A new residency program hosted by PEC will give artists a chance to explore connections with the Susquehanna River Basin and the communities that call it home. “Reflections through Art: Inclusive Access on Water Trails in the Susquehanna Basin” will support 21-day artist residencies starting this summer, with funding from a National Parks Service Chesapeake Gateways grant.
PEC is seeking three artists interested in connecting diverse community audiences to Pennsylvania Water Trails in the Susquehanna Basin and the remarkable recreation opportunities on those trails through creative, experiential, interactive, and exploratory engagement. We are looking to showcase unique ways to reconnect the people of central Pennsylvania to their local waterways and to the rich cultural, historic, and recreational assets of the Susquehanna.
The artists selected for this three-week residency will be tasked with:
- Exploring and researching local narratives of the associated Water Trail and places nearby,
- Interpreting and sharing those narratives using their own unique creative talents and interpretations, and
- Attending at least one event at which the artist’s creation, activity, or program will be shared and presented.
The three programs, with one artist placed for each, will be on location at a site or sites along the following Water Trails:
- West Branch and Lower North Branch Susquehanna
- Lower Susquehanna River
- Swatara Creek
Artists who wish to be placed at a specific location should note their preference in the application. PEC staff and water trail managers will help find housing, if necessary.
PEC will provide an $8,600 stipend to each selected artist, which can be used by the artist for costs incurred during the three-week residency. Artists don’t have to spend the 21 days consecutively, but they must conduct their work between June 1 and Oct. 31, 2025. The timing for each residency will vary according to each artists’ availability, local opportunities, and, when applicable, the capacity of water trail managers for assisting with any projects and events.
Over the course of their residencies, artists will be expected to create a locally meaningful piece(s) of art, experience, and/or event that reflects the stories of the people, places, histories, cultures, and natural environments. The artist will be expected to interact with the local community and Water Trail partner to explore ways to reimagine water recreation and environmental stewardship and conservation. By intentionally bringing communities together to share in a creative, contextual experience, this project hopes to inspire collective imagination and activate new awareness of, and engagement with, Pennsylvania’s Water Trails and nearby special places.
The final piece of art will be shared at a public event hosted by the Water Trail partner.
PEC will host an online Q&A about the residency on Tuesday, March 11 starting at 11 a.m. To register, email Tali MacArthur at [email protected] with “Request for RFP Zoom Link” in the subject line no later than Tuesday, March 10 at 12 p.m.
Applications are due by March 31 through our Submittable page.