 Ucross and the Bighorn Audubon Society invite the public to a free, guided bird walk on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. The event offers a special opportunity to witness spring migration and explore the diverse ecosystems of the Ucross Ranch, one of Wyoming’s officially designated Important Bird Areas (IBA).
Participants will meet at the Ucross Art Gallery before setting off on a scenic, 1.5-mile loop through the ranch’s varied terrain, including wetland areas and open grasslands that provide prime birdwatching opportunities during the spring migration. The walk will last approximately an hour and a half. Guests are encouraged to bring binoculars, wear sturdy walking shoes, and dress for the weather. Spring is an especially active time for birdlife in northeastern Wyoming. Likely sightings include mountain bluebirds, western meadowlarks, sandhill cranes, great blue herons, bald eagles, ferruginous hawks, Swainson’s hawks, wild turkeys, long-billed curlews, and greater sage-grouse. “We’re delighted to welcome the public to this inspiring corner of the High Plains and to share the ecological importance of the Ucross landscape,” said Caitlin Addlesperger, President and Executive Director of Ucross. “It’s a chance to connect with nature and celebrate the wildlife that makes this place so special.” The Ucross Ranch received its Important Bird Area designation in 2015 through the leadership of Dr. Jackie Canterbury, former President of the Bighorn Audubon Society. Located on the western edge of the Powder River Basin, the ranch offers diverse habitats—including riparian corridors, wetlands, native grasslands, and sagebrush scrublands—that support species of conservation concern. The designation reflects Ucross’s long-standing commitment to land stewardship, strengthened by habitat improvements from the Apache Foundation, environmental research by Yale University, and creative works by Ucross artists-in-residence that celebrate the region’s birdlife. The Bighorn Audubon Society, a regional chapter of the National Audubon Society, has served northeastern Wyoming since 1970. Through educational programs, field trips, conservation advocacy, and community engagement, the organization works to protect birds and their habitats while promoting a healthy natural world for future generations. The Ucross Art Gallery is at 30 Big Red Lane in Ucross, Wyoming. The bird walk is free and open to all ages. To RSVP, visit tinyurl.com/UcrossBirdWalk.  Ucross has launched our spring session, welcoming a new cohort of artists-in-residence to its renowned program. From February through early June, 59 writers, visual artists, composers, choreographers, and interdisciplinary artists will receive residencies on Ucross’s 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming. "Every season, Ucross brings together an extraordinary group of artists, each with a unique voice and vision," said Caitlin Addlesperger, Ucross President and Executive Director. "We are proud to offer them an environment where they can fully immerse themselves in their work, free from the distractions of daily life. The impact of this time—both on their individual practices and on the broader arts community—is profound." Among this session’s distinguished fellows is Venezuelan-born jazz pianist and composer Edward Simon, whose work has earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship. Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, a novelist from Whittier, North Carolina, is the first enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to publish a novel with a major publisher. Victor Lodato, an award-winning writer and playwright from Ashland, Oregon, has had his short fiction and essays published in both The New Yorker and The New York Times. In the visual arts and interdisciplinary fields, Leila Weefur of Oakland, California, is known for their thought-provoking work in video and installation, while Tabitha Arnold, a textile artist from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has gained recognition for her intricate tapestries that explore themes of labor and social justice. Fellowships range from two to six weeks, with a maximum of 10 artists in residence at a time. Ucross Fellows receive a private studio, living accommodations, meals prepared by a professional chef, and