​Ucross Fellow Justin Torres received the prestigious National Book Award for Fiction for his novel Blackouts during the 74th NBA Ceremony & Benefit Dinner in New York City Wednesday evening. The event was hosted by LeVar Burton and featured special guest Oprah Winfrey.

Blackouts, published October 10, explores a conversation between a dying man and the young friend he educates. The book is “about storytelling — its legacies, dangers, delights, and potential for change — and a bold exploration of form, art, and love,” according to Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers. “Justin Torres’s Blackouts uses fiction to see through the inventions of history and narrative. A marvel of creative imagination, it draws on testimony, photographs, illustrations, and a range of influences as it insists that we look long and steadily at what we have inherited and what we have made — a world full of ghostly shadows and flashing moments of truth.”

As an emerging writer at age 28, Torres was awarded a one-month fellowship at Ucross, the acclaimed artist residency program in northern Wyoming, in 2008. He lived and worked in the historic Depot, which was once the Burlington Northern train depot in nearby Clearmont. The building was relocated to Ucross in the 1990s to house writer studios and bedrooms.

During his uninterrupted time at Ucross, Torres worked on his debut novel, We the Animals, which was released in 2011 to wide acclaim. The novel won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, was translated into 15 languages, and was adapted into a feature film. 

“You have increased the value of my life,” Torres wrote to Ucross staff after his residency.

Torres went on to be named a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” in 2012, a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and a Cullman Center Fellow at the New York Public Library. His short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, Granta, Tin House, and The Washington Post. He lives in Los Angeles and teaches at UCLA. 

“Justin is a phenomenal writer. We are proud to count him among our esteemed alumni,” said Ucross President and Executive Director William Belcher. “We are thrilled that his latest work, Blackouts, has been recognized with the National Book Award, and we are honored that Ucross played a role in his artistic path.” 

Ucross counts 10 National Book Award winners among its acclaimed alumni. Learn more about the residency program, which is accepting applications for its Fall 2024 session, here.

Ucross celebrated its 40th anniversary as an artist residency program at The Revaire in Houston, Texas, on November 2 with a gala and benefit that brought together the city’s arts and energy leaders. The evening, which included a performance by the Alley Theatre’s Susan Koozin and an awards ceremony honoring Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott D. Sheffield, raised more than $800,000 for the nonprofit organization. 

The link between arts and energy stemmed from Raymond Plank, the co-founder and longtime CEO of Apache Corporation, one of the nation’s largest independent oil and gas companies. A prominent business leader, Plank was also a philanthropist and an appreciator of the arts. He founded Ucross on a historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming in 1981 and welcomed the first artists-in-residence in 1983.

Over the next four decades, Ucross developed into one of the most respected artist communities in the nation and has supported more than 2,600 artists, including Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony Award winners, National Book Award winners, and Academy Award winners, among many others.

“Ucross is dedicated to fostering the creative spirit and honoring the creative process, without limits, expectations, or obligations,” said Ucross President William Belcher during the gala, inviting the 215-plus guests to imagine each fellow’s experience. “As an artist, your time is your own, to dedicate to the creative process, for the next two, four, or six weeks: uninterrupted time in the most beautiful land, with a chef who delivers lunch to your studio’s doorstep so you don’t have to stop working, and a staff dedicated to supporting your artistic vision.

“This is why we’re here, and this is what we must sustain for future generations of artists and those who believe in the power of art and the creative spirit.”

A celebration of the creative spirit, the Houston Gala & Benefit featured Ucross alumni spanning disciplines. Koozin and a band from the Alley Theatre performed “Lightning Strikes” from the musical Cowboy Bob, co-written by award-winning playwright and Ucross alumna Molly Beach Murphy. The evening also featured performances by acclaimed singer-songwriters and Ucross alumnae Kate Schutt of New York, New York, and Sarah Sample of Sheridan, Wyoming. Ucross alumnus Seth Tummins of Waverly, Tennessee, created an oil painting live throughout the evening, which was purchased by a guest at the live auction.

