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NOW OPEN:
FORT UNION NATIONAL MONUMENT (NEW MEXICO)
(October 2024)
Deadline April 30th, 2024
FREE TO APPLY THANKS TO SPONSORSHIP!
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COMING SOON:
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FORT UNION NATIONAL MONUMENT
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
For October 2024
(Image of old wagon under starlit night at Fort Union National Monument)
CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Beautiful northern New Mexico in the fall… Nestled against the far tip of the Sangre de Cristo Range and facing the great plains, Fort Union National Monument is one of New Mexico’s legendary and historic frontier army posts, which was the hub of commerce, national defense, and migration at the final stretch of the Santa Fe Trail.
This is a solo artist or duo / couple residency (only one person needs to be an artist). FREE TO APPLY! Open to all artists, writers, musicians, or performance artists working in ANY artistic medium.
The Residency at a Glance:
LOCATION:
FORT UNION
NATIONAL MONUMENT
WATROUS, NEW MEXICO, USA
PLEASE NOTE: THE TEXT BELOW REPEATS THE INFORMATION DISPLAYED IN THE IMAGES FOR CLARITY AND EASE OF READING.
RESIDENCY DATES: October 2nd-30th, 2024
DEADLINE: April 30th, 2024
NOTIFICATION: June 7th, 2024
RESIDENCY TYPE: ALL MEDIA
SOLO ARTISTS: YES
COUPLES / DUOS: YES
(Only one needs to be an Artist)
ARTISTS STIPEND: $1000
ARTIST EVENTS / WORKSHOPS: YES
NATIONAL MUSEUMS / ARCHIVES DONATION:
YES, FOR CONSIDERATION
THE EERIE MYSTERY OF A FRONTIER FORTRESS...
We are excited to continue our artist-in-residence program at Fort Union National Monument. Containing the remnants of three different fortresses of the period 1860-1880, Fort Union National Monument, located in author Max Evans’ ‘Hi-Lo Country’ near Watrous, NM, Fort Union National Monument, located in Mora County near Watrous, NM, was the hub of commerce, national defense, and migration at the final stretch of the Santa Fe Trail. The richly evocative ruins of a post-civil war era adobe fort became a National Monument in 1954 under the Eisenhower administration. The fort is close to the high plains and grasslands of eastern New Mexico, Capulin Volcano, the amazing Historic Victorian Town of Las Vegas, and the Santa Fe Trail outpost of Wagon Mound.
This residency includes a $1000 stipend
(Image of the old adobe fort at Fort Union in front of a rainbow)
THE SENTINEL OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL, FORT UNION NATIONAL MONUMENT…
(Image of a Cottonwood Tree with Fall Foliage with the Sangre De Cristo Mountains behind)
This is a NO STUDIO RESIDENCY, so artists must work in their NPS lodging or plein air. A vehicle is required to get around and explore beautiful northern New Mexico. WiFi may not be available. While many visitors often have cell phone access while visiting the park, cell phone access is not completely reliable inside the monument. Also, there are intermittent dead zones along State Road 161 leading to the monument from I-25.
Artists, duos, or couples must schedule their arrival between 2-5pm on weekdays, and must have their own transportation for the month of the residency. A reliable vehicle is strongly recommended.
It is National Parks Arts Foundation’s hope that works produced during this time will characterize this monument for present and future generations in a creative manner and offer visitors and the general public the opportunity to see the site’s legacy through the creative vision of artists.
WE ARE INCLUSIVE. NPAF will also be partnering with the National Park Service, NPS Friends groups, recognized museums, galleries, schools and underserved peoples organizations to support and expand the reach of the Fort Union National Monument Artist-in-Residence Program.
(Image of long exposure night photo of the stars circling above Fort Union)
New Mexico in the fall is cool and breezy, and it can get quite cold at night, and sometime quite hot during the day. Be adaptable gearwise. Groceries and anything needed are available in the nearby city (30 mins away) of Las Vegas, NM.
Hazards at the Monument include sudden and beautiful lightning storms, as well as a few venomous animals living on the grounds of the monument, including the northern prairie rattlesnake, brown recluse and black widow spiders. These animals are rarely seen and will generally flee when approached. Although a rare occurrence, black bears have also been spotted infrequently in and around the monument grounds.
(Image of stones scattered among purple wildflowers in front of the walls of the buildings of Fort Union)
The artist(s) residency may be canceled or interrupted due to a government shutdown, artist nonparticipation, or during any hazardous weather conditions, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, fire danger, environmental concerns, or any unforeseen circumstances, natural or otherwise, to which NPAF and any affiliates will NOT be held accountable or responsible, no refunds will be issued. NPAF cannot guarantee or be held responsible for AIR interruptions, nonacceptance of AIR program, artists, artwork or cancellations, or delays because of Government decisions or natural causes. NPAF will try to make all efforts to reschedule a delayed residency, but cancelations do occur. The remainder of the residency term may be negotiated to be made up at a later date.
PLEASE NOTE: Only selected artists will be contacted. It is the artists' own initiative to check the status of their proposal submission through accessing their proposal submission through the URL for which they applied. At request, through the URL, we will allow edits and additions up to ten days before the deadline. If you are contacted as a Resident, Finalist or Alternate & if our panelists feel that further detail is needed for the application — applicants will be asked to submit the required materials (such as a detailed proposal, etc) IN A PROMPT MANNER.
(Image of Fort Union buildings behind picket fencing)
THE FINE PRINT:
NPAF is NOT responsible for and will not return any application fees, contributions, monies spent, monies owed or any funding if there is a natural occurrence, or any thing that interrupts, changes, delays or cancels the program in any way. NPAF cannot guarantee or be held responsible for AIR interruptions, nonacceptance of AIR program, artist non participation, artist non-response, artists, artwork or cancellations or delays because of Government decisions or natural causes, unforeseen circumstances, for any reason at all. The accepted artist will owe any funds spent or owed by/to NPAF as it pertains to the program if they (the artist(s)) cancels, delays or changes any part of the program. If the AiR program is terminated or interrupted, the artist(s) in residence may be directed to relocate from the park or hazardous area. The remainder residency term may be made up at a later date at the discretion of the NPAF.
All insurance is required of the selected artist(s) including automobile, health, accidental and insurance to cover all art, supplies, personal items and is the sole responsibility of the artist as any and all insurance will not be provided by NPAF or park Friends groups. Proof of insurances must be provided. Artist(s) will be responsible for all costs affiliated with the program if they are the selected artists(s) to the program, and then cancel, change or delay the program in any way, prior, during or post the residency term. Applicants grant use to NPAF of any and all pieces of their submitted application proposal materials to further the purpose of the program (and/or promoting the selected artist(s)) through television, radio, interviews, magazines, books, internet, newspapers, grants or endowment applications, presentations and any and all media.
Any terms herein may change without notice and are subject to the approval of the NPAF, or any governing entity. All AiR participants may be required to accept further conditions and contracts including but not limited to; Background checks, codes of conduct, Gift and/or donation agreements, images releases for their person and/or artwork, codes of conduct, special use permits, rules and regulations, housing agreements, volunteer in the parks contracts, J-1 visa application or other Visa application and acceptance (for international artists) and any other apparent and unforeseen agreements required of any governing entity, namely the NPAF, and all pertaining laws. All funding and acceptance to programs are subject to U.S and international laws. Any terms herein may change without notice and are subject to the approval of the NPAF or any lawful governing entity. Carefully read the full policies of the Fort Union Residency found at:
https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/fort-union-policies