Creative Residency
The Creative Residency Program
The mission of the Creative Residency program at Bloedel Reserve is to foster creative thinking that is inspired by nature and that explores the connection between humans and the environment. What exactly do Creative Residents do while they are staying at Bloedel Reserve? For some, it is an intensely private time of rest and reflection, a chance to recharge their creative juices. And for others, it’s a chance to experiment, play, begin new projects or continue developing works already in progress. The program opportunity is described in more detail below. Watch this video to learn more.
Applications for residency in 2026 are now closed.
Welcome 2026 Creative Residents
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Creative Resident cohort to Bloedel Reserve. We’re looking forward to meeting all of the Residents and sharing with you the work they will be pursuing while they are onsite.
Community Events
For a list of upcoming events by Creative Residents, visit our Events calendar here.
Alexa Luborsky
A writer & multimedia artist of Western Armenian & Eastern European Jewish descent. Luborsky is the 2023 IALA Creative Writing Grant recipient for her collection of poetry on diaspora & its aftermaths. In residence Jan. 5-26.
Mia Mulvey
Addresses the recording of time, climate change, & relationship to remote landscapes. She is Professor of Studio Art at the University of Denver, and her work has been shown in venues around the US.
In residence Feb. 2-23.
Emily Nemens
A writer, editor, illustrator, and educator. Her debut novel, The Cactus League, was named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR, and her second novel, Clutch, will be published in early 2026.
In residence Mar. 6-26.
Garrett Nelli
A practicing architect, researcher, and maker based in Seattle. Nelli’s approach to architecture is the intersection of material experimentation, digital preservation, and regenerative design.
In residence Apr. 3-23.
Huichun Yang
A Taiwanese sound performer based in Providence, Rhode Island. Yang’s electroacoustic practice uses technology as touch, wood as breath, and body as soil through which sound flows.
In residence Apr. 30-May 20.
Nigel Lawrence – Suquamish Tribal Residency
A Suquamish Tribal Member, husband, father of three, & grandfather. Lawrence’s recent work documents Tribal Canoe Journeys from unusual perspectives.
In residence May 27-June 17.
Stephen de Fillipo
A composer & multimedia artist from Australia. De Filippo’s compositions often grow from field recordings & environmental sound, developed into detailed notated scores, sound installations, & collaborative multimedia projects.
In residence July 6-20.
Perri Howard
A multi-disciplinary artist working in painting, drawing, installation, and sound. Howard’s work investigates the passage of light, sound, and signal through the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems.
In residence Aug 17-Sept 7.
Sierra Pete
A Diné artist, writer, and research scientist, Pete currently works as a Wildlife Biologist. Pete explores art in fabric and ceramics, holding a BFA in Ceramics from University of Utah and an MS in Biology from Bucknell University.
In residence Sept 25-Oct 16.
Aishvarya Arora
A poet, teaching artist, & cultural organizer from Queens, NY. Arora is the author of forthcoming collection Mr. Time, selected by Diannely Antigua as winner of the Gold Line Press Poetry Contest.
In residence Oct 23-Nov 15.
Laura Berman
A contemporary artist known widely for abstract, colorful prints, and paintings. A native of Spain, Berman has shown over 150 exhibitions at galleries & museums internationally.
In residence Dec 4-21.
2026 Creative Residency Application
Applications for residency in 2026 are now closed.
If you’d like to apply to be a Community Creative click here.
Meet the 2026 Jurors
Click the links below to see photos and learn more about the jurors for the 2026 Creative Residency.
Visual Arts (e.g., painting, photography, craft, sculpture, installation, 2D, 3D, digitally assisted)
Performance, Film & Composition (e.g., music, theater, dance, music composition, film, performance art)
Prose Fiction & Nonfiction (e.g., novels, short stories, essays, memoirs)
Research & Design (e.g. landscape design, scientific research, botanical illustration, etc.)
Creative Residency Requirements
- Your project, artwork, or research must relate to nature in some specific way.
- Special consideration will be given to projects that investigate the relationship between people and natural world.
- Once selected, each Creative Resident must offer a public presentation, workshop, lecture, demonstration, viewing, or concert as part of their Residency.
- Creative Residents must be 21-years of age, or older.
- No pets are allowed.
Residency Amenities
Established in 2015, the program has welcomed 70 Creative Residents from a wide variety of disciplines, giving them the time to nurture their passions and deepen the connection between creativity, nature, and humanity.
The Creative Residency program provides artists and innovative thinkers with a three-week stay in a home on the Bloedel Reserve grounds, pictured here. Residents have unlimited access to the Reserve’s 140 acres of sculpted gardens, forests, meadows, and wildlife habitats.
As a Creative Resident, you will stay in a two-bedroom, two-bath home designed by noted Northwest architect Jim Cutler, tucked into the woods, tucked away from the trail used by regular Bloedel Reserve visitors.
Known as the Virginia Merrill Bloedel Education Center, the home is built over a stream and features beautiful finishes and furnishings. Residents have 24/7 access to Bloedel Reserve grounds during their stay and the use of a Smart Car. (Proof of valid driver’s license required.)
The Creative Residency Opportunity
“The space and quiet allowed me to sink into my novel with prolonged, uninterrupted concentration. I woke up with my story, lived and walked with my story, and like any relationship, our intimacy increased.”
– Karen Finneyrock, 2016 Resident
Questions About the Creative Residency Program?
For more information about the program details or the application process, please email Inspiration & Education Manager Amy King here.
The Case for Support
The Creative Residency program is one of the cornerstones of our mission. We recognize that artists and innovative thinkers are vital contributors to our collective well-being. They delight, inspire, challenge, and enrich our lives. Past Creative Residents have included botanists, visual artists, writers, composers, environmental researchers and landscape designers, to name just a few.
To learn more about donating to the Creative Residency program, please contact Development here.
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