the opportunity to work in solitude amid the vast and inspiring landscape of the High Plains. The residency is fully funded and includes a stipend to offset expenses. This session’s roster includes artists selected from 610 applicants by an independent jury of established artists, critics and arts leaders, as well as the 2025 recipients of the Ucross Fellowship for Native American Artists. In addition, several artists will join the program through partnerships with esteemed national organizations, including the PEN/Hemingway Award, Rice University Shepherd School of Music, University of Houston, and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. The Spring 2025 fellows represent 17 U.S. states—California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming—as well as Belgium, Canada, and Japan. The Spring 2025 Ucross Fellows are:
LITERATURE Yu-Mei Balasingamchow; Fiction; Jamaica Plain, MA Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle; Fiction; Whittier, NC Naomi Cohn; Nonfiction/Poetry; St. Paul, MN Mashuq Mushtaq Deen; Playwriting; Bronx, NY Claire Fowler; Screenwriting; Los Angeles, CA Siham Inshassi; Fiction; Old Bridge, NJ Tajja Isen; Nonfiction; Las Vegas, NV Christiane Jacox; Poetry; Ridgefield, CT Renee Lepreau; Poetry; Oakland, CA Karolina Letunova; Fiction; Davis, CA Victor Lodato; Fiction; Ashland, OR Mimi Lok; Fiction; San Francisco, CA Kyla Marshell; Nonfiction; Brooklyn, NY Olivia Morgan; Nonfiction; Woods Hole, MA Erlina Ortiz; Playwriting; Haddonfield, NJ Alex Park; Nonfiction; Oakland, CA Aelita Rose Parker; Fiction; Brooklyn, NY Hilary Peach; Fiction; New Westminster, CAN Craig Morgan Teicher; Poetry; West Orange, NJ Cindy Tran; Poetry; New York, NY Raksha Vasudevan; Nonfiction; Denver, CO Carvell Wallace; Fiction; Oakland, CA S. Kirk Walsh; Fiction; Austin, TX Mathew Weitman; Poetry; Houston, TX MUSIC, DANCE & PERFORMANCE Kristel Baldoz; Dance; Long Island City, NY Stephanie Barber; Performance; Philadelphia, PA Gregory Barnett; Music Composition; Houston, TX bashexo; Performance; Medford, MA Gelsey Bell; Music Composition; Brooklyn, NY Caroline Davis; Music Composition; Brooklyn, NY Mychal Fisher; Music Composition; St. Paul, MN Sid Gopinath; Music Composition; Brooklyn, NY deVon Gray; Music Composition; St. Paul, MN Amelia Heintzelman; Dance; Flushing, NY Sarah Ortegon HighWalking; Performance; Denver, CO Anne Mason; Theater; Laramie, WY RaShonda Reeves; Music Composition; Richmond, TX Edward Simon; Music Composition; Emeryville, CA Eli Winter; Music Composition; Chicago, IL Nathan Wooley; Music Composition; Brooklyn, NY VISUAL ARTS Tabitha Arnold; Sculpture; Chattanooga, TN Rachel Bacon; Drawing; Brussels, Belgium Tulu Bayar; Printmaking; Lewisburg, PA Jennifer Berger; Drawing; Los Angeles, CA Jennifer Gunlock; Installation; Los Angeles, CA Véra “V” Haddad; Film/Installation/Drawing/Photo; Palenville, NY Gina Herrera; Sculpture; Bakersfield, CA Ruth Jeyaveeran; Installation; Brooklyn, NY Erin Semine Kökdil; Film/Video; Norman, OK Summer McCorkle; Mixed Media; Brooklyn, NY Marisol Ruiz; Painting; Brooklyn, NY Rivers Qinnan Zhu; Mixed Media; Tokyo, Japan INTERDISCIPLINARY Jamal Batts; Philadelphia, PA Woohee Cho; Los Angeles, CA Nan Collymore; New York, NY Grant Cutler; Brooklyn, NY Erin Elder; Albuquerque, NM Laura Heit; Portland, OR Ra Malika Imhotep; Atlanta, GA Leila Weefur; Oakland, CA The public will have an opportunity to explore the studios and work of the final cohort of artists during Ucross Founder’s Day on May 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since Ucross’s first residencies were awarded in 1983, nearly 3,000 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. To learn more about Ucross and its residency program, visit ucross.org.  (Top image) "Wind Cuts Through It,” Steven J. Yazzie, 2023 (Bottom image) "Tall Blades," by Jeremy Dennis, 2024 The Ucross Art Gallery announces the opening of The Language of the Land, an exhibition featuring the artwork of the 2024 recipients of the Ucross Fellowship for Native American Artists, including multidisciplinary artist Steven J. Yazzie (Diné/Pueblo of Laguna/European ancestry) of Denver, Colorado; fine art photographer Jeremy Dennis (Shinnecock Indian Nation) of Southampton, New York; and poet and writer Danielle Shandiin Emerson (Diné) of Shiprock, New Mexico.
