MINNESOTA LANDSCAPE ARBORETUM 2026 NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

JUNE 01 - OCTOBER 01, 2026

APPLICATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 15, 2025

ABOUT THE ARBORETUM

The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a 1,200-acre public garden in Chaska, Minnesota, made up of 28 specialty gardens, 44 plant collections, and more than 150 outdoor permanent works of art, including the Harrison Sculpture Garden which contains 26 sculptures from 11 countries around the world. It is also home to the Reedy and Cafe galleries which host rotating art exhibitions to an audience of more than 600,000 arboretum visitors annually.

The Arboretum’s mission is to welcome, inform and inspire all through outstanding displays, protected natural areas, horticultural research and education.

Art is central to the Arboretum’s mission, with exhibitions that draw people into nature and natural spaces that inspire unique encounters with art.

ABOUT THE ART RESIDENCY PROGRAM

With support from the 2024 Board of Trustees Fund-A-Need Gala, the Arboretum plans to host a four-month Artist Residency Program for one local Native American artist from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota, beginning June 1 to October 1, 2026, providing an opportunity to explore artistic ideas that highlight themes of nature and landscapes.

Art and artists at the Arboretum serve as vital portals to understanding our deep interdependence with the environment. Through the lens of traditional ecological knowledge, art becomes a way to reconnect with the land, revealing the stories, histories, and relationships embedded in our landscapes. It fosters a sense of stewardship, sparks dialogue around pressing societal challenges, and helps us see ourselves—and one another—more clearly within the web of life. These creative expressions illuminate the interwoven relationships between people and place, encouraging a more thoughtful and reciprocal engagement with the natural world.

GOAL: The tradition of creating art within natural landscapes spans millennia. Contemporary American Indian artists and cultural bearers continue to carry this legacy forward, expressing it through Native art rooted in land-based practices across the country. The Arboretum’s Artist-in-Residence Program fosters meaningful engagement among the artist, the Arboretum, and its visitors—using art as a lens to deepen understanding of our connection to nature and the landscape.

OUTCOME: Immerse visitors in the environment through the traditional ecological knowledge of Native American people.

RESOURCES PROVIDED

• $3000 artist stipend

• $2500 available for travel and materials

• $2000 community engagement costs, on or off site

• Access to the Arboretum’s grounds and facilities including, natural areas, specialty gardens, plant collections, works of art and Library.

• Staff time arranged as needed

• Installation/production details available upon request

• Housing is not provided

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Projects may be new or continuing, but at their core must be inspired by the Arboretum and be centered on nature, helping the audience better understand their relationship to the land.

This project will be done independently, with regular check-ins with the Curator and limited access to Arboretum staff as needed.

Artist in Residence will be expected to deliver the following

• Work Plan:  In conjunction with the Art and Sculpture Curator at the Arboretum, the artist will develop a project performance review plan to assess implementation and guide the project.

• Finished Work: At the end of the 4 month residency, present a finished product.

• Evaluation: At the beginning, middle and end of the program an evaluation will be completed. This evaluation will be provided by the Arboretum and will offer the artist an opportunity to review the Art Residency program experience.

• Community Engagement: In conjunction with the Arboretum, the artist must be committed to fostering meaningful connections with the community as part of this project. Engagement may occur throughout the creative process, including through workshops, public discussions, or collaborative elements that invite input and participation. Alternatively, artists may present an event through an exhibition, performance, film, spoken word or any other format which may fit the project. We would like for this presentation to take place at the Arboretum but also understand artists may want to showcase this in their community.  

Unallowable Projects:

• Anything that damages the flora or fauna

• Permanent installations

SELECTION PROCESS

The Arboretum Art Residency Program Selection Committee will include experienced members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, who will help ensure a balanced assessment process, selecting artists who will most benefit from and contribute to the residency program. 

Projects will be selected based on

• Project Proposal

  • Nature and land relationship theme

  • Originality

  • Educational Value

  • Proposal must fit within budget and time frame

• Community engagement/celebration idea

• Quality of digital portfolio

• CV 

• Letter of support (Only for emerging artists)

  • An emerging artist would be someone in the early stages of their career, developing their unique style and starting to gain recognition.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE ART RESIDENCY PROGRAM

The Arboretum warmly welcomes all and looks forward to hosting an Artist in Residence. They ask that you and your guests honor the spirit of shared stewardship by caring for the facilities, grounds, and natural areas throughout your time here. Your residency should be inspired by your experiences at the Arboretum—you are welcome to spend as much or as little time on-site as your creative process calls for.

ELIGIBILITY

Applications will be accepted from any of the following

• Native American emerging through established artists

  • All forms of art are welcome, including but not limited to traditional visual arts, as well as song, dance, performance, writing, poetry, spoken word, and art whose work doesn’t fit neatly into categories and genres.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be completed via a form which will be made available on the Arboretum website from September 15, 2025 to January 5, 2026. It will include questions and an evaluation rubric for the selection committee.  You can also access the application form here.

The Application must include the following:

• The Title of the proposal

• A description of the proposed project (250 words or less)

• Community engagement plan.(250 words or less)

• Project work plan

• Digital portfolio (Images, Audio, Video, Text)

  • Maximum of 10 images.

  • Maximum 3 minutes audio/video.

  • Maximum 250 words for text submissions.

• CV

• 1 Letter of support (Only for emerging artists)

Deadlines

09/15/2025: Application opens*

1/5/2025 at 11:59 pm: Applications are due

February 2026: Award Notification*

06/1/ 2026: Art Residency Program Begins

Summer - Fall 2026: Community Event

10/1/ 2026: Artist in Residence Program Ends

*Successful applicants will receive a gate pass to visit the Arboretum upon acceptance of award. Applicants interested in visiting the Arboretum prior to submittal may contact Wendy DePaolis depao008@umn.edu