2026 Artist in Residence Program
Spring Session: May 1 - June 1, 2026
Applications due: December 1, 2025
Program Overview
The Artist-in-Residence Program at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Art Institute—established with benefactors Priscilla & Michael Baldwin—offers artists an immersive experience in the Sonoran Desert. Open to artists with post-secondary training or equivalent professional experience, the program supports creative practices that align with our mission of “Conservation through Art Education,” fostering work that inspires appreciation of our natural environment through direct engagement with its landscapes, plants, and wildlife.
Residency Commitments
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Reside on-site for the full duration of the one-month residency (May 1 – June 1, 2026).
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Facilitate a one-day workshop for Art Institute students that reflects your creative practice.
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Publish an online residency journal (blog, social media series, or video journal) with a minimum of one post per week, documenting your experience, sharing insights into your process and reflections on the Sonoran Desert.
Residency Support
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One-month stay in a private casita for two, located on Museum grounds
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$750 travel reimbursement
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$750 artist stipend
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Accommodations for 2 - comfortable casita on museum grounds
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Exhibition space during residency to display existing or newly created work
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One-month All-access membership for two (valued at $100)
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How to Apply
Please email the following documents and/or links to: jlindquist@desertmuseum.org
Required Application Materials
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Residency Proposal (300 words or less):
Describe how this residency fits into your creative practice and what you hope to explore or accomplish during your time at the Desert Museum. This is your chance to share your artistic intentions, research interests, and connection to the Museum’s mission of “conservation through art education.”
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Portfolio of Artwork
You may either:
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Share a link to your professional website or online portfolio where work is clearly represented
OR -
Attach 5 JPEG images of your work (labeled with title, medium, size, and date)
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Teaching/Workshop Proposal (300 words or less):
Describe an idea for a one-day workshop you could offer during your residency, including the core mediums or techniques participants would explore and how the activity reflects your practice. -
Résumé or CV:
You may either: -
Provide a link to a CV hosted on your website or professional profile
OR -
Attach a PDF (2-page max)
Finalists will be interviewed via Zoom
Notifications will be sent by December 10