Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument’s Artist-in-Residence program promotes the preservation of public lands through art by allowing painters, photographers and other artists to celebrate and document our public lands with traditional and contemporary approaches and techniques. Writers, painters, photographers, sculptors, musicians, composers and performing artists have all come to Canyons of the Ancients to draw upon their ancient resources for inspiration. Their creative work illustrates the human experience in Canyons of the Ancients in southwestern Colorado, which contains more than 6,000 recorded archaeological sites representing Ancestral Puebloan and other Native American cultures.
Current Artist-in-Residence Opportunity
Are you an artist looking to deepen your connection with Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM) through your work? Applications for CANM's Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program are open from August 1-31 for both winter and summer residencies!
In partnership with the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance, our official Friends Group, CANM welcomes artists of all backgrounds to engage visitors in transformative art experiences. Combine your passion for creativity and the outdoors in the BLM Artist-in-Residence program. Whether you paint, sketch, compose, sculpt, take photographs, create pottery, or explore other forms of art, let the beauty of the public lands inspire your work and inspire others.
This residency offers unparalleled artistic and educational opportunities, promoting a profound understanding of the natural history and cultural heritage of CANM. It fosters a unique space for learning and dialogue about the significance of National Conservation Lands and their connection to local communities. Artists enjoy uninterrupted time in a stimulating and rugged environment, perfect for pursuing their creative endeavors and sharing them with the public.
The Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum serves as the monument’s headquarters. Housing collections and exhibits that span the entirety of human interaction with this landscape, the CANM Curation Program supports access for traditional, academic, and public interests. We encourage artists to ethically engage with these collections through guided tours and research, fostering a deeper understanding of the interplay between museum artifacts and the landscape.
Selected artists receive complimentary accommodations, financial support, special access to the Monument and Curation facility, and significant marketing exposure.
For more details and to apply, please visit: https://swcocanyons.org/artist-in-residence-program.