Alaska-based artist residency program Voices of the Wilderness, now in its sixth season, is currently accepting applications for more than 10 residencies across the state. Applications are due March 1.
Residencies are open to art professionals in all media – visual (photographers, sculptors, painters), audio (musicians, singers, composers), film, and writers. Residency dates vary, but typically they are hosted June through September, lasting 7-9 days.
Organized by former Juneau resident Barbara Lydon, it is modeled after traditional residencies in the national parks, but includes a twist. In addition to focusing on their art, artists are actively engaged with a wilderness ranger during their residency, taking part in stewardship projects such as research, monitoring, and education. As a volunteer, each artist will assist with some basic ranger duties, which may include boarding a tour boat to provide education, participating in research projects, such as seal counts or climate change studies, walking a beach to remove litter, or other generally light duties. However, an emphasis for the artist will be experiencing the wilderness and exploring how to communicate its inspirational qualities through their artwork. Each artist will be provided the same safety training as other volunteers.
The program is sponsored collaboratively by the US Forest Service, National Park Service and US Fish & Wildlife Service. The hosting federal agency will provide transportation to and from the field, camping and field gear, and in most cases, food as well. Travel to and from Alaska is the artist’s responsibility.
Participating Wilderness Areas and hosting agencies for 2016 are listed below:
• Arctic Refuge US Fish & Wildlife Service
• Becharof National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness, US Fish & Wildlife Service,
• Innoko or Koyukuk Wilderness, US Fish & Wildlife Service
• Kootznoowoo Wilderness, Tongass National Forest, US Forest Service
• Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area, Chugach National Forest, US Forest Service
• Petersburg Ranger District Wilderness Areas: Tebenkof Bay, Kuiu or Petersburg Creek-Duncan Salt Chuck, Tongass National Forest, US Forest Service
• Sitka Ranger District Wilderness Areas: South Baranof or West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness, Tongass National Forest, US Forest Service
• Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness, US Fish & Wildlife Service
• Tracy Arm-Ford’s Terror Wilderness, Tongass National Forest, US Forest Service
• Misty Fiords National Monument, Tongass National Forest, US Forest Service
• Western Arctic National Parklands, National Park Service
All applications are due by 11:59 pm Alaska time March 1.
For more information, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/home/?cid=STELPRD3794556 or contact coordinator Barbara Lydon at (907) 754-2318, or blydon@fs.fed.us