Ucross, the acclaimed artist residency program, announced today that the 11th annual Community Christmas Celebration will be held at the Raymond Plank Center on Saturday, December 16, beginning at 4 p.m. sharp. The family-friendly festivities are open to the public, with free tickets available here.

Craig Johnson, bestselling author and a longtime Ucross neighbor, will give a special fireplace reading of the new Christmas-themed short story featuring his celebrated character, Sheriff Walt Longmire. 

The evening also will feature a special performance by a former Ucross artist-in-residence, to be revealed, as well as caroling by the Buffalo High School Balladiers, crafts for children and festive refreshments.

The festivities will culminate in cannon fire by Ucross neighbor Joe Reed, launching a spectacular fireworks display by Bruce Burns. The festivities will be underscored by thousands of Christmas lights in the trees across The Park at Ucross, strung by Powder River Energy Corporation and Ucross staff.

“The Christmas celebration is one of our most beloved traditions, and it’s one way that we give back to our community,” said Ucross President William Belcher. “The evening is a joyful blend of artists, students, families, neighbors, and community members, all in the beautiful setting of Ucross, Wyoming. It’s the perfect way to close out our 40th anniversary year.”

In the spirit of Christmas, guests are invited to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items for families in need. After the event, Ucross will distribute the donated items to community food pantries in Sheridan, Buffalo and Clearmont.

Named for the nonprofit organization’s founder, the Raymond Plank Center is located at the intersection of Highways 14 and 16 East in Ucross. For directions, click here.

For free tickets, click here, or call 307-737-2291.

Ucross, a renowned artist residency program, has announced the Houston Gala & Benefit, to be held November 2 in Houston, Texas. The event will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the nonprofit organization and honor the legacy of its founder, the late Raymond Plank — World War II bomber pilot, business leader, philanthropist, and co-founder and longtime CEO of Apache Corporation — through the presentation of the 2023 Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership to Scott D. Sheffield, CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources. Sheffield will be introduced by former US Secretary of State and Chairman and CEO of Exxon Rex Tillerson, who was the inaugural recipient of the Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership at a Ucross benefit in Houston in 2019.
 
Plank’s legendary independence, business acumen, entrepreneurial vision, and generosity inspired, empowered, and supported generations of artists and business leaders to boldly pursue their own visions. The Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership was designed to honor and celebrate business leaders, philanthropists, and innovators who have forged their own path and had an enduring impact on business, the arts, or land stewardship.
 
“Nothing exemplifies Scott’s visionary leadership more than his foresight and commitment to unlocking the enormous potential of the Permian Basin Region, which provides the United States and the world with much-needed energy,” said Ucross Trustee Steve Farris of Boerne, Texas, former Chairman and CEO of Apache.
 
“We are thrilled to honor Scott Sheffield for his innovative leadership and contributions to the oil and gas industry,” agreed Ucross Trustee Roger Plank of Houston, Texas, Founder and Chairman of Apex International Energy, former President and CCO of Apache Corporation, and son of Raymond Plank. “My father would be pleased to see his legacy live on and celebrated in this way.”
 
Roger and his wife, Connie Plank, will co-chair the Houston Gala & Benefit with Steve and Vicki Farris.
 
Raymond Plank founded Ucross Foundation to foster the creative spirit by providing artists with uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, and the experience of the majestic High Plains, while serving as responsible stewards of its historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming.
 
Since welcoming its first artists in 1983, Ucross has developed into one of the most respected artist communities in the nation and supported more than 2,600 artists, including Pulitzer Prize winners, Tony Award winners, National Book Award winners, and Academy Award winners, among dozens of additional acclaimed visual artists, writers, composers, and choreographers.
 
The Houston Gala & Benefit, to be held at The Revaire in Houston, will transport attendees to Ucross’s stunning ranch overlooking the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming. Ucross alumnus Seth Tummins of Waverly, Tennessee, will create an oil painting live throughout the evening. The festivities will feature performances by Ucross alumna Kate Schutt of New York, New York; Ucross alumna Sarah Sample of Sheridan, Wyoming; and Alley Theatre performer Susan Koozin of Houston, Texas. Ucross partners with the Alley, as well as the Houston Ballet, the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program, and Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, among other national organizations.
 
