Acadia National Park Artist-in-Residence Open Call for 2020

The Artist-in-Residence program at Acadia National Park encourages accomplished, professional artists to create fresh and innovative new ways for visitors to experience Acadia through the arts. In exchange for 14 nights in park-provided housing over a residency year, participants are asked to host a public outreach activity with park visitors and donate one finished work of art that depicts a new perspective of Acadia. Pieces donated to the program collection are included in a permanent online catalog on the park website and displayed seasonally in public spaces within the park, surrounding communities, and beyond.

The program typically selects about eight participants each year across four categories: four for Visual Arts (painting, textiles, sculpture, fine art photography, etc.), two for Writing (essays, poetry, drama, etc.), and two for "At-Large" categories (music, dance, indigenous arts, emerging technologies, etc.). Applications are reviewed by juries consisting of past program participants, subject matter experts, local community members, and park staff. The jury period typically spans from January 1 through March 1 each year, with formal invitations extended by the park superintendent. Remaining applicants are notified of outcomes via email, preferably before March 31, with a press release announcing selected participants typically released before May 1.

Each residency lasts 14 nights, which participants may break up over multiple visits and seasons. Housing options include a rustic ranger cabin on Isle au Haut (typically June-September), a room in a historic carriage road gatehouse on Mount Desert Island (typically November-March), or an apartment at the Schoodic Institute (year-round). A studio work space is available at Schoodic with shared uses and limited access hours. Wheelchair-accessible housing is available. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Participants must travel to and participate at their own expense; there is no stipend beyond park housing. Local transportation is not provided; participants must possess a valid driver's license and personal vehicle. Selected artists may be accompanied by one spouse, adult companion, or child age 16 or older, who must complete volunteer paperwork and contribute 32 hours of work per week to receive free housing.

Public outreach activities are planned on a case-by-case basis, often in collaboration with local libraries, colleges, community groups, and art galleries. Participants may be reimbursed up to $150 with receipts for supplies and materials for activities with up to 15 visitors. Donated artworks must be accompanied by a brief statement describing how the piece reflects the artist's experience of Acadia or what new insight the artist hopes to convey. For visual artists, size is limited to 48 inches on any side for two-dimensional pieces and a footprint of roughly 18 inches square for three-dimensional pieces intended for indoor display. Finished works must be donated with appropriate frames or cases for secure public display, transportation, and storage, and must not require permanent installation or alteration of host facilities. Artists retain copyright ownership but grant permission for limited ongoing use by the park and formal partners for program promotion, public outreach, and development of sales items in park bookstores, with proceeds benefiting program operational costs. The application fee is $25.