Visiting artist and activist program
The rewilding landscapes and rural cultures of this corner of Patagonia have moved us to share their spirit with others. Through the Visiting Artist and Activist 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.
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 the group 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.
We’re back! After a few years of pause and reprogramming, we’ve secured funding for four spots for Visiting Artists or Activists on open-enrollment expeditions for the 2025 - 2026 season.
New for the 2025 - 2026 season: we would like to offer Visiting Artists and Activists the opportunity to pair their participation in an expedition with a one- to two-week residency in Puerto Guadal, Aysen, the small lakefront town where we are based. 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 and Activists 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 or Activist, 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 or Activists, 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.
Here’s what Visiting Artist Hannah Mode said of her experience:
In February 2019, I joined Chulengo's inaugural Women's Expedition as a Visiting Artist. As one of eight women with a diverse mix of backgrounds and experiences in art and wilderness, I designed the art portion of the expedition to be accessible for all. I led creative workshops - like contour drawing and field sketching, as well as a storytelling night - as a way to enrich our appreciation for the incredible landscapes we hiked through every day, as well as to deepen our connections with one another along the way. My time with Chulengo was vibrant and transformative in my own art practice, and I fell in love with the Aysen region. I look forward to partnering again with Chulengo in 2020 to co-lead an Art and Wilderness expedition!
Who should apply?
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 and Activists 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
