Artist-In-Residence Program

About

The goal of the Artist—Wilderness—Connection Residency is to connect artists with the public and our wild lands in Northwest Montana. In 2003, the Hockaday Museum of Art, Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, Flathead National Forest, and (formerly) Swan Valley Connections joined forces to create this unique residency. In 2024, the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest was added to the partnership. During the summer, selected artists hike into a remote backcountry cabin 5-15 miles from the trailhead in the Flathead National Forest or Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest for 5 and up to 16 days to create work in a beautiful, remote setting, which is then shared in a public presentation or workshop with the community. To date, 56 artists have participated in the program, which consists of three components: Artist Residency, Forest Experience, and Community Extension. Artists benefit from having a remote setting to focus on their art and the community benefits from the work and presentations created from the artists’ experiences.