Curated by Sean Chandler (Aaniiih), a former Ucross artist-in-residence and the president of Aaniiih Nakoda College on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana, The Language of the Land explores the profound connection between land, identity, and storytelling through photography, mixed media, and poetry. “The land holds our identity, our stories, and our truth about ourselves,” Chandler said. “Steven, Jeremy, and Danielle have each interpreted their own connection to the land, creating works that are deeply personal and universally resonant. Their art speaks to the strength, resilience, and spiritual connection that Indigenous peoples have with their environment.” Steven J. Yazzie, a multidisciplinary artist of Diné, Pueblo of Laguna, and European ancestry, explores themes of identity, memory, and the perception of space and place. Through photography, he blends observation with imagination, using postproduction techniques to create layered narratives that challenge viewers to reconsider the natural world and its sacredness. One of his featured works, Canyon, is a composite of drone footage juxtaposing shadowy slot canyons with a starry expanse, offering a striking visual dialogue between earth and cosmos. Jeremy Dennis, a contemporary fine art photographer and member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, examines Indigenous identity, assimilation, and cultural preservation. His work blends humor and truth to address issues such as treaty rights and historical misrepresentation. His piece The Present Day humorously critiques non-Native perspectives while reclaiming Indigenous narratives. Beyond his photography, Dennis is the founder of Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting artistic expression among underrepresented communities. Danielle Shandiin Emerson, a fiction writer, poet, and playwright of Diné heritage, uses her creative practice to process trauma, celebrate her culture, and explore intergenerational connections. Her poetry and mixed-media works featured in the exhibition delve into themes of resilience, kinship, and healing. Deeply personal yet widely resonant, her art is rooted in family storytelling and a profound relationship with the land, offering an emotional and reflective journey for viewers. Established in 2018, the Ucross Fellowship for Native American Artists supports contemporary Indigenous visual artists, writers, and, soon, performers. The fellowship offers a four-week residency, which includes private studio space, living accommodations, staff support, and meals prepared by a professional chef—all within the inspiring landscape of the majestic High Plains of Wyoming. Ucross Native American Fellows are also provided with a $2,000 award and the opportunity to showcase their work publicly in art exhibitions such as The Language of the Land, as well as readings and performances. Yazzie, who was an artist-in-residence in spring 2024, reflected on the impact of the fellowship, saying, “Ucross is a place where creativity is unbounded, and the mind is free to roam. The residency captures the essence of artistic freedom, set against the vast and expansive landscape.” The Language of the Land will be on view at the Ucross Art Gallery through May 10. The public is invited to meet the curator and artists during two special events on April 18: an 11 a.m. artist talk in Kinnison Hall at Sheridan College and a 6 p.m. reception at the Ucross Art Gallery. The exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. Additional exhibition support is provided by the Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming Legislature.  A Ucross artist-in-residence hikes on the ranch. Photo by Ucross Fellow Martirene Alcantara Today, Ucross announced that it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $40,000. This grant will support the launch of the Ucross Time x Place Fellowship. The NEA will award 1,127 Grants for Arts Projects awards nationwide totaling more than $31.8 million as part of the recent announcement of fiscal year 2025 grants. “The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place, including Ucross’s Time x Place Fellowship.” “We are grateful for the opportunity to develop this new thematic fellowship, which will connect Ucross’s artist-centric residency experience with a sense of place through the stunning landscape of northern Wyoming,” said Caitlin Addlesperger, President and Executive Director of Ucross. “This generous grant award from the NEA gives us both uplifting and material support to bring our vision to fruition.” Starting in Fall 2025, the Ucross Time x Place Fellowship will support an interdisciplinary artist as they create a project incorporating the Ucross Ranch, a 20,000-acre property that has inspired nearly 3,000 artists for more than four decades. Since 1983, Ucross has been committed to fostering