Artist-in-Residence Program Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Rocky Mountain National Park's Artist-in-Residence Program takes place annually during the summer season. Artists serve in a two-week residency between mid-May thorugh mid-October.

Staff at Rocky Mountain National Park and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy strive to select artists that represent a diverse array of artistic disciplines and mediums. Over the past 30+ years, program participants have included painters, fiction writers, poets, photographers, textile artists, composers, sculptors, musicians, and more!

Professional artists and artists early in their careers are welcom to apply. Applicants should be able to produce high-quality art in the medium of their choice, be good public speakers and have strong communications skills, be able to work independently, be self-motivated, and be able to work well with diverse audiences and NPS staff.

Artists of all ages are welcome to apply. Youth artists under the age of 18 must have parental/guardian consent to apply and will need to have an adult 18 or older accompanying them at all times if selected.

Artists who reside outside the U.S. and non-U.S. citizens are welcome to apply. 

Selected artists will participate in a two-week residency sometime between late May and early October. Upon selection, artists will be able to choose a preferred time block from a list of available options.

No. RMNP's AIR residency cannot be extended beyond two weeks.

For Rocky Mountain National Park's 2025 AIR program, the application window opened on December 1, 2024 and will close on January 31, 2025. Application extension requests will not be granted.

Yes. All selected artists are required to host and facilitate at least two public programs during their residency. One program will be a lecture-based program in an indoor auditorium. A second program will be a drop-in interactive program where artists have the opportunity to share art and engage with members of the public.

In 2025, at least 5 but no more than 7 artists will be selected to participate in RMNP's AIR program. These artists will participate in a 2-week residencey that will be scheduled sometime from late May through mid-October, weather permitting.

During the months of February and March a panel of judges will select the program participants for summer 2025. Selected artists will be notified in April 2025.

Selected artists will serve in a two-week long residency and will stay at the William Allen White Cabin, or a similar property. The William Allen White Cabin is a rustic, historic wooden cabin. The cabin is small, but offers a full kitchen, a living/dining room, a single bedroom with a full-size bed, a bathroom with a claw-foot tub, and a newly refurbished covered porch.

The William Allen White cabin has capacity for no more than four people at any given time. Artists are welcome to bring friends/family to stay with them during their residency, but due to the historic nature of the building, no more than four people can be in the cabin at any given time.

Selected artists are welcome to bring their spouses, children, family, friends, or other guests to stay with them during their residency. Be aware, due to the size and historic nature of the cabin where the artist will be staying, no more than 4 people (including the artist) can be in the cabin at any given time.

• Guests arriving in any separate vehicles must pay the park entrance fee for their vehicle.

• If entering the park during a time of day when timed entry reservations are in effect, guests will need a Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road reservation for their vehicle as well. There are no exceptions.  

Internet access is not available at the cabin. Depending on your cell phone carrier, cell phone service may be limited or not available. Expect spotty to no cell phone coverage anywhere inside Rocky Mountain National Park. WiFi service is available at the public library in the Town of Estes Park, and also at Beaver Meadows, Fall River, and Kawuneeche Visitor Centers.

Yes. Participating artists will need access to their own vehicle for transportation to and around Rocky Mountain National Park. Public transportation does not provide service to the William Allen White Cabin or to most areas within RMNP. To travel around RMNP and to locations outside of the park, you will need access to your own personal vehicle. 

No. Pets and emotional support animals are not permitted in or around the William Allen White Cabin in RMNP. If an artist chooses to stay elsewhere with their pet, such as a local hotel, RMNP and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy will not cover the costs of accomodations. Pets are not permitted on any trails in Rocky Mountain National Park.

No. The William Allen White cabin is a rustic historic cabin that is accessed via Bear Lake Road and located near Moraine Park. Public tours of the building are not available and artists cannot visit the cabin ahead of being selected as an Artist-in-Residence.

For the 2025 AIR program, a small stipend will be available of approximately $1,000-$1,500 per selected artist. Stipends or honorariums are not guaranteed and are subject to change, based on funding availability on a yearly basis. In 2024, stipends were not available for selected artists.

Yes. As part of their participation in the program, all selected artists agree to produce at least one piece of high-quality art in the medium of their choice to be donated to RMNP's unoffical collection that is managed by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. The piece of art should be representative of their residencey experience in RMNP. The artwork must be donated within one year of completion of their residency.

Rocky Mountain Conservancy will hold the rights to the piece of artwork and RMNP/NPS will have the rights to share the donated works with the public.

No, RMNP does not offer any AIR opportunities during the winter season. The historic cabin is not winterized and is not available for use from late October to late May.