ABOUT

This unique, yearlong residency offers an artist the opportunity to connect conservation with creativity by telling our story — the story of protecting open spaces, wildlife habitat, native plant refuge, and working lands. Your voice and perspective as an artist will deepen the ways our community connects with conservation and showcase the powerful role that art plays in advancing the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust’s mission. 

In exchange, we promote the artist via social media, events, and online and print products. You will also get access to the thousands of acres of private land that we protect as a way to inform and inspire your art. Our aim is that the partnership will benefit both parties, as well as greater Southeast Idaho and the people, wildlife, wildflowers, and native plants that call it home. 

 “The most interesting activity has been visiting and photographically documenting the land trust’s many conservation easements and properties, most of which would be difficult to access otherwise. Along the way, I have learned quite a bit about rural southeastern Idaho.” — Charles R. “Chuck” Peterson, 2023 Artist in Residence

DETAILS

Residency Term: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026

Residency Responsibilities

The artist will:

• Participate in site visits on monitoring days as often as possible, but at least three, in order to view the land and open spaces and create art. Monitoring begins in the spring and ends in early fall.
• Participate regularly in other events each year, but at least three, such as the Portneuf Valley Environmental Fair, the Bill Davidson Barbeque, the annual fundraiser (currently the Holiday Party), the Portneuf Pollinator Event, the Poky Paddle, art walks, and farmer’s markets. 
• Grant the use, at no charge, of at least three select images for promotional and marketing purposes, such as social media posts, prints, merchandising, etc.
• Complete a body of work (at least three) to be exhibited at the annual fundraiser.
• Donate one piece of artwork to the annual fundraiser for the auction or raffle.
• Meet as needed, but at least quarterly, with SSLT’s community conservation coordinator to collaborate, discuss progress, and prepare for upcoming events. 
• Learn about the land trust, our work, and be an advocate for and representative of us in the community. 
• Optional: Stay engaged after your term ends by participating in Artist in Residence selection committees each year. We would also welcome any additional, continued engagement if interested. 

Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust Responsibilities

The land trust will:

• Promote the artist through social media, at least quarterly, and more often if the artist has work / updates to showcase. 
• Promote the artist on the website, via a dedicated page, throughout the residency.
• Promote the artist at events by showcasing work. 
• Promote the artist in each of our bi-annual Open Spaces magazines. 
• Promote the artist in email newsletters, at least quarterly.
• Provide the artist with access to protected, private lands when possible in order to inspire work.

Application Information

The 2026 application window has closed. We will let applicants know whether they were selected by mid to late December.