Arts in Acadia

Lise Greil, of Indianapolis, IN, shares this image from September 2017 of a painter using a smartphone to snap a photo of the coastline in Acadia. "Hiking the path along Otter Cove I spotted this artist out on the rocks. Nevermind what he was painting, but was more impressed with his climbing skills to get out there and the balancing act with all his gear.  I never spoke to him, but hope one day he discovers this photo so I can say thanks for the image and send him a copy."

Photo by Lise Greil @lisegreil. Used with permission.

 

Creating New Ways For Visitors to Experience Acadia

Art and artists have played a key role in the history of Maine’s Downeast Region, and the founding of Acadia National Park. The Artist-in-Residence program is dedicated to creating new ways for visitors to experience Acadia through the arts.

Artist-in-Residence

Participants lead one outreach presentation for the public, and donate within one year one work of art that depicts a fresh and innovative new perspective of the park for visitors that's drawn from their own experience.

The next open call for applications is expected to be during summer 2021 for residencies in 2022. Details are available in the Program Description.

 

Ask An Artist

Got a question or comment? We want to make it easy for you to engage with the artists, writers, musicians, dancers, and others who have participated in Acadia's Artist-in-Residence program. We'll get an answer for you, and post it to our online blog.

 

"Schoodic Point" by Nancy Haver

Online Catalog

A comprehensive and permanent online catalog is now under development for artworks donated by Artists-in-Residence since the program began at Acadia in 1993.

 

Acadia to host seven deferred artist residencies in 2021

Seven artists will visit Acadia over coming months with the Artist-in-Residence program. All had deferred invitiations to participate last year due to pandemic restrictions. Each will comply with heath testing requirements that remain in place for travel to Maine, and stay in housing provided at the Schoodic Institute, which is equipped with heightened cleaning and safety protocols. Please watch for announcements on social media about how you can interact virtually with the artists during public outreach events hosted online.

• Imma Barrera, a landscape and nature photographer based in Metuchen, NJ – May 4-16
• Rachel Suzanne Smith, a metalsmith from Strongsville, OH – May 7-21
• Brad Bennett, a haiku poet from Arlington, MA – Jun 27-July 3 & Aug 22-29
• Jill Haley, a composer, oboist, and English horn player from Reading, PA – Jun 30-Jul 14
• Sarah McCartt-Jackson, a poet, oral historian, and folklorist from Louisville, KY – Jul 18 - Aug 1
• Kevin Mack, a painter from Pittsburg, PA – Sep 3-17
• Sara Tabbert, a printmaker and mixed media artist from Fairbanks, AK – fall-winter dates TBD
  

In 2020, Acadia hosted just one of the eight artists who had been invited for residencies. Justin Sherburn and members of Montopolis, of Austin, TX, visited Acadia for two weeks in August and led a socially-distanced multimedia outreach program ahead of an outdoor movie screening at Reel Pizza in downtown Bar Harbor.

The next open call for applications for the Artist-in-Residence program at Acadia National Park is expected to be summer 2021 for residency opportunities in 2022.