the creative process through the gift of uninterrupted time and space on its historic ranch. The residency program has become a valuable and sought-after resource for writers, visual and interdisciplinary artists, composers, and choreographers from across the world. In addition to a month-long artist residency at Ucross, the Time x Place Fellowship will include a public performance that connects the land to the Koehler Performing Arts Center, a state-of-the-art building that includes the Lauren Anderson Dance Studio, constructed in 2022, thanks to a leadership gift from Deborah and Edward Koehler. Ucross will announce the inaugural recipient this fall. For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, click here. Learn more about Ucross and its artist residency program, land, and community programming at the Ucross Art Gallery here.  The Ucross composer's cabin, Jesse's Hideout I, rests quietly in the winter among the hills, plains, and creeks of the Ucross Ranch. Photo by Ucross Fellow Martirene Alcantara
 Ucross is pleased to announce that applications are now open for our Fall 2025 residency session. Artists, writers, composers, choreographers, interdisciplinary artists, performance artists, and collaborative teams are encouraged to apply. Dedicated Native American Fellowships are also available for visual artists and writers.
The mission of Ucross Foundation is to foster the creative spirit of deeply committed artists and groups by providing uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, and the experience of the majestic High Plains while serving as a responsible steward of our historic 20,000-acre ranch. Since opening our residency program in 1983, Ucross has hosted nearly 3,000 artists, each benefiting from the residency’s unique blend of solitude and community. “We strive to offer artists a rare opportunity to disconnect from everyday demands and immerse themselves in a setting that nurtures their creative process in every way,” said Ucross President and Executive Director William Belcher. “We support each artist’s practice by providing the space, time, and inspiration needed to pursue their work to its fullest potential.” The Fall 2025 session will run from early August to early December, with residencies ranging from two to six weeks. Each artist-in-residence receives a private studio, living accommodations, staff support, meals prepared by a professional chef, and a stipend. Applications are open to both emerging and established artists. Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. MT on January 15, 2025. Click here to get started.  Ucross is pleased to announce its 12th annual Community Christmas Celebration, taking place on Saturday, December 14, at the Raymond Plank Center. The festivities, starting promptly at 4 p.m., are open to the public, and complimentary tickets are available on Eventbrite.
Bestselling author and longtime Ucross neighbor Craig Johnson will offer a special fireplace reading of his latest Christmas-themed short story. The evening’s entertainment will also feature a performance by Sheridan locals Dave and Julie Huebner, members of the band The Two Tracks, as well as caroling by the Buffalo High School Balladiers. Refreshments will be served throughout the evening, and children can enjoy holiday crafts upstairs. The celebration will conclude with cannon fire by Ucross neighbor Joe Reed, followed by a fireworks display orchestrated by Bruce Burns. This year’s cannon will honor Kel Harris, Ucross’ cherished Horticulture Manager, who passed away earlier this year. The Park at Ucross will be illuminated with thousands of twinkling Christmas lights, strung by Powder River Energy Corporation and Ucross staff, adding to the festive atmosphere. “The Christmas celebration is one of our longest-standing traditions and a meaningful way for us to share in the holiday spirit with the community,” said Ucross President William Belcher. “It’s a time to gather and celebrate the season in the beautiful setting of Ucross with artists, families, and community members.” In the spirit of giving, attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods and nonperishable food items, which Ucross will donate to local food pantries in Sheridan, Buffalo, and Clearmont. The Raymond Plank Center, named in honor of Ucross’ founder, is located at the junction of Highways 14 and 16 East. Carpooling is highly encouraged. For more details and to reserve your free tickets here. View a video of last year's event.  At its fall gala on Thursday, September 26, Ucross announced William Belcher will step down from his leadership position. Caitlin Addlesperger, an experienced arts administrator and Ucross’s current deputy director, has been appointed the next president and executive director of the acclaimed artist residency program in northern Wyoming, effective January 1, 2025.