“Having worked alongside Raymond Plank for over 50 years, I was able to observe firsthand not only his strategic vision, but also his commitment to giving back to organizations such as Ucross, the Fund For Teachers, the Plank Stewardship Initiative, and others,” said Jim Nelson, Ucross chairman and founding trustee. “It is an honor for me to welcome so many friends, donors, and partners to celebrate Raymond’s vision of Ucross 40 years ago and commit to supporting our next 40 years.”
 
More information about the Houston Gala & Benefit is available here.

,In celebration of the artist residency program’s 40th anniversary, Ucross Foundation held its first Wyoming gala at the Ucross Art Gallery on Wednesday, September 27. More than 225 people attended the sold-out event, raising $260,000 in support of the nonprofit organization’s mission to foster the creative spirit of artists and serve as a responsible steward of its 20,000-acre ranch. 

The event culminated with an awards ceremony honoring Governor Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon with the Outstanding Patrons of the Arts Award for their generosity and commitment to the arts in Wyoming and longtime Chairman Jim Nelson with the Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership for his vision and unwavering support for Ucross. Craig Johnson, the best-selling author of the Longmire series and a longtime Ucross neighbor, introduced the honorees.

After the ceremony, Governor Gordon issued a proclamation designating October as Wyoming Arts and Humanities Month.

“Let us embrace the power of the arts and humanities to inspire, educate, and unite us, fostering civic participation, mutual understanding, and a thriving cultural landscape that reflects the true spirit of Wyoming,” Governor Gordon said, inspiring a standing ovation. (Watch the video here.)

Throughout the evening, the Governor — a former trustee and ranch manager — emphasized Ucross’s ability to bring people together and the significant role the organization has played in the state and nation’s arts and humanities. Since 1983, Ucross has supported more than 2,600 writers, visual artists, composers, and choreographers. After their time in Ucross, Wyoming, many of these artists have gone on to create works experienced by millions of people across the world.

“There is something really amazing and magical about this place,” Governor Gordon said. “…People need to rest and get a sense of the peace that this state can give you, that these plains can give you.”

“The arts are so important to us, our culture, the things we do out here in the West,” said First Lady Jennie Gordon. “For us as a state, having an artist-in-residence program is so fulfilling to so many people. I think supporting it is so important.”
 
The Ucross 40th Anniversary Gala also included special recognition of the current and former artists-in-residence in attendance. Attendees explored the work of artist-alumni in the Ucross Art Gallery exhibition, The Shape of Time: 16 Photographers and Their Creative Paths. Later, singer-songwriters Kate Schutt of New York, New York, and Sarah Sample of Sheridan, Wyoming, performed and shared stories of their recent residencies, both highlighting the profound effect that the uninterrupted time and space has had on their work. 

“This is why we’re here,” said Ucross President William Belcher. “This is what we — all of us, everyone in this room who has been a part of Ucross’s story — have created, and this is what we must sustain for future generations of artists and those who believe in the power of art and the creative spirit.”

The funds raised during the 40th Anniversary Gala will help Ucross remain a meaningful and relevant resource for artists, the community, and the state of Wyoming. To learn more and support Ucross, click here.

Photos by Wandering Willow Imagery
Selection of Gala Photographs
Complimentary Guest Portraits

Videos by Lance Roth
Ucross 40th Anniversary Gala Video
Governor's Proclamation Video

Helanius J. Wilkins, an award-winning choreographer, performance artist, activist and educator based in Boulder, Colorado, is returning to Ucross to work with local community members on The Conversation Series: Stitching the Geopolitical Quilt to Re-Body Belonging, his project that includes new choreographies, a documentary film, and a digital archive of the process and performance.

