The Environmental Artist-in-Residence Program at Wildacres Retreat welcomes artists, scientists and other professionals engaging with ambitious ideas and who are activity-focused on current global environmental issues. Candidates will be chosen for their intellectual and creative rigor as well as activism in their creative practice, with a deep emphasis on our climate crisis and its many permutations for society moving forward. The intent of the Wildacres EAIR program is to support professional individuals and their creative practices from several disciplines, including all areas of art, social practice, writing, research, environmental restoration, natural science and other environmental and creative disciplines. Qualified applicants will include artists and scientists who focus on climate change, global warming, the extinction crisis, habitat loss, soil degradation, as well as remedies and human adaptations to these and other pressing climate crisis issues. We are interested in artists who understand the cycles of the natural elements they are investigating and how the dynamics of our warming planet play a role in those cycles. For instance, in the local Blue Ridge Mountains the demise of Hemlock forests through infestation by an introduced insect has unbalanced essential elements of local watersheds. Chosen candidates will be selected through an application and jury process that seeks to support these professionals and their work in advancing art, science, education, and community in service of greater environmental equilibrium on waters, lands and in global communities. Artists should consider the impact of their work before and during their residency, and be prepared to contribute their findings to the body of work, both large and small scale, that Wildacres Retreat is archiving from these residencies. We will be hosting EAIR candidates each year for one- or two-week residencies from April through October. This residency opportunity allows environmental artists the solitude and inspiration needed to begin or continue work on a project in their particular field of creative arts. Being able to work in a secluded, natural setting such as Wildacres Retreat provides environmental artists with an unparalleled opportunity to step away from outside distractions and completely focus on their work. You may find more details about lodging, meals, travel, etc. for our residency program on the Residency Program page. We recommend candidates read over our Get Ready for Your Visit page as well for more details.