the Zion Arts and Humanities Council (Z-Arts).

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:

• July 12, 2026: Application window closes.
• July – August 2026: All submissions will be reviewed by the panel during the first round.
• Early/Mid-September 2026: Applicants moving to the final round will be contacted for interviews. Applicants not moving onto the final round will be notified.
• September 2026: Phone interviews for finalists.
• October 2026: Final selections will be made.
• January 2027: 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 characters. 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? How might you or your artwork be unique to the Program?
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

Application submissions that do not include any examples of past works will be automatically rejected. Please make sure you have submitted all application materials. 

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

Performing artists and videographers: Please submit up to 5 products/compositions/videos, not to exceed 20 minutes total.

Literary artists (writers, poets, etc.): Please submit up to 5 samples, nor to exceed 20 pages total. 

• PDFs are not accepted as part of portfolio, please submit samples of written works during the application questionnaire. 

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, their meals and other essentials during the Residency, and the cost of their art supplies.
• 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!