“We’re pleased to announce that Caitlin has agreed to serve as our next president and executive director,” said Jim Nelson, chair and founding trustee of Ucross Foundation. “Raymond Plank, our founder, wanted Ucross to be relevant for future generations. With her leadership, her professionalism, and her dedication to our mission, Caitlin is well-positioned to ensure that Ucross remains a relevant resource for artists and the community.” Addlesperger is an arts administrator with experience in nonprofit leadership, marketing, development, and community building. As a key member of the leadership team at Ucross, she has worked closely with the president and board of trustees to support the mission of the organization and position it for future success. As deputy director, Addlesperger has been involved in all facets of the organization, including finance, human resources, programs, operations, and fundraising. In collaboration with Belcher and the Board of Trustees, she is devising a new long-range plan for Ucross that will guide its goals and decision-making through 2029. “As we look toward the future, I am deeply honored to take on this leadership role,” Addlesperger said. “Ucross holds a special place in the hearts of thousands of artists across the world, thanks to our simple but profound gift: time and space on our vast ranch. Inspired by the extraordinary legacy of Bill Belcher and Sharon Dynak, the preceding Ucross presidents and my mentors and friends, I look forward to working with our board, staff, artists, and community to build upon our vision to foster the creative spirit, shape our culture, and connect with the land.” Since joining the Ucross team in 2020, Addlesperger has expanded the nonprofit’s outreach, engagement, and external relations efforts, which supported the success of its 40th Anniversary Campaign. She has produced Ucross’s annual Founder’s Day, Arts Festival, and major events across the U.S., including the 2023 galas in Wyoming and Texas; a performance and awards ceremony with three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo at the WYO Theater in Sheridan, Wyoming; and a poetry event featuring M.L. Smoker at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Addlesperger’s professional experience includes work to foster engagement with arts and culture at Umbra Institute, an American school in Perugia, Italy; the national headquarters of Eataly USA in New York City; and The Sheridan Press. She is a 2023 graduate of the Leadership Wyoming program, and she currently serves on the boards of Wyoming Arts Alliance, WYO Performing Arts and Education Center, Bighorn Arts Collective, and Sheridan County Travel and Tourism. Addlesperger lives in Sheridan with her husband and their three-year-old daughter. At the end of the year, she and her family will move to Ucross. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I’d like to thank Bill for his work over the past seven years,” said Nelson. “Bill has positioned Ucross for a bright future through his fundraising, strategic planning, and steady leadership.” Belcher joined Ucross in 2017 as director of development and external relations and was appointed president and executive director after Ucross’s long-time leader Sharon Dynak announced her retirement in 2021. During his tenure, Ucross expanded its commitment to artists, improved its facilities, strengthened its community programs and outreach, raised its regional and national profile, and invested in staff development and professional practices. Belcher has been at the helm of Ucross during a period of growth and transformation. He led the organization through its first comprehensive fundraising campaign. While doing so, he made progress in diversifying its revenue sources, securing major institutional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, and other grantors; fundraising event revenue through large-scale galas in Wyoming and Texas; and donations from individuals, including trustees, alumni, and friends of Ucross. At the same time, Ucross further positioned itself as a leader in the field and one of the most sought-after and respected residency programs in the country. Applications to the program grew, stipend support to artists increased, and the organization’s prestigious Fellowship for Native American Artists expanded to include Native performers. On the capital improvement side, Belcher led Ucross through the renovation of the Big Red Barn (Ucross Art Gallery) and the construction of a new state-of-the-art dance studio in the Koehler Performing Arts Center, as well as other facilities and infrastructure projects. Through it all, Belcher has remained dedicated to artists and the creation of new work, focusing his attention on the artist experience, the creative process, and the organization’s ability to provide uninterrupted time, free of obligation or distraction. