The snowy greys of winter are beginning to fade and the preliminary hints of spring are starting to appear in shoots of greens and sunny blooms. As new colors emerge in the landscape, ICL begins its search anew for a dedicated Idaho artist to join us as our 2025/2026 Artist in Residence!
The Artist in Residence program was created in 2013 to celebrate the incredible beauty of Idaho, share the work Idaho Conservation League does to protect Idaho’s environment, and work together with artists to reach new audiences. In 2025, we’re calling on all sorts of artists, from all across the state—from the household names to up-and-comers—to demonstrate their love for Idaho’s environment through their chosen visual medium. Celebrate wild Idaho with us!
CALL TO ARTISTS
The Idaho Conservation League offers the Artist in Residence program on an annual basis. This collaboration between artists and conservationists provides an artistic way for observers to consider the places, resources, and species that ICL works to protect throughout Idaho. This program is intended to foster wider public awareness of the work of both the Idaho Conservation League and the artist through a creative and engaging partnership.
Idaho artists—from emerging talents to established names—working in visual arts with a love of Idaho’s environment are encouraged to apply. Each artist is expected to complete a body of work to be exhibited at Idaho Conservation League’s annual conference, Wild Idaho!.
The Idaho Conservation League will benefit financially and promotionally by the artist’s work. ICL will be granted use, at no charge, of the images the artist creates as a part of the residency for promotional purposes, throughout the artist’s residency and as part of ICL’s image archives in perpetuity. In addition, ICL will receive a 25% commission on the sale of all pieces created for the residency and sold during the artist’s tenure. The artist will benefit by ICL’s promotion of the artist and Artist in Residence program through print, web, social media, and other means. Details of benefits to ICL and the artist will be agreed upon at commencement of each residency.
There is a modest stipend that will help the artist cover some costs of the expected work and potential travel needs. In addition, the artist is offered a 3-day winter retreat at White Clouds Preserve through the residency program. This is not a physical residency and is open to artists throughout the state of Idaho.
TO APPLY
The Call to Artists will be posted February 2025. Applications will open March 14th, 2025. Applying artists should send in 5 examples of past work that best demonstrate their relationship to Idaho’s environment (if images, approximately 10 x 14 inches at 72 dpi in JPEG format) and responses to this Google Form. Applications are due by March 31st, 2024.
A selection committee will review the applications and choose an artist with whom to work. Selection will be based on artists’ work quality, artistic relevance to ICL’s work, and commitment to Idaho’s environment. Artists will be notified of acceptance, or otherwise, by May 1st, 2023. The Artist in Residence term will last one calendar year.
The selected artist will receive a $1,000 stipend upon commencement of the residency to cover some of the expenses involved in the creation of their work. An additional $1,000 stipend will be given at the time of Wild Idaho to cover event travel expenses. Idaho Conservation League will also cover food and lodging for Wild Idaho. The artist is responsible for expenses beyond these stipends.
Please submit applications to Lexi Black (lblack@idahoconservation.org), Central Idaho Community Engagement Specialist, via this Google Form.