Artpark Writers' Residence

Thank you for all of your submissions. The application deadline has passed, and we will be reaching out to candidates in January!

The literary program invites writers from Western New York and beyond to visit Artpark, enjoy free access to selected summer programming, and interact with nature, other artists, and the public through performances, workshops, and more. 

This year the residency will welcome one visiting writer by invitation and one local writer by selection from a pool of applicants. Residents will receive an honorarium of $1,000, travel assistance (for non-local writers), and free access to all Artpark events throughout the 2025 season (some restrictions may apply).

It has been rewarding to reactivate work in the literary arts at Artpark in recent seasons, and we are delighted to continue this opportunity for creative expression and participation in the summer program. - Dave Wedekindt, Artpark’s President

Past resident writers have included Ariel Aberg-Riger, Ana Božičević, Robert Giannetti, Joshua Thermidor, Philip Metres, Julianne Neely, Drew Pisarra, Hilary Plum, Zach Savich, Rachelle Toarmino, Sony Ton-Aime, and Spencer Williams.

Although this is a generative residency, focused on providing literary artists with space and inspiration through contact with Artpark’s 150 acres of natural beauty and 100+ days of artistic programming, there may be opportunities for residents to perform, lecture, or instruct youth or adult workshops.

I am excited that the residency is returning for a third year, now open to the public to create opportunities for Western New York writers and deepen ties to the local literary community. The whole Artpark team is excited to review applications and welcome another pair of writers to experience this truly unique place. - Aidan Ryan, Residency Director

About Artpark
Established in 1974 as a collaboration between New York State Parks and the nonprofit Artpark & Company, Artpark welcomes artists to enjoy and be inspired by the dramatic scenery and rich history of the Niagara River Gorge, and welcomes visitors and locals to enjoy the art and experiences created on its 172 acres. Over the decades, Artpark has hosted tens of thousands of avant garde visual artists, cutting-edge performers, beloved bands and musicians, poets and writers, and more, earning a worldwide reputation as a special place to make and experience art. This living cultural legacy weaves into the area’s history and present-day significance to Western New York’s Indigenous population, the more recent history of investment in sustainable hydroelectric power that both shaped and funded the site, and the Niagara River and Gorge’s extraordinary natural beauty.