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” said Belcher. “As the organization takes its next step forward, I’m also proud of the staff we’ve built — a group of talented individuals who are committed to our mission and the role Ucross plays in the world. Caitlin’s creativity, her vision, and her ability to inspire others has already contributed so much to the organization’s success. Under her leadership, Ucross will continue to be beacon for artists and a leader in the field.”  Ucross is thrilled to announce that it has awarded 57 fellowships for the Fall 2024 session. Ten at a time, from August through December, these visual artists, writers, composers, choreographers, and interdisciplinary artists will experience uninterrupted time to focus on their creative projects on Ucross’s historic 20,000-acre ranch. Ranging from two to six weeks, residencies include a private studio, living accommodations, staff support, meals by a professional chef, and the experience of living on Wyoming’s High Plains. The fellowship is fully funded and includes a stipend. The Fall 2024 fellows will travel to Ucross from 18 states, as well as Brazil, Italy and Canada. From an application pool of 635 artists, this session’s general fellows were selected by an independent jury of artists and leaders in the field. In addition, several artists will join the program through partnerships with esteemed national organizations, including the Alley Theatre, University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, UCLA Center for the Art of Performance, Ford Family Foundation, Yale School of Music, and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, as well as Ucross’s own Fellowship for Native American Visual Artists and Writers. “As our reputation for being an artist sanctuary keeps growing, we continue to see a record number of applications. During the next several months, we will welcome nearly 60 extraordinary artists to Ucross, Wyoming,” said William Belcher, President and Executive Director of Ucross. “The experience we provide continues to attract artists from all around the world, and we are honored to provide time, space, and support for these talented individuals to create new work and pursue their artistic vision.” Fall 2024 Ucross Fellows include internationally recognized fiber artist and sculptor Beili Lu of Austin, Texas, recent winner of an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship; performance artist Kailee McGee of Glendale, California, whose latest motion picture, Can, will premiere at SXSW Film Fest this year; dancer and choreographer Teddy Tedholm of New York, New York; and Ucross Native American Fellowship recipient Danielle Emerson of Providence, Rhode Island, the 2022 winner of the Aliki Perroti and Seth Frank Most Promising Young Poet Award. The Fall 2024 Ucross Fellows are: LITERATURE Afua Ansong; Poetry; North Providence, RI Liz Brown; Nonfiction; Los Angeles, CA Carrie Cogan; Fiction; British Columbia, Canada Diana Delgado; Poetry; Seattle, WA Jessie van Eerden; Fiction; Roanoke, VA Danielle Emerson; Fiction; Providence, RI Emily Feldman; Playwriting; New York, NY Zack Fine; Playwriting; Los Angeles, CA Megan Culhane Galbraith; Nonfiction; Troy, NY Monet Hurst-Mendoza; Playwriting; Los Angeles, CA Ali Keller; Playwriting; Astoria, NY Elaine Kim; Fiction; Brooklyn, NY Corrine Noel Knapp; Poetry/Nonfiction; Laramie, WY Andrea Lawlor; Poetry; Northampton, MA Rob Melrose; Playwriting; Houston, TX Felipe Franco Munhoz; Fiction; São Paulo, Brazil Achim Nowak; Nonfiction; Hollywood, FL Misha Rai; Fiction; Sewanee, TN Jaymes Sanchez; Playwriting; Brooklyn, NY Eleni Sikelianos; Poetry; Providence, RI Kate Sullivan; Fiction; Hudson, NY Hongbo Tan; Nonfiction; Jersey City, NJ Brian Truong; Nonfiction; Brooklyn, NY Paul Walsh; Translation; New Haven, CT MUSIC/DANCE/PERFORMANCE Vienna Carroll; Performance; New York, NY Levi Gonzalez; Dance; North Bennington, VT Sarah Lass; Dance; Laramie, WY Kailee McGee; Performance; Glendale, CA Qi Ming; Music Composition; New York, NY Kayvon Pourazer; Dance; Brooklyn, NY Mafalda Santos; Music Composition; New Haven, CT Nicky Sohn; Music