“The work stitches together a ‘dance-quilt’ to broaden our understandings of what it means to be American and sew ourselves together anew,” explained Wilkins. “It is humbling and also an honor to have Ucross as an organizational partner to create one of my landing places in the state of Wyoming.”

Over several years, Wilkins will travel to all 50 states, Washington, DC., and five inhabited territories to discover the histories and stories of diverse communities and engage in conversations centering on belonging. He is guided by the question: “How can we get the world that we deserve — one that works for everyone?"

Presented and supported in part by Ucross, Wilkins will facilitate a series of these gatherings in Sheridan County. He began in early August by meeting privately with different groups, then engaged the greater community with public events. 

This month, he is returning to the Ucross area for two more public events. Learn more and register below.

Wednesday, September 6, at 5:30 p.m.
WYO Performing Arts & Education Center | 42 N. Main St., Sheridan, Wyoming

Belonging Conversation Community Gathering will return to the WYO Performing Arts and Education Center on Wednesday, September 6, at 5:30 p.m. Designed to bring together an intergenerational and inclusive group of Sheridan County residents, this community gathering creates a space to explore the topic of belonging from multiple entry points and perspectives and to illuminate how we are connected through shared stories. A continuation of previous gatherings, this event is free and open to the public.

To register for this conversation, please click here.

Saturday, September 9, at 5 p.m.
Ucross | 30 Big Red Lane, Ucross, Wyoming

On Saturday, September 9, at 5 p.m., Wilkins will offer a Choreographic Ritual – a site-based offering/response to the community that is part dance, part performance art, part meditation. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public. 

To register for this event, please click here.

Ucross has announced that its 40th Anniversary Gala, set for Wednesday, September 27, will feature performances by former artists-in-residence Kate Schutt of New York, New York, and Sarah Sample of Sheridan, Wyoming.
 
The Ucross alumni will give a songwriters in the round-style performance and share how the residency program impacted their creative process.
 
“I came to Ucross for a music residency,” Sample said. “I was gifted protected time and space. I was gifted respect and resources. I was given the opportunity to connect with other artists of different fields, all the time surrounded by a gorgeous Wyoming landscape.”
 
“Ucross is a wonder,” agreed Schutt, a three-time Ucross alumna who also serves as a trustee. “The setting, the spaces, the intimate scale of the residency with only 10 residents at a time, and the exquisite care taken in the most unobtrusive ways by the entire staff, from the chef to the maintenance crew, to make sure that our needs as artists are met — all of this is truly remarkable….
 
“Every single detail is thought of. There simply is no other artist residency that is more conducive to deep, creative focus. This place changes you and changes your work in the most spectacular and surprising ways.”
 
The Ucross 40th Anniversary Gala is a fundraising dinner that will support the nonprofit organization’s mission to foster the creative spirit of working artists, serve as responsible stewards of its historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming, and promote an appreciation of the creative process through community programs with alumni artists. All funds raised through table sales, ticket sales, the live auction, or donations in lieu of attending will help the artist residency program remain a meaningful and relevant resource for artists, the community and the state of Wyoming.
 
The gala will begin in the Ucross Art Gallery, carry through to the newly constructed Koehler Performing Arts Center and Lauren Anderson Dance Studio and continue outside to a heated tent and on the patio overlooking the Bighorn Mountains.
 
During the event, Ucross will present Gov. Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon with its Outstanding Patrons of the Arts Award for their generosity and commitment to the arts in Wyoming. The Gordons will be welcomed to the stage by best-selling author Craig Johnson, a longtime Ucross neighbor. Founding Trustee and longtime Chairman Jim Nelson will also be honored with the Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership for his vision and unwavering support for Ucross.
 
Since its residency program began in 1983, Ucross has developed into one of the most respected artist communities in the nation. More than 2,600 visual artists, writers, choreographers and composers have been to Ucross, benefiting from its uninterrupted time and studio space, as well as the experience of the majestic High Plains. Distinguished fellows include Annie Proulx, Colson Whitehead, Terry Tempest Williams, Billy Porter, Elizabeth Gilbert, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Ann Patchett, Sigrid Nunez, Ricky Ian Gordon, Bill Morrison, Theaster Gates, Joy Harjo, Anthony Hernandez, and Tayari Jones.
 
