News Release

Announcing 2020 and 2021 Community Artists in the Park

Date: November 8, 2019
Contact: Karen Garthwait, 435-719-2142

The National Park Service Southeast Utah Group is pleased to announce Samantha Zim as the 2020 Community Artist in the Parks (CAIP). The committee has also selected Julia Buckwalter to serve as CAIP in 2021.

“This year’s applicant pool was unusually rich,” says Sam Wainer, artist selection committee member representing Canyonlands Natural History Association. “Both Samantha and Julia presented outstanding applications that made it impossible to choose between them. So, we picked both to serve in sequential years.”

Created in 2009, the CAIP program highlights the connection between a local artist and the surrounding landscapes, particularly Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments.

As the Community Artist for 2020, Samantha Zim will create original work within the parks for a minimum of 24 hours per month, April through October, and share her inspiration and creative process with visitors. Her works will be sold in the Canyonlands Natural History Association bookstores at Arches and Canyonlands national parks during her tenure.

For more information about the program and a schedule of each Community Artist’s park activities, visit go.nps.gov/CAIP. Inquires may be directed to Karen Garthwait at 435-719-2142 or emailed to e-mail us

Chad Niehaus, the Community Artist in the Parks Liaison, may also be contacted for program information via email at [e-mail]