Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 Joshua Tree National Park Artist in Residence Program

The Artist in Residence is a volunteer position at Joshua Tree National Park. The goal is to translate the meanings and significance of Joshua Tree National Park into various artistic expressions within the chosen art medium in order to build stewardship among the visiting public and share the park's resources with audiences in their own communities. Most of the artist's time will be self-directed project time spent in Joshua Tree National Park, learning about the park and using that knowledge and experience to create or be inspired to create art.

Artists in Residence are housed at Black Rock in the northwest corner of the park, an area with a ranger station, campground, and access to many trails at the base of the San Bernardino mountain range. The studio space in the Black Rock Campground is furnished with a twin bed, bureau, drafting table, folding tables, and ample natural light. Public toilets are adjacent to the studio. Shared kitchen, laundry, and bathing facilities are a short walk or drive away at the Interagency Fire Center, less than half a mile from the sleeping space. The town of Yucca Valley is about a 10-minute drive away. Only one occupant is allowed in the housing at any time, and pets are prohibited. Artists are responsible for their own expenses including meals, transportation, and personal art supplies. Conditions at this location can be extreme, including high winds, low relative humidity, and temperatures ranging from 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day to as low as 30 degrees at night.

Applications are accepted April 1 - May 31, 2025 for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 residencies. Entry fee is $35. Applicants must be 18 or older and have personal transportation. Required application components include: artist resume with link to professional website, artist statement of purpose (4000 characters describing artistic practice and proposed work relevant to Joshua Tree National Park), and work samples (5-7 images for visual work, a single PDF of no more than 1,500 words for writing samples, or 3 work samples for time-based works). The park requires the artist to present one visitor outreach experience to be coordinated with park staff. Work produced during the residency will not be accessioned into the museum collection; artists are asked to share high-quality digital images of any works produced with permission to reproduce the images for sharing with the public, with credit given to the artist.