BLM Las Cruces District seeks applicants for Artist in Residence Program
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LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Bureau of Land Management Las Cruces District announce a call to artists to apply for the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Artist in Residence Program to take place May 1-31, 2022. Entries for the May 2022 residency must be received via email to jessica@organmtnfriends.org on or before March 21.
The Artist in Residence program educates and promotes the appreciation, protection and preservation of natural and cultural resources on public lands. The residency provides an artist and the public an opportunity to interact and to enhance the understanding of public lands through the unique qualities an artist’s eye can capture.
With more than 497,000 acres of public land encompassing four scenic mountain ranges – the Organ, Desert Peaks, Potrillo, and Doña Ana Mountains, the Monument is an iconic landscape to host the BLM Artist-in-Residence Program. The area’s unique geological, biological and cultural resources provide the artist with endless possibilities for self-expression through their lens, painting, sculpture, poetry, music, etc.
In addition, the Monument’s long and diverse prehistory has many inspirational points an artist can explore. Characters like Geronimo and Billy the Kid roamed the area, the Spanish conquistadors traveled the Camino Real, and westward migrants traveled via the famous Butterfield Stagecoach route. The area’s rich wildlife and hidden desert treasures also provide the artist with numerous dimensions on their approach to depicting the “heart and soul” of the Monument.
The Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and the BLM provide housing for the artist during the residency, and once the residency is completed, the artist receives a $500 stipend. In return, the artist is responsible for a creative community project, a public event (e.g., tour, demonstration or workshop), and a completed art project to be used to promote the Monument.
For more information, please see program details and application materials at www.organmountainsdesertpeaks.org.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.