The Ucross Art Gallery is located at 30 Big Red Lane in Ucross, Wyoming. Tickets and more information about the Ucross 40th Anniversary Gala are available here.

Ucross Art Gallery announces its new exhibition, The Shape of Time: 16 Photographers and Their Creative Paths, which opened during the Ucross Arts Festival on August 20 with 300 attendees exploring the show, meeting the curator, and visiting the artists throughout the afternoon. The new Ucross Café, which opens today, will offer visitors another reason to visit Ucross, explore the exhibition and learn more about the organization’s mission. 

The Shape of Time, guest curated by Keith F. Davis of Sheridan, Wyoming, features 16 alumni of Ucross’s acclaimed artist residency program in northern Wyoming. The exhibition explores the nature of the creative process: where ideas are born and how — and why — an artist’s vision evolves.

“I think and hope that every viewer will find this show enriching,” Davis said. “The work is wonderfully varied in style and subject, and the overall theme gets to the heart of the artistic process. Each artist is represented by two works — one early, one more recent — and a statement on the journey in between. Years of work and thought are represented in the gap between the selected works, revealing so much about each artist’s approach. This exhibition allows us to appreciate what these superb artists have done as well as giving us special insight into how they think.”

The works in The Shape of Time range widely in both subject and technique. The featured artists embrace landscape and the historical resonance of place; notions of the self and family; the quality of our public spaces; politics and the state of contemporary society; and the nature of the photographic medium itself. The works included range from gelatin-silver and inkjet prints, negative images, time-based video works, and sculptural installations. In this variety, the exhibition suggests the vibrant state of photographic practice today.

The participating artists include: Barbara Bosworth of Stow, Massachusetts; Laura Cobb of Lincoln, Nebraska; Christina Fernandez of Norwalk, California; Anthony Hernandez of Fairfield, Idaho; Nicole Jean Hill of Eureka, California; Michael Kolster of Brunswick, Maine; Jin Lee of Chicago, Illinois; Serge J-F. Levy of Tucson, Arizona; Susan Moldenhauer of Laramie, Wyoming; Janet L. Pritchard of Mansfield Center, Connecticut; Victoria Sambunaris of New York, New York; Carla Shapiro of Kingston, New York; Joni Sterbach of Brooklyn, New York; Elizabeth Stone of Bonner, Montana; Youngsuk Suh of Berkeley, California, and Incheon, South Korea; and William S. Sutton of Boulder, Colorado.

Davis has been an art historian, author, and curator of photography for 45 years. He oversaw the Hallmark Photographic Collection from 1979 to 2005 and was founding and senior curator of photography at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2006 to 2020. He has curated more than 100 exhibitions, written or contributed to 50 books and catalogues, and lectured on various aspects of art and photo history across the U.S. and abroad. Davis was an artist-in-residence at Ucross in 2022.

Starting today, Ucross Art Gallery visitors will discover the new onsite café, which offers beverages featuring espresso by Snake River Roasting Company of Jackson, Wyoming, and freshly baked pastries by Ucross Chef Jackie Vitale. 

“We’re excited to provide the public with this taste of our artist residency program,” said Ucross Director of External Relations Caitlin Addlesperger. “Typically, our chef cooks and bakes exclusively for the 115 writers, visual artists, composers, and choreographers throughout the year, allowing them to focus on the creative process. Now, for the first time, we are sharing this culinary artistry with guests beyond the residency program.”

The Ucross Art Gallery is located at 30 Big Red Lane in Clearmont, Wyoming, and open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, thanks to generous support from the Wyoming Arts Council and Arete Design Group. The Ucross Café is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more.

Ucross announced today that Jackie Vitale is the new chef of the acclaimed artist residency program in northern Wyoming. 

