Zion National Park Artist-in-Residence 2026

The Artist-in-Residence Program at Zion National Park offers professional and non-professional artists of various mediums the opportunity to pursue their artistic discipline while being surrounded by the park's inspiring landscape. The program is co-managed between the Zion National Park Forever Project and the National Park Service.

This application period will select three artists for three-month-long residencies in 2026, with residency months in February, June, and mid-October to mid-November. Selected artists receive rent-free, furnished housing at the historic Grotto House within Zion National Park for 4 weeks, plus a $500 travel reimbursement upon completion of all residency requirements. Artists must fund their own travel to and from Springdale, UT, and provide all necessary art supplies. A donation piece is required. The program welcomes painters, sculptors, fiber artists, paper artists, woodcarvers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, performers, dancers, fiction writers, and poets.

Eligibility: Individual artists only (not couples, pairs, or families), at least 18 years old at residency start, able to live in Zion National Park for 4 weeks, and able to fund and coordinate their own travel. International applicants must be eligible to receive a J-1 visa. Application fee is $20. Submit an artist statement (no more than 5,000 characters), professional resume (no more than 2MB), and 3-5 portfolio items (images, videos, audio, or PDFs). Visual artists should submit 5 different works; performing artists and videographers at least 3 products/compositions/videos not exceeding 20 minutes total; literary artists at least 3 samples, no more than 4 pages each. Applications are reviewed by a panel of judges from Zion National Park Forever Project, National Park Service, volunteers, and Zion Arts and Humanities Council members, ranked on artistic quality, appropriateness to the National Park Service, professionalism, and interest in public arts education. Application deadline: August 4, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. MDT.