Throughout the program’s 43-year history, renowned artists from across the globe have lived on site and used Bernheim’s natural beauty as inspiration for site-specific artworks.
CLERMONT, KY – Bernheim Forest launches applications for the 43rd year of the Artist-in-Residence Program.
The application period is now open for Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest’s 2023 Artist in Residence programs for regional, national, and international artists. Deadline for submissions is midnight EST, November 28, 2022.
Bernheim’s Artist in Residence Program promotes multi-disciplinary explorations of our relationship with the natural environment through artistic expression, expanding upon Bernheim’s long history of art in the landscape. The Artist in Residence Program is available to all visual and mixed media artists in any medium, including sound and architecture.
Artists are invited to apply for one of the four residency slots that are awarded on an annual basis, each with a $2,500 stipend. One residency is dedicated to a regional artist currently living in Kentucky or in Clark and Floyd counties of Southern Indiana. One residency is dedicated to an artist whose work addresses environmental issues and climate change. The selected artists will live at Bernheim for six to eight weeks in 2023, where they are encouraged to explore new avenues in the creation of site-specific ecological and environmental artwork.
The Artist in Residence program is the centerpiece of Bernheim’s Arts in Nature program, and is integral to Bernheim’s mission, said Bernheim Arts in Nature Curator, Jenny Zeller.
“Through this program, we strive to fulfill the vision of founder Isaac Wolfe Bernheim to unite in people their love of nature, beauty and the arts,” Zeller said. “Art created through this program allows our visitors to experience nature in a new way while enhancing awareness of Bernheim’s mission of connecting people with nature.”
Bernheim Executive Director Dr. Mark K Wourms is excited to build off the momentum of the 2022 creation and implementation of the Environmental Artist in Residence program and the success of the 2022 Artist in Residence program.
“At Bernheim, we deeply believe in the crucial role that the arts can play in shaping environmental action and the future health of our planet,” said Wourms. “Art can provide hope and inspiration to the challenges of a warming planet by promoting opportunities to overcome them.”
In exchange for comfortable rustic housing, access to studio space, financial and staff support for the development of new work, artists will create a site-inspired artwork, temporary installation, or project as a donation to the I.W. Bernheim Foundation. Recipients are also asked to engage the public with their work and process, which may include (but are not limited to) demonstrations, workshops, lectures, and participation in one of Bernheim’s programs or annual events.
To apply or learn more about the Artist in Residence program, visit bernheim.org/air. Bernheim will accept artists’ entries through midnight EST on November 28, 2022. Visual and mixed media artists of all mediums, with the broadest range of diverse perspectives and experiences, are encouraged to submit work for consideration.
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About Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
Bernheim’s mission is to connect people with nature. Bernheim is the largest privately held contiguous forest block in the eastern United States dedicated to conservation and education. Bourbon maker Isaac Wolfe Bernheim established the arboretum and forest in 1929 as a gift to the people of Kentucky. A recent land acquisition brought the total acreage of land that Bernheim protects to 16,140. Fun, educational programs, diverse tree collections, 40 miles of hiking trails and varied landscapes are available every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. A $10 per car donation is suggested for non-members.
Bernheim is in Clermont, Ky., about 20 minutes south of the Louisville airport. From I-65 take exit 112 and follow the signs. Bernheim is a non-profit organization that relies on memberships, grants and donations for support. Come visit and enjoy the beauty of nature. For more information, please visit bernheim.org.