Artist in Residency Program - Pennsylvania Environmental Council (Due Mar. 31)
Artist in Residency Program - Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Deadline: March 31st, 2025
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is a non-profit organization which protects and restores the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education and advocacy. PEC believes in the value of partnerships with the private sector, government, communities and individuals to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. In addition, PEC’s work connects people to their local waterways and Water Trails and educates and empowers citizens to be active, informed stewards of these resources.
One way in which PEC does this is to direct the Pennsylvania Water Trails Program, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the National Park Service. The primary goals of the PA Water Trails Program are to:
Facilitate the recreational use of Water Trails while promoting conservation of natural resources
Increase and improve inclusive and welcoming access to Pennsylvania Water Trails to enhance citizen enjoyment and stewardship of local water resources
Strengthen the connections between and among water trails and land trails to create a networked and more cohesive recreational system
Provide assistance and support to local Water Trail managers for water trail promotion, access enhancement, management, and community engagement.
PEC’s programs and projects, including the PA Water Trail Program, are supported by private foundations as well as government agencies including the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the National Parks Service, whose Community Conservation Partnership Program and Chesapeake Gateways Grant Program, respectively, are supporting this project which seeks to reconnect the people of central Pennsylvania to their local waterways and to the rich culture, history, and recreational assets of the Susquehanna river basin.
Artist in Residency Intent and Statement of Purpose The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is seeking three (3) artists interested in connecting diverse community audiences to Pennsylvania Water Trails in the Susquehanna Basin and the remarkable recreation opportunities on those trails through creative, experiential, interactive, and exploratory engagement. We are looking to showcase unique ways to reconnect the people of central Pennsylvania to their local waterways and to the rich culture, history, and recreational assets of the Susquehanna.
The artist will be expected to create a locally meaningful piece(s) of art, experience, and/or event that reflects the stories of the people, places, histories, cultures, and natural environments. The artist will be expected to interact with the local community and water trail partner to explore ways to reimagine water recreation and environmental stewardship and conservation. By intentionally bringing communities together to share in a creative, contextual experience this project will inspire a more collective imagination and will help activate new awareness and engagement on Pennsylvania’s Water Trails and nearby special places.
The artists who will be selected for this three-week Artist in Residency (AiR) experience will be tasked with:
Exploring and researching the local narratives of the respective Water Trail of their residency geography and places nearby,
Interpreting and sharing those narratives using their own unique creative talents and interpretations, and
Attending at least one event at which the artist’s creation, activity, or program will be shared and presented.
Artists should consider how to connect and reflect the unique people, history, culture, and natural features of these places and encourage direct, participatory engagement by community members.
Artists should also consider how their projects serve to develop new and original ways for audiences to envision their own connections to these special places within the Chesapeake Watershed and the ways in which they can enjoy, access, and responsibly take part in recreational activities in, on, and near Pennsylvania’s Water Trails.
The AiR programs, with one artist placed for each, will be on location at an appropriate site, to be determined, along three designated PA Water Trails in the Susquehanna Basin:
The West Branch and Lower North Branch Susquehanna, managed by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership,
The Lower Susquehanna River managed by the Susquehanna National Heritage Area, and
The Swatara Creek Water Trail, managed by the Swatara Watershed Association.
If an artist wishes to be considered for a specific location, this must be noted in the responses to the application. Otherwise, each applicant will be considered for any of the sites/locations. PEC staff and Trail manager partners will assist the artist with finding suitable housing options as necessary.
A representative of PEC, at least one external reviewer with expertise in the creative sector, as well as an appropriate representative of the partner Water Trail Manager will be involved in the review and selection process of the artists.
All responses to this request for proposals/applications shall be consistent with the goals and objectives of the project and all underlying Federal and State laws and regulations governing the implementation of the project, including funding conditions of DCNR and NPS. Copies of the grant agreements can be provided upon request.
PEC reserves the right to pursue contract awards in a manner that is in the best interest of the partner Water Trail Managers.