One of the North’s most unusual artist residencies is opening up

“It’s an opportunity as an artist to go somewhere incredibly unique and difficult to get to otherwise.”

Jen Walden participated in trial run for the Esker Artist-in-Residence program last year.

Now, the initiative – based at a remote NWT research station – is back.

The residency, piloted by curator Mary Buckland, is designed to bring artists into close proximity with both a unique Arctic landscape and scientific research, creating space for creative practice and interdisciplinary exchange.

Buckland, who organized the initial demonstration project in 2025, said the program is now accepting applications for 2026.

The residency takes its name from its location on North America’s longest esker – a winding ridge of sand and gravel – stretching roughly 300 kilometres.

Walden described the location as highly unusual for artists to access, describing the program as designed for artists who want time and space to develop their work in an environment that is both physically isolated and creatively stimulating.

“You get to interact with scientists who are on site at Daring Lake, doing whatever research it is that they have going on,” Walden told Cabin Radio. “So it leaves space to work on your own work, as well as discourse with scientists there, which is really a great opportunity.”

During the residency, Walden painted outdoors, hiked the landscape, filmed the area and worked on a script, using the experience to explore multiple art forms at once.

As a landscape painter focused on northern scenes, Walden said the residency gave her rare access to a location she couldn’t normally reach. She is still working on the body of work inspired by the residency and hopes to share the collection next year.

Buckland, who has a background in arts programming and research on northern artist residencies, said the goal is to let artists explore the landscape in their own way over the course of a 10-day stay.

“We basically just want to know what you’d like to do when it comes to creating art on the land, or developing work based on the land,” she said, “and then how they think the tundra is going to maybe alter their way of seeing the Northwest Territories, or confirm their beliefs about the value of the northern landscape.”

Applications can be made through the Yellowknife Artist-Run Community Centre website. Buckland said people unfamiliar with artist residencies should reach out for help applying.

While current funding covers travel from Yellowknife to the site, Buckland said organizers are willing to help participants from other communities find additional support.

Buckland hopes to expand the program in the future and continue connecting artists with northern landscapes.

“This is very site-specific to me, because I was born and raised in Yellowknife, and in high school I got to attend youth camp there – Tundra Science and Culture Camp for two summers,” she said.

“Learning about various topics of the tundra with Elders, cultural interpreters and scientists had a massive impact on how I interpreted the Northwest Territories.

“I actually got to go back and be an instructor in the same youth program 10 years later, which was phenomenal to be able to see these kids learning the way that I had learned just 10 years prior.”