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Arts in Nature

Artist in Residence Program

Applications for Bernheim’s 2025 residency program have closed. Applications for 2026 residencies will open in fall 2025.


Program Overview

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Please read through our FAQs for any additional questions. For more information about the program, contact Arts Program Coordinator Teresa Koester. 

Artist in Residence Program

Established in 1980, this internationally renowned program has awarded visual artists of all mediums, the opportunities to live and create works inspired by Bernheim’s wondrous natural environment. The work created through this program connects visitors to new and exciting experiences that spark curiosity and ignite wonder while expressing the artistic side of Bernheim. 

Up to 4 artists are selected for residencies at Bernheim annually. One residency is always dedicated to an artist currently living in Kentucky or nearby counties in Southern Indiana, and one residency is dedicated to an artist whose work addresses environmental issues and the climate crisis. 

Artists are encouraged to explore ideas that reinforce Bernheim’s mission of connecting people with nature and to use their residency to take risks, experiment, and explore new avenues in their own work.

Environmental Artist in Residence

Bernheim’s Environmental Artist in Residence program is a unique opportunity for artists to be a voice for nature! 

Climate change is a complex issue, often difficult to grasp through scientific data alone. Art has the power to distill this complexity, making the science of climate change and global warming more tangible and accessible. The Environmental Artist in Residence program aims to foster a deeper connection to the natural world, raise awareness of environmental challenges, and encourage dialogue about climate change, which is critical to inspiring action.

Artists are invited to explore themes such as excessive heat, drought, flooding, extreme weather, food insecurity, displacement, environmental justice, and biodiversity loss.

Bernheim Artists in Residence

In 2025, we celebrate 45 years of this unique residency program that allows our visitors to experience nature in a new way while enhancing Bernheim’s mission of connecting people to nature through the lens of art! 

Former Artists in Residence