Calling All Artists! Be the next Yellowstone Art Museum Artist-in-Residence!

Now entering its 20th year, the Yellowstone Art Museum’s Artist-in-Residence program is once again opening its doors to artists of all disciplines, offering a unique opportunity to develop your work in a supportive and engaging environment.

The residency offers a chance to work where several of Montana’s most celebrated artists have shaped their visions—inside the Gary and Melissa Oakland Artist-in-Residence Studio, a spacious 800-sq-foot creative hub located at the heart of the YAM’s Visible Vault.

As a resident, you will have the time and space to experiment, reflect, and deepen your practice, while sharing your work in dialogue with the community.

Duration and Dates

• Applications are due by Sunday, October 18, 2026.
• Our residency program runs on an annual calendar from January through December. However, we will consider shorter residencies. The duration will depend upon the scope of the artist’s proposal and the applicant pool.

NEW! Etching Press

New to the Artist-in-Residence Studio, YAM is excited to offer resident artists access to an etching press, thanks to the tremendous support of John A. Armstrong and Joan Prior.

How to Apply

Residences are selected based on their work’s merit, interest in public interaction, and the scope of their artistic investigation. To apply, please complete the downloadable application and return it to YAM’s Associate Curator, Kimberly Gaitonde, by email at assoccurator@artmuseum.org or by mail to Yellowstone Art Museum, ATTN: Associate Curator, 401 North 27th Street, Billings, MT 59101:

• Resume
• Artist Bio and Statement
• Concise proposal stating interest and scope of work to be produced while in residence.*
• Preference for residency duration and weekly availability.
• Images of relevant work with corresponding title, date, medium, and dimensions.
• Professional reference(s)

* Housed in the Visible Vault alongside the Museum’s collection, there are some limitations in media use (no open flame, toxic fumes, dust, etc.).

Studio Location and Conditions

The Studio is located within the Visible Vault collection storage building:

505 N 26th Street, Billings, MT 59101.

• Artists will have 24-hour secured access to the 800-square-foot Gary and Melissa Oakland Artist-in-Residence Studio.

Requirements

• The Artist-in-Residence must maintain at least 20 hours weekly in the studio.
• Coordinate occasional school studio visits with the Education department.
• Maintain an open studio and interact with the visiting public during special events such as First Fridays and Art Walk.
• Housing is NOT provided by the YAM; however, options for community housing accommodation may be available upon request. Availability is contingent on acceptance into the program and dependent on residency schedule, funding, etc.

Open-Call for Artist Housing

Looking to support the YAM’s Artist-in-Residence program? The YAM is always looking for short and long-term housing options for artists participating in our Residency Program. If you have a room to rent (or an apartment, house, guest house, etc.) in Billings that you would like to make available to YAM Resident Artists, please click the link below and submit the form.

If you have questions, please email Kimberly at assoccurator@artmuseum.org.