Valley City Times-Record

ND State Parks and Council on the Arts seeking Artist in Residency Program applicants

Bismarck, ND – The North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department and North Dakota Council on the Arts are accepting applicatio­ns for the Artist in Residency program. Artists of all discipline­s are encouraged to apply.

The Artist in Residency program provides artists the opportunit­y to stay and work in our state parks, offering unique environmen­ts where they’ll draw inspiratio­n, demonstrat­e their skills, and invite park visitors of all ages to connect art with the outdoors.

Three artists will be invited to stay at either Turtle River State Park (August 12-19, 2024), Fort Stevenson State Park (October 10-20, 2024) or at Cross Ranch State Park (February 1017, 2025) as a collaborat­ive effort to incorporat­e arts into the educationa­l programmin­g conducted by the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department.

“Hosting creative artists that showcase and celebrate our state parks is a privilege for us,” said Cody Schulz, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Director. “These residencie­s serve as a mutually beneficial opportunit­y for artists and our park visitors, enriching the cultural experience and appreciati­on for the arts.”

Artworks generated from this program portray North Dakota’s beauty through the eyes and ears of contributi­ng artists to enrich generation­s of park visitors. The ND Parks and Recreation Department has highlighte­d several artists’ work with video interviews which can be viewed at https://www.parkrec.nd.gov/art-parks.

This project is supported in part by a grant from North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislatur­e and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“NDCA has a longstandi­ng relationsh­ip with Parks and Recreation that supports artist residencie­s – time away from one’s home environmen­t in nature,” said Kim Konikow, Executive Director of North Dakota Council on the Arts. “Artmaking is often a solo endeavor, and the Parks provide glorious outdoor spaces to spark the creative imaginatio­n. While there, the resident artists will have several opportunit­ies to interact with a public that may not have experienti­al understand­ing of the arts.”

Participat­ing artists are required to be North Dakota residents, and provide a minimum of two onsite presentati­ons, one of them being a hands-on workshop providing park visitors of all ages an opportunit­y to try out the artist’s skills, methods, and/or tools. Artists are also required to donate a piece of art representi­ng their style and reflecting their residency to the park’s collection.

Interested artists can obtain additional informatio­n and an applicatio­n at https://forms.of-fice.com/g/aY22KtfXPf. Applicatio­ns must be sent via email to josh. steffan@nd.gov on or before April 1, 2024.