Overview

RESIDENCY DURATION & DATES

Each year, Bernheim selects up to four artists for its residency program. One residency is dedicated to a regional artist living in Kentucky or in Clark and Floyd counties of Southern Indiana, while another is reserved for an artist whose work engages with environmental issues and climate change.

The duration is between 6 and 8 weeks. (Please see the FAQ regarding the timing of the total immersion experience.)

Selected artists will work with Bernheim to arrange residency dates based on their desired time and availability within the months of 2025.

SUPPORT

• $2,500 stipend. Regional artists also receive year-round access to Bernheim resources during their selected year.
• Furnished, one-bedroom rustic cabin with a full kitchen, bath, and Wi-Fi.
• Modest studio space with good natural light and heating, situated near a 32-acre lake. While no specialized art-making equipment is provided, artists have limited access to basic hand and power tools upon request and must demonstrate proficiency before use.
• Support and guidance from Bernheim’s horticulture and operations departments, as well as staff ecologists, scientists, naturalists, and forest managers, are available for Artist-in-Residence projects. Please note that Bernheim staff are not responsible for entertaining visiting artists or assisting with the creation or installation of proposed works.
• Access to free or heavily discounted classes, workshops, night walks, and other activities during the residency.
• Participation in high-profile public and private events designed to promote artists and the Arts in Nature program.

EXPECTATIONS

• A mutually agreed-upon work of art is to be gifted to Bernheim, designed to inspire visitors to form deeper connections with nature.
• All Artists-in-Residence are required to participate in at least one public program, either onsite or offsite, during their residency. These community engagement programs help extend Bernheim’s mission and core values beyond its physical boundaries.
  • The type and scope of the programs will be collaboratively designed and agreed upon by the artist and Bernheim staff. Engagement activities may include community projects, lectures, demonstrations, youth-learning experiences, workshops, or other special programming.

ARTIST FEES

• There are no residency or application fees, but the artist is responsible for all travel and other living expenses while in residence at Bernheim. Also, consider indirect costs such as time away from your job and paying bills at home while in residence.

ELIGIBILITY

• Applicants may be emerging or established artists at the regional, national, or international level.
• Applicants must be professional visual artists. Undergraduate students are not eligible to apply.
• To provide opportunities to a broader range of artists, former Artists-in-Residence are not eligible to reapply. However, alumni are encouraged to submit self-sufficient creative proposals to return to Bernheim to create new nature-based work or continue a project started during their residency. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, with limited lodging availability. For more information, contact Teresa Koester.
• Current Bernheim staff and artists directly associated with a Bernheim staff member are not eligible to apply.

APPLICATION STATUS UPDATE

• Applicants will be informed of their application status by mid-February 2025, or as soon as possible, based on the availability of the reviewing panelists.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS

• Relevance to Bernheim’s mission of connecting people to nature
• Conceptual accessibility to Bernheim guests, including children and families
• Emphasis on highlighting the efforts of other Bernheim departments
• Representation of diverse perspectives
• Innovation and originality in work, project proposals, and public engagement
• Evidence of a current and ongoing creative practice
• Alignment with current or upcoming initiatives at Bernheim

COMMUNITY, GEOGRAPHY, AND CLIMATE

Bernheim is located in rural Clermont, KY, 25 miles south of Louisville and 20 minutes from historic Bardstown. Easily accessible from I-65, it is directly across from the Jim Beam Distillery and at the beginning of the Bourbon Trail. The surrounding area offers a range of cultural and artistic activities, including museums, galleries, microbreweries, parks, and farm-to-table dining. Kentucky is also famous for its horse racing, college basketball, bluegrass music, and the world’s longest cave system.

The region experiences a moderate humid subtropical climate with abundant rainfall and four distinct seasons. While temperatures rarely fall below 0 degrees or exceed 100 degrees, it is common to experience a 30-degree temperature shift within a 24-hour period.

Bernheim is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other personal trait or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Bernheim will not tolerate any behavior that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. Our aim is to create a vibrant and safe creative sanctuary and strive to provide an environment that accommodates artists from a multiplicity of backgrounds and circumstances.

All buildings and main roads in Bernheim’s Arboretum adhere to ADA compliance standards. Please note that the rustic lodging facilities are not wheelchair accessible and may present difficulties for individuals with mobility challenges