Bayou City Waterkeeper seeks Artist-In-Residence

Bayou City Waterkeeper’s (BCWK) Artist-In-Residence program provides artists with an opportunity to creatively explore solutions around pressing water challenges in greater Houston. Residency topics can explore water injustices, water histories, water infrastructure, or more BCWK-specific projects including wetlands, clean water, flooding. While each residency will be unique according to the interest and skills of the artist, over time this program will help BCWK develop new knowledge, ideas, and approaches to problem-solving and engagement around water justice. In this round, we will prioritize applications focused on wetlands and/or preserving natural ecosystems to protect communities from flooding and climate risks in the greater Houston region. Please submit proposals by June 15 through this form for priority consideration. For questions, please contact info@bayoucitywaterkeeper.org.

What will this residency look like in action?
● Six months devoted to research and artmaking, committing to 5 hours per week
● Monthly check-ins with a staff member
● 1 blog post including writing, images, and/or sound towards the end of the residency
● A culminating creative project that reflects community-engaged art practice around your proposed topic
● A culminating public presentation (ex. workshop, lecture, tour, discussion)
● Stipend of $5,000 and $500 for materials

About Bayou City Waterkeeper
Bayou City Waterkeeper is a water justice organization working across the Lower Galveston Bay watershed that encompasses greater Houston, for more than two decades. With law and science, we work with local communities to build power, fill gaps in regulatory enforcement, and push back against water injustices and irresponsible development. Our key program areas are Clean Water, Protecting Wetlands, and Just Climate Transitions. Learn more on our website.

Our Values
Recognizing the complexities of our watershed, the challenges we face to protect our waters from the harms of urban development and industrial activities, and the importance of being responsive to the needs of our communities, our work is guided and informed by five values:
● Interconnectivity: Collaborate across disciplines and create multiple ways to engage
● Fluidity: Embrace movement and adaptability in our work
● Bold action: Have hard conversations, disrupt dysfunctional systems, create new frameworks, bring together unconventional allies, and move data and research into action
● Justice and equality: Call out and act to undo inequities in our watershed
● Regeneration: Embrace water as a site for healing, joy, celebration, reflection, and growth

Application
Submit applications using our form. Applicants may work in any artistic medium, and may submit up to 5 work samples as part of the application process. We ask that applicants who used time-based mediums (such as dance, music, and video) limit their work samples to no more than 20 minutes total. Anyone submitting written work is asked to limit their work sample to no more than 15 pages total.

● Answer the following questions:

1. What research topic(s) and question(s) around water would you like to explore through your residency, and how will you explore this through research and physical form through your final project?
2. How is this issue relevant to wetlands and/or preserving natural ecosystems to protect communities from flooding and climate risks in the greater Houston region and Lower Galveston Bay watershed, and how do you see community engagement tying into your work?
3. How will your project build on and.or advance the work of BCWK?
   ● Month-by-month timeline (covering six months) describing work and how you plan to achieve each of the intended outcomes
   ● Digital portfolio of up to 5 pieces of work, with at least 3 in your desired medium
   ● Biography (2 paragraphs max)