Disturbance: The Ecology of Change in Nature and Society

Wildfire is rapidly reshaping ecosystems and communities across the Southwest and around the world. Once a natural cycle of renewal, fire has become increasingly destructive due to climate change, forest mismanagement, and human settlement in fire-prone areas. Disturbance seeks to complicate this narrative—examining fire not only as a force of loss and fear but also as an essential ecological process of adaptation and resilience. Through a required four-day Northern New Mexico based "fire ecology boot camp," selected artists will be immersed in collaborative dialogue with fire practitioners and ecologists, and site visits to burn scars and post-fire landscapes. Artists will then return to their home studios to develop new work that reflects on the ecological, cultural, and emotional dimensions of wildfire.

Open to artists working in all media, the program seeks up to 10 artists: half based in the U.S. Southwest and half from national/international locations. Selected artists are required to participate in a four-day fire ecology "boot camp" April 9-12, 2026 with scientists and practitioners in Taos, New Mexico. Artists will develop work for exhibition in an indoor gallery or outdoor courtyard setting between April-August 2026, with installation and exhibition running September-December 2026. Selected artists receive a stipend, with travel stipends available on a case-by-case basis. Food and housing are provided during the bootcamp, but artists are responsible for transportation to Taos, shipping artwork, and materials.

Applications should include a one-page artist statement of interest explaining your connection to themes of fire, ecology, climate, change, or community; 3-5 work samples demonstrating artistic style and typical themes; and artist bio/CV. Entry fee is $20, waived for Taos County residents with code FREETAOS. Participants must be 21 years of age or over and demonstrate capacity for interdisciplinary collaboration and field research.