Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Pilot Initiative

People rowing on Hudson River in Harlem/Bronx area. — People rowing in the afternoon sun on the Harlem River.

The EPA established the Artist-in-Residence (AIR) Pilot Initiative in 2024 to invite artists and culture bearers to capture the community’s connection with the beauty and function of water, specifically estuaries and urban waterways.

The Pilot will showcase artists selected to work with six of EPA’s National Estuary Program and Urban Waters Federal Partnership program locations doing critical work on water restoration and climate resilience:

Massachusetts Bays NEP/Mystic River Watershed UWFP
New York-New Jersey Harbor NEP/Lower Passaic River UWFP/Bronx and Harlem Rivers UWFP
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary NEP/Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed UWFP
San Juan Bay NEP
Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque UWFP
Puget Sound NEP/ Green-Duwamish Watershed UWFP

The EPA's AIR pilot initiative was developed in response to President Biden’s Executive Order on Arts and Humanities and in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts . The launch of the pilot was officially announced by the EPA on January 30, 2024, during the Healing, Bridging, Thriving: A Summit on Arts and Culture in Our Communities event co-hosted by the White House Domestic Policy Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. By launching this pilot initiative, the EPA is investing in arts and culture to demonstrate how arts and culture can help inform government’s efforts to work more effectively with communities, build understanding of water quality and other environmental concerns, build stronger connections between communities and natural resources, and better meet communities’ unique needs.

Artist-in-Residence Partnership Locations:

Map showing the six Artist in Residence pilot locations — .

1. The Massachusetts Bays NEP/Mystic River Watershed UWFP

2. New York-New Jersey Harbor NEP/Passaic River and Bronx and Harlem Rivers UWFP

3. The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary NEP/Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed UWFP

4. The San Juan Bay NEP

5. The Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque UWFP

6. The Puget Sound NEP/Green-Duwamish Watershed UWFP

Learn More about Our Partners:

Three people painting a large mural of the Mystic River Watershed on the ground — Mystic River Watershed Mural by Yetti Frenkel. **Photo by Erica Wood**

Massachusetts Bays NEP/Mystic River Watershed UWFP

Mystic River Artist in Residence Website
The Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership is dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing the estuarine resources of Ipswich Bay, Massachusetts Bay, and Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. Visit the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.
The Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership promotes community-led efforts in urban water restoration and monitoring, water quality awareness, improved access to open space, and scientific research. Visit the Mystic River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership website for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.

Community members on Bronx/Harlem environmental justice boat tour. — Community members enjoy an Environmental Justice Boat Tour on the Harlem River.

New York-New Jersey Harbor NEP/Lower Passaic River UWFP/Bronx and Harlem Rivers UWFP

Details of the AIR pilot initiative for the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) and the Bronx/Harlem River and Lower Passaic River Urban Waters locations are being developed. We expect to have more information on the selection process and timing in the Fall of 2024. Please revisit this page in October for more information. To be added to our mailing list please reach out to [email protected]
The New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Program (HEP) implements a consensus driven plan to protect, conserve and restore the estuary by convening partners, producing and disseminating science and data, and advancing better management across many jurisdictional boundaries and interests. Visit the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.
The Lower Passaic River Urban Waters Federal Partnership is a community-Based participatory partnership to revitalize the River and surrounding communities by advancing cleanup, restoration, and stewardship of the river. Visit the Passaic River/Newark UWFP for more information on the program, vision, goals, and priorities.
The Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds Urban Waters Federal Partnership works to help overburdened and underserved Bronx communities reconnect to their waterways, reduce the negative impacts of urbanization on both water quality and human health, and restore impacted riverfronts while pursuing environmental justice. Visit the Bronx and Harlem River Watersheds UWFP for more information on the program, vision, goals, and priorities.

A tall ship on the Delaware River against the backdrop of Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA. 
**Photo by Andre Cole**

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary NEP/Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed UWFP

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, host of the Delaware Estuary Program, leads collaborative, science–based efforts to connect people, science, and nature for a healthy Delaware River and Bay, which covers portions of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Visit the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.
The Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership is a collaborative network of stakeholders and residents in the urban communities of Camden, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, who through small and large-scale efforts work to restore the River’s water quality, economic benefits, environmental services and community resilience. Visit the Greater Philadelphia Area/Delaware River Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.

Mural con Consciencia. Artist painting an ocean inspired wall mural including a seal, coral and fish. — "Mural con Consciencia", aimed to beautify, educate, and raise awareness about protecting the habitat of the Condado Lagoon Natural Estuarine Reserve.

San Juan Bay NEP

The Artist in Residence websites can be accessed at the following links in English and Spanish, respectively: 
- https://estuario.org/artists-in-residence/
- https://estuario.org/artistasresidentes/

Estuario began its Artist-in-Residence initiative in 2018 to engage citizens in meaningful ways by integrating cultural vibrancy through community participation and artistic expression, particularly after hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The Estuario’s Artist-in-Residence initiative serves as a strategy for reconnecting communities with their ecosystems and fostering experiential knowledge, which has been directly linked to environmental conservation. It enhances environmental consciousness and facilitates culturally competent community engagement in the process of developing a resilient watershed. Resident artists immerse themselves into a particular community and commission an artistic project that communicates how the community’s interests and needs relate to a specific Estuario project. Since 2018, ten artists have completed the program, engaging at least five different communities with participants of all ages in the SJBE watershed. With this upcoming Artist-in-Residence project, the Estuario will support a pilot project to reverse the channeling of a part of the Juan Méndez Creek in the San Juan metro area and restore the water quality through high-impact blue/green infrastructure interventions.

The San Juan Bay Estuary Program designs, implements and monitors restoration actions to improve water quality and ecosystems within the San Juan Bay Estuary system and its watershed in Puerto Rico. Visit the San Juan Bay NEP for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.

Hot Air balloons hover over the Rio Grande. — Hot air balloons hover over the Rio Grande during another beautiful autumn day in Albuquerque.

Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque UWFP

Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque Artist in Residence website
The Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque Urban Waters Federal Partnership reconnects urban communities with the waterway by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts. Visit the Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque UWFP for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.

People standing on a low bridge on Lower Spokane Street over the river as it opens up into the estuary with downtown Seattle in the distance. — Lower Spokane Street: people standing on a low bridge over the river as it opens up into the estuary with downtown Seattle in the distance.

Puget Sound NEP/ Green-Duwamish Watershed UWFP

Puget Sound/Green-Duwamish Artist in Residence website
The Puget Sound Partnership engages diverse organizations in partnership to create, implement and monitor approaches to achieve economic and environmental health of the Puget Sound, Washington. Visit the Puget Sound NEP for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.
The Green-Duwamish Watershed Urban Waters Federal Partnership works within the City of Seattle and King County, Washington and is jointly led by the EPA, US Department of Agriculture, and the Puget Sound Partnership with a focus on watershed recovery, cross-agency partnerships, advancing social equity, environmental justice, and economic development, reconnecting people to waterways, and promoting green infrastructure. Visit the Green-Duwamish Watershed UWFP for more detailed information on the study area, vision, goals and priorities.