Composition; Houston, TX Justice Steward; Music Composition; Nashville, TN Teddy Tedholm; Dance; New York, NY Benjamin Webster; Music Composition; New Haven, CT Therese Workman; Music Composition; Brooklyn, NY VISUAL ARTS Hartmut Austen; Painting; Arlington, MA Anahita Bagheri; Sculpture; New York, NY Marwin Begaye; Printmaking; Norman, OK Josh Dorman; Mixed Media; New York, NY Jeremiah Jossim; Painting; Gainesville, FL Nancy Young Kim; Mixed Media; Bologna, Italy Sandy de Lissovoy; Sculpture; Lexington VA Beili Liu; Fiber/Sculpture; Austin, TX Linn Meyers; Painting; Washington, D.C. Susan Murrell; Painting; La Grande, OR Julie Pereira; Installation; New Hampton, NH Gil Rocha; Mixed Media; Laredo, TX Estefania Velez Rodriguez; Painting; Ridgewood, NY Tyler Stoll; Mixed Media; Portland, OR Amanda Teixeira; Sculpture; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Natalie Woodlock; Printmaking; Minneapolis, MN INTERDISCIPLINARY Chisaraokwu Asomugha; Torrance, CA Paula Matthusen; Middletown, CT Katherine Profeta; Brooklyn, NY Michiko Theurer; Boulder, CO Tuce Yasak; Brooklyn, NY Netta Yerushalmy; New York, NY Since Ucross’s first residencies were awarded in 1983, more than 2,700 artists have received the gift of time and space. Distinguished Ucross 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 three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. Ucross will open applications for residencies in Fall 2025 on November 1, 2024. Learn more.  Ucross Fellows pose in front of an artist's studio during the beginning of the Fall 20224 session. Clockwise, from top left: choreographer Levi Gonzalez, poet Afua Ansong, composer and performer Vienna Carroll, poet Eleni Sikelianos, playwright Jaymes Sanchez, printmaker Natalie Woodlock, composer Benjamin Webster, sculptor Sandy de Lissovoy, painter Estefania Velez Rodriguez, and dancer/choreographer Kayvon Pourazer.  Anna Sale. Photo by Mindy Tucker Today, Ucross announces the award-winning artists to be featured at its gala on September 26, including celebrated author and podcast host Anna Sale, painter Roxanne Everett, and singer-songwriter Beth McIntosh.
A Place in Time: The Ucross Gala will celebrate the residency program’s dedication to fostering the creative spirit of working artists by providing uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, staff support, and the experience of the High Plains, while serving as a responsible steward of its historic 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming. The Ucross Gala will also honor former Senator Alan Simpson and Ann Simpson with the Raymond Plank Award for Visionary Leadership. The award honors and celebrates business leaders, philanthropists, and innovators who have forged their own path and had an enduring impact on business, the arts, or land stewardship. The Simpsons have a demonstrated history of leadership across these fields, from the Senator’s celebrated service in the U.S. Senate and Wyoming House of Representatives, to Mrs. Simpson’s advocacy for arts and mental health. The Simpsons will be introduced by Anna Sale, author of Let’s Talk About Hard Things, whose podcast Death, Sex & Money has been awarded Gracie, Webby, and Ambie awards. In a 2014 podcast episode, Sale interviewed Senator and Mrs. Simpson about their serendipitous intervention in a romance with her then-boyfriend, Arthur Middleton. Now married and the parents of two children, Sale and Middleton live in Berkeley, California, and spend summers in Cody, Wyoming. They have grown to be close family friends with the Simpsons. The Ucross Gala will also feature Ucross alumna and Washington State-based contemporary landscape painter Roxanne Everett, who will paint en plein air during the gala. The resulting painting will be up for bid during the evening’s fundraiser auction. Along with exhibiting her award-winning paintings internationally, Everett has served as a backcountry forest ranger, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, and retains her Washington State Architectural License. In addition, Ucross alumna and musician, poet, and storyteller Beth McIntosh of Jackson will perform during the gala. Winner of a Wyoming Performing Arts Fellowship, she has traveled extensively throughout the state and the nation, performing alongside artists and writers such as Emmylou Harris, Leo Kottke, and Terry Tempest Williams, a fellow Ucross alumna. Heading The Ucross Gala auction is Kevin Doyle, also of Jackson. After working for Sotheby’s as vice president in business management