artist in residence 2025

The South Washington Watershed District (SWWD) seeks a creative fine art aerial photographer and/or aerial videographer to celebrate and document the landscapes, ecosystems, natural resources, and diverse inhabitants that call southern Washington County home. The lengthened term of the artist’s residency is designed to allow exploration throughout the seasons and remove arbitrary timeline limitations from creative project ideas. SWWD is interested in discovering new ways of envisioning, connecting, and valuing its water resources while recognizing different perspectives and ways of knowing. Through this program, SWWD hopes to incorporate unique ideas and views into SWWD programs and projects while promoting and achieving water quality improvement by providing visibility to the watershed and its natural resources.

Artist Responsibilities

The selected artist will be expected to collaborate with SWWD program staff to develop an agreed-upon work plan with specific outcomes for the residency term, including the development of a public artist statement describing the artist’s vision or concept. Brief monthly meetings with staff will provide communication and focus, allowing staff to keep the artist current with ongoing projects and activities underway across the watershed. The artist must keep SWWD staff informed of the status and progress of work so staff can provide the SWWD Board of Managers with a detailed assessment of program successes and suggested future program improvements.

Work Area

In addition to SWWD’s close relationship and intersection with the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, there are a variety of outstanding regional parks to interact with, including Afton State Park, St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, SWWD’s undeveloped Glacial Valley Park, Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific & Natural Area (SNA), and Lost Valley Prairie SNA. SWWD is also home to Carpenter Nature Center and numerous local parks.

The artist will be expected to develop a cohesive portfolio of work from across the watershed over the course of the residency consistent with the approved work plan, culminating in a formal exhibition in the fall/winter of 2025. SWWD staff will assist in securing a regional venue for the exhibition. The artist will also be asked to participate in occasional SWWD community events or meetings (subject to availability). The artist is required to provide their own equipment and workspace.

The selected artist will serve as a contracted consultant to SWWD, not as an employee, and must maintain a commercial general liability insurance policy consistent with statutory and SWWD requirements.