Vitale joins Ucross with more than a decade of international experience in cooking, baking, and foodservice, with a strong background in the arts. Vitale’s professional experience includes co-owning an urban farm and restaurant in Florida, managing a subscription-based bakery business from her own home, and working as a cheesemaker in London. Her passions for the arts and cooking led her to a role as chef-in-residence at another famed residency program, the Rauschenberg Residency on Captiva Island in Florida. 

Vitale earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Studies from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts degree in Advanced Theater Practice from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, and she completed a postgraduate diploma in Sensorial Language and the Poetics of Play at La Universidad de Girona in Barcelona, Spain.

Vitale arrived at Ucross at the beginning of August, in advance of the start of the fall residency session.

“I am thrilled to join the team at Ucross,” Vitale said. “I have already loved feeding and nourishing the artists and connecting with local producers, and I look forward to exploring the beautiful Wyoming landscape.”

As residency chef, Vitale will prepare and deliver lunches to studios, and she will plan, prepare, and present dinners to the 115 visual artists, writers, composers, and choreographers who experience uninterrupted time and space on Ucross’s historic 20,000-acre ranch each year. After long days alone in their studios, the artists-in-residence unite around the dinner table, where they exchange stories and build lasting relationships. Ucross alumni often cite the significance of the food and dining experience on their creative process.

“Jackie’s residency experience, combined with her own artistry in the kitchen, make her the ideal next chef for our program,” said William Belcher, Ucross president and executive director. “Cindy Brooks, our longtime chef who retired earlier this year, was instrumental in connecting the dining experience to the creative process. I am confident that Jackie will maintain the level of care and nourishment that has become synonymous with our program.”

In addition to cooking for artists, Vitale will prepare hors d’oeuvres for special events and bake fresh pastries for the forthcoming Ucross Café, coming soon to the Ucross Art Gallery. 

This week, artists from across the nation traveled to Ucross for the start of Fall 2023 session, which marks the 40th anniversary of the acclaimed artist residency program.

From August through early December, 60 visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, and interdisciplinary artists will be at Ucross, which is located on a historic 20,000-acre ranch among the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming. This session’s cohort was selected from 635 applicants by an independent jury of artists and leaders in the field.

Notable Ucross Fellows this session include interdisciplinary artist and choreographer Ann Carlson of Santa Monica, California; nonfiction writer and editor Josh Kun of Pasadena, California; fiction author Ottessa Moshfegh of Pasadena, California; and painter Ann Quinn of Lifford, Ireland.

“We are honored to welcome this impressive group of working artists from across the world to the majestic High Plains of Wyoming,” said William Belcher, Ucross president and executive director. “This session will cap Ucross’s 40th year of fostering creativity by providing uninterrupted time, space, and support for artists of all backgrounds to create new work. We are inspired by our Ucross Fellows, and we are proud to serve as a meaningful resource for artists from around the world.”

Residencies range from two to six weeks, with a maximum of 10 artists in residence at one time. Ucross Fellows receive a private studio, living accommodations, meals by a professional chef, and the unparalleled experience of the majestic High Plains. The residency is fully funded, and Ucross provides fellows with a $1,000 stipend to defray the cost of travel and other expenses. 

This session’s roster includes general Ucross residents who applied through the open call to artists across disciplines; recipients of the Ucross Fellowships for Native American Visual Artists and Writers; and residents joining the program through program partnerships with esteemed national organizations, including the Alley Theatre, Yale School of Music, the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, and the Ford Family Foundation. The artists will travel to Ucross from 19 states, as well as Ireland and Nepal.

