Artist-In-Residence Program

 

Painting titled "El Amanecer"

Courtesy Hunter Goan, 2025 Artist-in-Residence

Interested in applying for the 2026 Artist-in-Residence Program?

Please check back with us in December 2025

Here is a list of Rocky Mountain National Park's 2025 Artists-in-Residence:

• Pierre Jalbert
• Hunter Goan
• Jillian Roper
• Ben Banet
• Kite Davenport
• Deborah Jojola
• Jennifer Ball

 

Artist-in-Residence program at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center

NPS Photo

During Their Residency, Each Artist will Host Two Public Programs

• Each artist will present one 60-to 90-minute-long lecture-based program. These presentations will take place at 1 p.m. in the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium and will be similar to the presentations featured during the 2025 Winter Speaker Series.

• Resident artists will also facilitate a drop-in style interactive program during a four-hour time slot, where visitors can drop in, visit with the artist, and participate in a hands-on activity. These programs will take place at Fall River Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Expect to spend approximately 15-30 minutes at these programs. All drop-in programs will be family friendly and designed for visitors of all ages. Art supplies will be provided and participants will not need any previous knowledge or skills to participate.

 

Jennifer Ball, 2025 Artist-in-Residence

Courtesy Jennifer Ball, 2025 Artist-in-Residence

Meet Rocky's last Artist-in-Residence of the season, Jennifer Ball

As an avid quilter for over 30 years, Jennifer is delighted to be an artist-in-residence at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Jennifer uses traditional piecing, foundation paper-piecing, and applique in her art quilts. Using vibrant fabrics and threads, she create landscape scenes and animal portraits to celebrate the beauty of the world around us. Jennifer finds joy in nature’s tiniest treasures, including minute details such as the delicate spots on a lizard's back or a shadow on a small rock. She translates those details into quilted works of art.

 

Courtesy Jennifer Ball, 2025 Artist in Residence

 

An example of collecting sound recordings next to a lake

Courtesy Kite Davenport - 2025 AIR

Additional Program Details:

At the completion of their residency, each artist will donate a fully furnished piece of work representative of their stay in Rocky Mountain National Park to the park’s unofficial collection managed by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.

Rocky Mountain Conservancy will hold the rights to each piece of work and the National Park Service will have the rights to share the donated works with the public.

 

2025 AIR Pierre Jalbert

NPS Photo

Brief History of the Relationship Between Arts and National Parks

Since the late 1800s, there has been a special connection between our national parks and the arts. Artists like George Catlin, Thomas Cole, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, and more played a key role in helping to draw attention to the beauty and wonders found in many national parks.

Recognizing the important role that art has played in the history of our national parks, Rocky Mountain National Park was among the first national parks to offer an Artist-In-Residence Program. Since 1984, Rocky Mountain National Park has hosted over 200 artists through this program. They have included authors, composers, jewelry makers, musicians, painters, photographers, poets, quilters, sculptors, textile artists, and more.

This impactful program is generously supported by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy! Rocky Mountain National Park, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, is one of over 50 NPS sites that currently host an Artist-In-Residence program. The AIR program looks different at each participating/hosting park, so be sure to check the park's official website for specific program details.

 

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  Apply for the RMNP AIR Program

  Interested in being an Artist-in-Residence? Click here for application details.

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  Rocky's Artist-in-Residence Program

  Did you know Rocky has one of the oldest Artist-in-Residence programs in the NPS? Learn about the park's program!

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  History of Artist-in-Residence Program

  Learn about the history of RMNP's Artist-in-Residence Program

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  See Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

  Have questions about the Artist-in-Residency program? Explore the frequently asked questions and answers.