Ucross Foundation announces today the debut of Confluences, a new site-specific sound experience created by internationally recognized artists and Ucross Fellows Teri Rueb and Laurids Sonne, at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 31, in conjunction with Ucross Founder’s Day.

Confluences is an emplaced sound experience blending the stories, sounds and seasons of Ucross in a layered composition that covers the main campus and selected ranchland of the residency program. Sounds play in response to one's movement as they walk with a mobile device, running a free downloadable app, while wearing headphones. Voices of valley residents sit ​alongside artist residents, the regional community, and the many caretakers of this place, all mingling with field recordings of the site taken in different seasons.

The title Confluences refers to the merging of Piney Creek, Clear Creek and Coal Creek on the Ucross campus, as well as the convergence of people, land, memory and time. Visitors are invited to slow down, wander and listen to the stories and rhythms that have shaped this unique and special landscape.

Originating in 2022, Confluences brought Rueb and Sonne into close relationship with the land and its rhythms.

“Time stretches in every direction and is marked by the metronome of one’s footsteps, as much as the geological record below,” Rueb said. “The earth, the water, the wind and the many voices of those who have made this artwork have breathed life into my very being and brought me back to the land, again and again — with gratitude.”

Rueb, a Ucross artist-alumna, has made land-based responsive sound installations using GPS since 1996. Her works have been commissioned by galleries, museums, arboretums, planetariums, cultural centers and communities across the United States, Canada and Europe. She has received awards and recognition for her work globally, including a Prix Ars Electronica Award of Distinction.

“In the Clear Creek Valley, this windy wheel that turns our lives tells of perseverance and ways of being with the world, of social and ecological relationships, stretching far beyond what the eye can see,” said Sonne. “But we can hear it if we stretch our ears. Listening requires care, a mutual care, a relational care. I am grateful to the vast communities of the Clear Creek Valley and beyond for their generosity, care and camaraderie, allowing me to listen, whether in the lee side of a barn or working windward in the unfolding of day.”

Sonne is a Danish documentary media artist, researcher and organizer who works with representational media, including moving and still images, installation work and sound. His work strives to develop new visual and sonic approaches for rethinking documentary practices.
Sonne was a member of the four-person international art collective Parfyme for a decade, working with relational and social-based processes; developing new platforms for community, interaction and exploration. Sonne’s work has been presented internationally: at festivals, art institutions and across land and public spaces.

Rueb and Sonne worked closely with software developer and media artist Cristobal Mendoza to create custom software for the app, which is designed to work exclusively onsite.

Rueb and Sonne will give remarks to the community, including the many local residents who participated in the project, at the Confluences debut during Ucross Founder’s Day on May 31 with an opening reception at 10 a.m. in the covered pavilion by the confluence of the three creeks. The reception will include complimentary copies of the printed field guide, as well as light refreshments.

You can find out more about and secure free tickets to Ucross Founder’s Day here.

Starting June 6, access to "Confluences" will be free and open to the public on Fridays. Participants can check in and get started in the Ucross Art Gallery between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Participants should bring headphones and a fully charged mobile device before beginning the sound walk. We recommend downloading the free app (iOS and Android) in advance over a WiFi network. A limited number of devices are also available for loan from the Ucross Art Gallery.

Please note that select trailheads are not publicly accessible and will be available on guided walks. Participants are encouraged to contact Ucross at [email protected] or 307-737-2291 for access information.

Confluences was commissioned by Ucross Foundation with support from Jesse Marion of Spring, Texas. Additional funding was provided by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Research and Innovation Office and the Center for Documentary Media.

For more information about Confluences, visit https://terirueb.net/confluences

Ucross is pleased to announce that applications are now open for our Spring 2026 residency session. Visual 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.

Located on a 20,000-acre working ranch in northern Wyoming, Ucross supports the creative process by offering uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, and the experience of the majestic High Plains. Since its founding in 1981 and the start of its residency program in 1983, Ucross has supported nearly 3,000 artists.

“At Ucross, we are proud to champion the work of artists from around the world,” said Caitlin Addlesperger, Ucross president and executive director. “The residency experience allows time for deep focus and experimentation, and it’s a privilege to support such transformative creative journeys in this remarkable place."

The Spring 2026 session will run from early February through early June, with residencies ranging from two to six weeks. Each artist-in-residence receives a private studio, living accommodations, chef-prepared meals, staff support, and a stipend.

Applications are open to both emerging and established artists and are due by 11:59 p.m. MT on July 15, 2025.

For more information and to apply, please visit our residency page.

Ucross will host its fourth annual Founder’s Day celebration on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free public event invites the community to explore the artist residency grounds on Ucross’s 20,000-acre ranch in northern Wyoming and enjoy an afternoon of creativity, connection and conversation. 

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., guests will be invited to tour the studios of Ucross’s current artists-in-residence. This rare opportunity allows visitors to engage directly with working artists across a variety of disciplines, view works in progress, ask questions and experience the creative process in action within the inspiring setting of the residency grounds.
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Participating artists will include music composer Gelsey Bell of Brooklyn, New York; music composer Gregory Barnett of Houston, Texas; interdisciplinary artist Grant Cutler of Brooklyn, New York; sculptor Gina Herrera of Bakersfield, California; installation artist Ruth Jeyaveeran of Brooklyn, New York; filmmaker Erin Semine Kökdil of Norman, Oklahoma; poet Cindy Tran of New York, New York; nonfiction writer Raksha Vasudevan of Denver, Colorado; and poet Mathew Weitman of Houston, Texas. 

At 1 p.m., the Ucross Art Gallery will host a reception for the new exhibition, “Luminous Forms.” Curated by Emily McEwreath of New York, New York, a Ucross alumna and host of “The Art Career” podcast, the exhibition explores how contemporary artists engage with light as a material, metaphor and emotional force. From layered abstractions to surreal figuration and immersive video, the works examine how light reveals, transforms and connects us to memory, identity and the natural world. The opening reception will include a special curator’s talk. 

Guests are encouraged to enjoy a picnic on the lawns around the Big Red Ranch Complex. Ucross will offer homemade pizza and appetizers, along with special cold-brew coffee, tea and treats from the Ucross Café, available for purchase. Guests will also enjoy live music performed outdoors by ensembles from the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. 

“Founder’s Day has become one of our favorite community events, giving our friends, neighbors and visitors the special opportunity to meet our artists, explore the studios and enjoy the residency grounds,” said Ucross President and Executive Director Caitlin Addlesperger. “And this year, we are thrilled to introduce new special initiatives that will deepen the intersection of artists, community and land — to be announced that day. We believe our founder would be proud.” 

Founder’s Day honors the life and vision of Ucross Founder Raymond Plank, who was born May 29, 1922. A World War II bomber pilot, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Plank established Ucross as a nonprofit organization in 1981. Since welcoming its first residents in 1983, Ucross has supported nearly 3,000 writers, visual artists, composers and choreographers, many of whom have gone on to receive national and international honors, including Pulitzer Prizes, MacArthur Fellowships, Academy Awards and Tony Awards. 

Find more information and RSVP here.

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."
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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. ​

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.

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.

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. 
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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.