The Fall 2023 Ucross Fellows are:

LITERATURE
Dena Afrasiabi, Fiction, Austin, TX
Matthew Aquilone, Nonfiction, Brooklyn, NY
Lisa D’Amour, Playwriting, New Orleans, LA
Stacie Denetsosie, Fiction, Hyde Park, UT
Kelli Jo Ford, Fiction, Waynesboro, VA
C.R. Glasgow, Poetry, Seattle, WA
Isaac Gómez, Playwriting, Los Angeles, CA
Daniela González y Pérez, Playwriting, Brooklyn, NY
Carrie Hall, Nonfiction, Brooklyn, NY
Hadley Hammer, Nonfiction, Jackson, WY
Shannon TL Kearns, Screenwriting, Independence, KS
Josh Kun, Nonfiction, Pasadena, CA
Diana Keren Lee, Poetry, Longmont, CO
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins, Fiction, San Jose, CA
Peter Zaragoza Mayshle , Fiction, Pittsburgh, PA
Rob Melrose, Playwriting, Houston, TX
Ottessa Moshfegh, Fiction, Pasadena, CA
AriDy Nox, Playwriting, New York, NY
Doreen Oliver, Nonfiction, Maplewood, NJ
Tanya Rey, Fiction, Oakland, CA
Catherine Sheehy, Dramaturgy, West Haven, CT
Shruti Swamy, Fiction, San Francisco, CA
Jane Wong, Poetry, Seattle, WA

MUSIC/DANCE
Justin Cabrillos, Dance, Brooklyn, NY
Ann Carlson, Dance, Santa Monica, CA
Rachel Gill, Dance, Brooklyn, NY
Ganavya Doraiswamy, Music Composition, Davie, FL
Chelsea Hecht, Dance, Brooklyn, NY
Samuel Hollister, Music Composition, New Haven, CT
Rainey Knudson, Interdisciplinary, Houston, TX
Anna Lee, Music Composition, Scarsdale, NY
Migiwa Miyajima, Music Composition, New York, NY
Dave Munsick, Music Composition, Dayton, WY
Alanna Oh, Music Composition, Somerville, MA
Cleo Reed, Music Composition, Brooklyn, NY
Mary Ellen Strom, Dance, Jamaica Plain, MA
Axl Kumar Tamang, Music Composition, Kathmandu, Nepal
Brandon Welch, Dance, Longmont, CO
Helanius J. Wilkins, Dance, Boulder, CO

VISUAL ARTS
Stuart Arends, Painting, Estancia, NM
Jiayi Chen, Performance Art/Video, Chicago, IL
Tracey Cockrell, Sculpture, Woodstock, NY
Daniel Corral, Interdisciplinary, Pasadena, CA
Marsian De Lellis, Interdisciplinary, Los Angeles, CA
Christopher Falliers, Mixed Media, Berkeley, CA
Alexander Gedeon, Interdisciplinary, Granada Hills, CA
Bean Gilsdorf, Mixed Media, Portland, OR
Jodie Goodnough, Mixed Media, Pawtucket, RI
Bing Guan, Photography, Forest Hills, NY
Hollis Hammonds, Mixed Media, Austin, TX
Margaret Jacobs, Sculpture, Salem, NY
Daeun Jung, Interdisciplinary, Downey, CA
Shona Macdonald, Drawing, South Hadley, MA
Marc Mitchell, Painting, Fayetteville, AR
Darren Orange, Painting, Astoria, OR
Leslie Roberts, Painting, Brooklyn, NY
Cara Romero, Photography, Santa Fe, NM
Ann Quinn, Painting, Lifford, Ireland
Tal Yarden, Performance Art/Video, Brooklyn, NY

Since Ucross’s first residencies were awarded in 1983, more than 2,600 artists have received the gift of time and space. Distinguished Fellows include Annie Proulx, Terry Tempest Williams, Elizabeth Gilbert, Ann Patchett, Bill Morrison, Theaster Gates, Anthony Hernandez, and Tayari Jones. National Book Award winners Susan Choi, Sigrid Nunez, and Sarah M. Broom have been residents, as have Academy Award and Tony winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Emmy Award winner Billy Porter, Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead, and former three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo.

Fall 2023 Ucross artists will be honored guests at the 40th Anniversary Gala on September 27. The evening will include a fall dinner, performances by Ucross artists and an awards ceremony honoring Governor Mark and First Lady Jennie Gordon and longtime Chairman Jim Nelson, presented by bestselling author Craig Johnson.