for 20 years, Doyle joined Jackson Hole Art Auction as company part- ner and managing director in 2021. Ucross is pleased to partner with Doyle to highlight exclusive to-be -announced auction items and experiences as the fundraising component of The Ucross Gala. “It wouldn’t be a Ucross event without the opportunity to experience the work of our alumni artists, live, and in-person,” said William Belcher, President and Executive Director. “We are honored that Beth McIntosh and Roxanne Everett have joined the program. And we are thrilled to have Anna Sale and Kevin Doyle participate in the evening’s festivities. These four incredible guests will help us celebrate the power of storytelling, the creative process, and the role that Ucross plays in so many artists’ lives.” Since 1983, Ucross has provided residencies to more than 2,700 writers, visual artists, composers, choreographers and interdisciplinary artists from across the world. Ucross champions artist-alumni via world-class community programming, including events, workshops, publications and exhibitions in the Ucross Art Gallery. All proceeds raised during the gala will be used to continue this legacy. A select number of tables and tickets are available at ucross.org or by calling 307-737-2291.  On Friday, August 9, surrounded by her friends, family, and flowers, we will say goodbye to Kel Harris, who died on July 31. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss. Since Kel joined Ucross as Horticulture Manager in 2019, she brought color to our campus and personality to our team. Quick with a joke, she loved to share her passion for travel, jazz, and — above all else — flowers. Her vibrant horticultural design throughout our grounds inspired more than 500 artists, writers, composers, and choreographers from around the world, as well as thousands of visitors to the Ucross Art Gallery, The Park at Ucross, and the Raymond Plank Center. Please join us in remembering our colleague and friend through this profile in 2021, featuring Kel beaming with her favorite white daisies. MEET KEL HARRIS Published July 10, 2021 (original post here) Ever since she was a small girl, Ucross Horticulture Manager Kel Harris has wanted to spend her life surrounded by flowers. And so, she has — tending small home gardens in her youth, attending floral design school, working for her family’s former business in Buffalo (Grannie’s Bloomers), overseeing famed artist Neltje's gardens, and more. Today, she is in her 37th year of growing a greenhouse crop. “My dreams have come true,” Kel told us on a recent morning, as she surveyed one of her vast, vibrant gardens on the Ucross grounds. She and her hard-working crew care for all of our plants, from the native grass landscaping by the writers’ studios to the carrots grown for the artists’ dinner plates. Kel’s life follows the seasons. She is happiest right now, in summer, when she gets to work outdoors in the warm sunshine all day, planting, weeding, watering, and repeating. Autumn has its charm too: She likes to clean up, to make way for the new. During winter, she hibernates indoors, dreaming of sunnier, greener days as she plans the many landscapes of Ucross, which she changes every year. In spring, Kel spends long days in the greenhouse, watering, pinching, and transplanting. “It’s so rewarding,” Kel said. “You work so hard — you take care of the plants, you weed them and water them and deadhead them — and then they perform for you.” The next time you visit the Park at Ucross, take a stroll through the gardens, which are open to the public, and enjoy Kel’s living art form. And if you see a spritely woman gardening, joyful among the flowers, dressed to match in bright colors down to her rainbow toes, be sure to say hello. We are accepting donations for the Kel Harris Flower Fund, which will support a special memorial that we will unveil on her birthday, September 19. You may contribute online here, or mail your gift to Ucross Foundation, 30 Big Red Lane, Clearmont, WY, 82835. Please click here to read Kel's obituary, share a memory on the tribute wall, and find details on the funeral services on Friday, August 9. We send our love to Kel's friends and family. All are welcome to remember Kel in The Park at Ucross, open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. There, you can sit among the flowers in the Johansen Memorial Gardens, steps away from the interdenominational Ucross Chapel, and experience Kel's artistry.  |
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