Visiting artists program
The rewilding landscapes and rural cultures of this corner of Patagonia have moved us to share their spirit with others. Through the Visiting Artists program, we invite artists and activists working to imagine a healthier relationship between humans and the rest of nature to join us on an expedition, and then for a weeklong residency in Puerto Guadal, the small Patagonian town that is our home base.
We have three hopes for you:
That the spirit of wildness and comraderie of the expedition invigorates and infuses your own work
That you'll share your perspectives and craft with your expedition-mates, and with the community in Puerto Guadal, in formal and informal ways
That you'll leave something for the future - be it photographs to share, curriculum to continue, or something as yet unimagined.
The 2025-2026 season was the first time we offered the residency component of the program, which proved a meaningful addition for visiting artists. Going forward, we will continue to offer Visiting Artists the opportunity to pair their participation in an expedition with a one-week residency in Puerto Guadal. The idea of the post-expedition residency is to give time for processing and creating: in past seasons, we’ve found that the schedule and intensity of expeditions offers little extra time. We envision that spending time in the beautiful, peaceful setting of Puerto Guadal will round out the experience, as well as offering Visiting Artists the opportunity to share their work or perspectives with the community in some form.
The residency portion of the experience will consist of a one- to two- week stay at a cabin or house in or around Puerto Guadal. These are generally rustic accommodations - more comfortable than a tent, but still a Patagonian adventure.
What to expect
As a Visiting Artist, you'll step into a fluid role that will form and evolve over the course of the expedition. We hope you're up for the adventure.
Unlike, say, an Artist-in-Residence program, you'll spend most of your day participating in one of our backcountry expedition, from hiking to cooking to discussions. Each expedition will have one or two Visiting Artists along with six to twelve participants and two expedition leaders. Your equipment will be limited to what you can carry alongside your personal and group gear. We'll hope you find moments to engage the group in your work, and inject a spirit of creativity, reflection, and thoughtfulness into the expedition.
Chulengo Expeditions will cover the expense of your expedition, including accommodating on the first and last nights of the expedition. We can arrange some gear loans, although you’ll need to bring some basic outdoor gear and clothing.
You will be responsible for your travel to and from Balmaceda, Chile.
Below you’ll find photos, videos, and perspectives from the 2025-2026 Visiting Artists:
SILVIA LAZZARINO (biologist, illustrator, designer):
“The Chulengo Visiting Artist experience was, for me, a very special bubble in time. It allowed me to disconnect from my routine, to walk, observe, and share in the midst of Patagonia’s wild nature, with its beauty and also its challenges, which undoubtedly contributes deeply to artistic practice. A time to gather ideas, followed by time to let them settle, and more time for making, in a beautiful, inspiring, peaceful, and comfortable space. It also allowed me to focus on a single project, embracing the challenge of creating it from those first observations and being able to share its process and outcome within a limited timeframe. Puerto Guadal in summer is a lovely place, with its spectacular views of Lake General Carrera, the clouds, the glaciers, the hens walking down the street with their chicks, and the thousands of flowers in front yards and gardens. A truly inspiring place. I feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program, and I carry with me great inspiration, learning, new friends, and ideas for the future.”
Silvia reads the illustrated book she created from her expedition, “El Azul de la Distancia”
John Springer (painter)
“My time as a visiting artist with Chulengo Expeditions was pivotal in my perception of what it means to be an artist who paints nature. Given the opportunity to create and contemplate both in the backcountry setting of Patagonia National Park and the community setting along the shores of Lago General Carerra, this intimate exposure to the many particular corners of Patagonia gave me a greater comprehension of the environment as a whole and where I fit in as an artist. I was able to see how getting others to engage closely with their environment through painting allowed them to strengthen their own relationships with nature and carry that connection home.”
Who should apply?
For the 2026 - 2027 season, applications will open in April and close in June 2026.
We are looking for people who are as eager to learn as to teach, who see an extended backcountry expedition as a catalyzing opportunity to deepen their work, and who envision contributing to the evolution of our program.
While we expect Visiting Artists to motivate their expedition-mates to connect more deeply with the natural world, we define conservation broadly and see many fields as central to reshaping how we inhabit our planet. If you feel a pro-nature strand in your work, even if you don't define your work as "environmental," we're interested to hear from you.
Participants from around the world, and particularly from the Southern Cone, are encouraged to apply. Expeditions are conduced mostly in English, with some optional Spanish elements.
While you don't need to be an expert outdoorsperson, you should feel comfortable joining in as a capable member of the expedition. That means:
Sleeping in a tent every night, smiling through Patagonia's variable weather every day
Carrying a backpack of 30 - 40 lbs while hiking 6 - 12 miles/ day with up to +3000 ft of elevation
Diving into group conversations about conservation and working cooperatively with others
Acknowledging that backcountry travel is risky and you join an expedition at your own risk