Art in parks
This page from the National Park Service (NPS) discusses the importance of art in parks. NPS talks about a program, called Artist-in-Residence, that provides artists opportunities to lodge at a park and share their art with the public. Programs like these can give designers chances to share their designs and impact on the park.
Here’s an excerpt from the article about art in parks:
“Art has always been a part of appreciating our natural and cultural heritage, as evidenced by artworks made by Indigenous communities since time immemorial. The legacy of artmaking within park landscapes goes back much further than the Hudson River School painters, who played a vital role in documenting the landscapes of the West in the 1870s. Contemporary Indigenous artists continue to bring this story forward within native art and activism in parks like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and many more. Today, the sights and sounds in national parks continue to inspire artists in more than 50 residency programs across the country” (National Park Service, 2024).
“Artist-in-Residence (AIR) programs offer tremendous opportunities for engagement between parks, artists, and park visitors. Art and artists in our parks are important to understanding our collective history—providing lenses and pathways through which we can see and learn about our landscapes, promote a stewardship ethic, and be effective in inspiring dialogue about important societal challenges and how we understand and see others and ourselves” (National Park Service, 2024).
The Artist-in-Residence programs are offered in a variety of different state parks, allowing artists for varied natural and cultural settings. Artists are allowed to create anything they want related to the park and its cultural history. There are various forms of art that the artists have done, including paintings, music, dance, textiles, sculpture, poetry and many more. It's a unique way to bring art into the conversation with parks. The program brings together the artists, parks and visitors by sharing the importance of art in the park’s history.
Art is an essential part of parks that acts as a record for the park’s natural and cultural history. This program provides a unique opportunity to connect people to the parks. For designers in parks, could there be a similar activity or program to connect people and parks?
References.
National Park Service. (2024). Be an Artist-in-Residence - Arts in the Parks. Www.nps.gov. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/arts/air.htm
Kotter, M. (2022). Hand-painted quilt of showy milkweed. https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery-item.htm?pg=5636492&id=7b5a472e-6313-4c1a-9027-13bdf8805603&gid=70187336-1D5C-46A5-A3B5-D10B6DB15D06
