National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Hot Springs National Parkpainting of Goat Rock on left and the mountainside in shades of green
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Hot Springs National Park
Artist-In-Residence Program Information
Artist rendering of historic ranger cabin at Gulpha Gorge, done in permanent marker, giving a grayscale appearance
"Ranger Cabin in Afternoon Light" by July 2004 AIR Richard Stephens

The park offers a cabin, rent-free for two to four weeks, to professional artists chosen for the Artist-in-Residence program. In return, the park asks each artist to donate an original artwork, representative of their style and reflecting their residency, to the park collection.

Artists include two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, craft artists, video/filmmakers, performers, writers, poets, and composers. The Artist-in-Residence program isn’t for everybody. Work submitted must be of professional quality – student work will not be eligible. The artist must be in good health, self-sufficient, and expect to work closely with park staff and the local community.

A panel of park staff and subject matter representatives will choose finalists on the basis of entry materials, recognized talent as demonstrated by participation in juried shows and publications, and the artist’s ability to relate and interpret the park through their work. Selections are made without regard to race, religion, marital status, sex, age, or national origin.

The Artist-in-Residence Cabin, located in Gulpha Gorge Campground, is a single story dwelling with seven rooms – living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, utility room and studio. The residence is comfortably furnished and includes a fully equipped kitchen, and washer and dryer. The residence is not wheelchair accessible.

The 10’ X 8’6” studio is equipped with a professional easel, drafting table, light table, and true-color light stand. Artists are required to supply their own materials.

At the conclusion of their residency, artists will donate a fully finished original work of art to the park based on or related to park themes or resources and chosen by the park selection committee from the body of work produced during the stay. Two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, video/filmmakers, and sculptors must produce a selection of work that is recognizable as being in the park.

The donation will be property of the national park, and the park will have the right to reproduce it for its own use. All other works created during the residency must acknowledge the Artist-In-Residence Program at Hot Springs National Park when reproduced by artists for their own purposes.

Read about the 2008 artists selected.

By Dec. 1 of each year, we will know whether the park will be able to host the Artist-In-Residence program for the following year and what the details for that year will be. If you are interested, e-mail, or call the park at 501-620-6707.

See past artists' work--2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

black and white photo of bronze eagle on top of limestone  

Did You Know?
In 1892 U.S. Army Engineer Lt. Robert R. Stevens hired the noted Boston firm of Frederick Law Olmsted to create landscaping plans for Hot Springs Reservation, now Hot Springs National Park. Stevens rejected the firm’s plans in 1893, but some features were adopted and still survive today.

Last Updated: February 02, 2009 at 11:36 EST