Holden Village is a remote wilderness community, rooted in the Lutheran tradition, that welcomes all people into the North Cascade Mountains above Lake Chelan, Washington. This Valley has existed for millennia, carved out by glaciers and defined by Indigenous people and their care for this place. We live and gather upon the homelands of the Chelan, the Entiat, the P’Squosa, the Wenatchi-Colville, and the Wenatchi-Yakama Tribal Nations.
Through the Indigenous Artist-in-Residence program, we invite Indigenous artists into the Village community for a multi-week residency to create, participate in Village life, and share artistic and spiritual practices. This program will support artists working in various media, from beadwork and basket weaving to healing and movement arts to contemporary expressions of Indigenous identity. The program aims to promote artistic and professional growth among participating artists. Through the Indigenous Artist-In-Residence program, Holden Village aims to realize its commitment to resisting the erasure of Indigenous people and stories, following Native leadership, and centering tribal voices.
As a Christian institution, Holden Village recognizes how churches, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), have harmed Native American communities. The ELCA and its predecessors were complicit in settler colonialism, ecological damage to Native lands, and cultural genocide through boarding schools. Holden Village has directly benefited from the theft of land and appropriation of natural resources. We repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and seek better and right relations with our Indigenous siblings. You can read the ELCA’s Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People and learn more about the ELCA Truth and Healing Movement here. Though rooted in the Christian tradition, Holden Village is expansive in practice. Artists applying for the residency are welcome to bring their whole selves, inclusive of religious or spiritual traditions.
Holden Village’s Indigenous Artist-In-Residence program is a self-guided 2-4 week residency program located on-site at Holden Village during late summer and early fall. Artists will be housed in a historic chalet with a private bedroom, bathroom, and studio space and be provided three meals a day, prepared in the Holden Village kitchen. As a member of the Holden Village community, artists will have access to amazing amenities, including community art and pottery studios, a library, a sauna, a hot tub, a historic pool hall, outdoor gear, and hundreds of miles of pristine trails in and around the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
Holden Village is a place of hospitality, dialogue, justice, liturgy, humor, solace, and wholeness in which daily life is meaningful. The residency provides participating artists with an expansive and creative space for artistic, physical, and spiritual renewal. Artists best suited to this residency are those who are independent self-starters equally as comfortable working alone as participating in the shared work of living in an intentional community. Interested artists should be aware of the challenges of Holden Village’s remote location and the rustic nature of accommodations.
The artist-in-residence will offer a session each week of their stay, in the form of artist talks, art classes, or other community engagements. The artist will also contribute to community life by taking part in the Work of the Village, including a weekly dish team and a single garbology shift.
To apply, prospective artists must be at least 18 years of age and an enrolled tribal member of a federal or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Native Alaskan community. Preference will be given to artists who are enrolled in the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation or Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
Artists are not required to have formal education or professional background in the arts but should be able to demonstrate their artistic abilities through a submitted portfolio. We welcome applications from artists working in any medium or artistic practice including visual arts, literary arts, theater, music, movement, and healing arts. Emerging artists are encouraged to apply.
After acceptance, artists will be asked to complete a health and wellness form and release waiver & code of conduct. Artists accepted to the residency are expected to obey the code of conduct detailed in the staff agreement.
Applicants are encouraged to review the informational material provided and contact Program@HoldenVillage.org if they have any questions or need assistance. The 2024 cycle is our first; we appreciate your patience while we work out the kinks!
Applications for the Indigenous Artist-in-Residence program will open on April 1, 2024, and close on May 15, 2024. Applications are evaluated by a committee of Holden Village staff and indigenous partners. Applicants should expect to hear back from Holden Village by June 15th, 2024.
Ready to start? Apply here.
Artists will receive compensation for participation in the residency program.
In addition to compensation, artists are eligible for travel support to reach Holden Village. Residents can receive up to $500 in travel compensation for transportation and lodging expenses on their way to the Village. Residents should save receipts for travel expenses if they wish to be reimbursed. Holden Village will arrange and buy boat tickets for all Residents.
We encourage residents seeking lodging near Chelan to stay at the Holden Village Bed & Breakfast near Field’s Point. In line with our values of sustainability and environmental stewardship, we encourage Residents to consider alternatives to air & solo vehicle travel, including rail, coach, the Wenatchee Valley Shuttle, Link Transit, and carpool. Residents interested in finding a carpool to the Village should contact Program (Program@HoldenVillage.org) to see if arrangements can be made.
Learn more about getting to Holden Village here.
Holden Village’s remote location means that artists will need to plan to ensure that they have all the tools and materials they need to complete their work; it is not possible to run to the store and shipping can take time.
Artists are expected to provide the basics of their medium. The Village primarily has student-quality materials and limited quantities of materials such as paint, paper, thread, and linoleum. Materials may be purchased from the Village Art Studio pending their availability. Basic tools such as scissors, needles, and carving tools may also be borrowed pending their availability. Artists accepted to the program should inquire about available materials before they arrive. For artists working in ceramics, clay works are purchased at a per-pound rate ($3 bisqueware/$5 glazeware). Artists accepted to the program should inquire about available clay bodies, glazes, and the firing schedule during their stay.
Holden Village provides a small private studio space in the artist’s residence. The studio space has wood flooring and both natural and overhead light. The studio does not have a ventilation system; working with potentially hazardous materials in this space is discouraged.
Holden Village provides work tables, chairs, and additional lighting as needed by the artist. Aside from private studio space, Holden Village has a woodshop, pottery studio, loom room, library, stage, and a variety of musical instruments available for use.
Holden Village is located in a remote area with limited access to medical care. Holden Village provides basic first aid. Any illness or injury that requires care beyond first aid usually involves a trip to visit a medical provider in Chelan or Wenatchee (4 hours to 4 days away depending on season and weather). Emergency evacuations are possible, but are dependent on favorable weather conditions and can be costly. All residents are responsible for their own medications and any medical supplies that are needed. While there is usually an RN or EMT on staff, we cannot guarantee having licensed medical personnel onsite at all times. All people are welcome at Holden, but it is important that each person knows the limitations and challenges, and has a plan for their overall wellness (mental, physical, spiritual) and access to sufficient resources.
The Village landscape may be difficult to navigate for those with mobility challenges because of the steepness of many pathways, inconsistent paving, and incomplete accessibility. The artist’s residence and studio space are located at the top of a hill. We seek to support people with a variety of abilities and provide reasonable accommodations. If you have specific questions or concerns about accessibility and accommodations, please contact Program@HoldenVillage.org before applying so that we can determine whether Holden Village can support you.
The Holden Village kitchen can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Note that Holden Village’s food is primarily vegetarian. This may be challenging to those accustomed to eating animal protein often.
Holden Village is a community where your questions are valued and encouraged. Most programs led by visiting teaching faculty occur during the summer months. However, Holden also invites faculty to teach sessions for special events and retreats throughout the rest of the year.
Check out a list of the 2024 Summer Faculty.
