| The foundation accepted its first residents in 1983 and today is an internationally known working retreat for over 60 artists and writers annually, hosting painters, poets, sculptors, writers, photographers, filmmakers and others from across the United States and around the world. Applications are reviewed by an independent committee and selected individuals are awarded residencies of two to eight weeks at Big Red, which include meals, private studios, and the experience of the High Plains landscape. Many participating artists choose to present their work publicly, providing a significant cultural resource for local communities. Conference facilities and the Big Red Art Gallery draw many visitors year-round. | The Ucross Ranch is a developing model for ecologically sound, holistic ranching practices. In 1999 the foundation protected its historic landscape in perpetuity with a conservation easement held by the Wyoming Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. As part of this initiative, the residency program is expanding to include fellowships for those working in the natural sciences.Today, the ranch house where Raymond Plank contemplated yesterdays and dreamed of tomorrows is home to the Ucross Foundation, is listed on the National Historic Register and rings with the energy of commitment to the historic and cultural community of the West. |
Built in 1882 and one of the oldest standing houses in the area, the Big Red Ranch House serves today as the main office of the Ucross Foundation. © Rhona Bitner
Plank challenged friends and associates to reinvent Big Red in the 20th century, and a vision formed: the restoration of these historic buildings could render this site as relevant to people in the future as it had been to those of the past. The Ucross Foundation was incorporated as a nonprofit organization, and the 22,000-acre property continued as a working cattle ranch. The Foundation's mission was threefold: (1) A residency program providing uninterrupted time and space in which to nurture the creative spirit for selected artists and writers; (2) meeting facilities for community and regional consensus-building; and (3) a model of land stewardship integrated with ranching in the open spaces of northeast Wyoming.