APPLICATIONS OPEN
The Estuary AIR is now accepting applications for its 2026 Artist-in-Residence Program.
Apply Now →
Program Overview
Program Overview
The Estuary AIR is the San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s Artist-in-Residence program, bringing artists and the Estuary Partnership together to explore the San Francisco Estuary through creative practice. The program provides selected Bay Area artists with the opportunity to develop work inspired by the Estuary while engaging with its landscapes, communities, and ongoing environmental work.
The 2026 residency theme, Rising Seas, invites artists to explore the physical, cultural, emotional, and ecological transformations associated with sea level rise. Through their work, participating artists will help translate complex challenges, encourage reflection and dialogue, and offer new ways of understanding the changing Estuary.
Selected artists will participate in a six-month residency from January 2027 through May 2027, followed by a public exhibition in the summer of 2027. The awarded artist(s) will be paid through three installments across the six month program. Participants will also take part in program activities, including an initial shoreline site visit, opportunities to connect with Estuary Partnership staff and partners, and a final exhibit.
Interested in applying? Explore the Applicant Eligibility, How to Apply, Review Process & Timeline, and Frequently Asked Questions pages for additional information.
Intended Impact
This program seeks to deepen public understanding of sea level rise by making it tangible, human, and immediate. By embedding artists within shoreline resilience efforts, we aim to:
- Foster more inclusive and community-centered approaches to climate adaptation
- Create space for reflection, dialogue, and imagination across disciplines
- Translate complex environmental challenges into accessible and emotionally resonant experiences
- Inspire new narratives about what it means to live with and amongst rising sea levels
A quick look at plans that inform this work:
Water is life. Millions of people, hundreds of communities, and many industries rely on the San Francisco Bay-Delta for fresh water, recreation, agriculture, and more. Additionally, thousands of wildlife species rely on the estuary for habitat. Maintaining a healthy estuary is critical to the communities surrounding it. Here are three regional organizations, including our own, that are working on plans to help the Bay Area adjust to rising tides.
Learn more about San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s work and the San Francisco Estuary
A quick overview of the program’s timeline highlights includes:
- Application Deadline: November 20, 2026
- Residency Period: January 11, 2027 – May 31, 2027
- Exhibit Period: May 3, 2027 – June 30, 2027
All artists-in-residence (AIRs) will receive:
- Stipends distributed in three installments
- Support from the ABG Art Group with a history of supporting artists through artist-in-residence programs
- Participation in a celebratory Exhibit event at the conclusion of the program
Website and Social Media Engagement includes dedicated profile pages for each Artist-in-Residence in the Art section of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership website, along with artist features on our social media channels during the residency period. We encourage artists to share photos or videos during their residency and tag our channels so that we can repost.
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