ARTLANDS REACH

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ARTS COMMUNITY HUB

REACH is an environmentally focused artist in residency program launching in spring of 2026 which will provide programming in both Redlands, CA and in the Morongo Basin area of the California high desert. In its first year, the program will host two, work-only, artist residencies and two, work-only, writers residencies in each area (eight total). Each resident artist/writer will provide two public facing events that will be free for the public to attend. Applications will open on 11/7/2025 and close on 12/14/2025 at 11:59pm.

There will be a community garden, and native plant space developed at Sylvan Park, directly across the street from the University of Redlands in Redlands, CA which will be the home of our Inland Empire-based residency programming and public events. Our Morongo Basin programming and events will be hosted at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve in Morongo Valley, CA. Off-site studio space will be provided in both Redlands and in the Morongo Basin for the duration of each residency.

The project has been championed since 2020 by artist Danielle Giudici Wallis and received an Arts in Local Parks planning grant from Parks California to complete the planning stages of the project in 2024. In 2025, it was awarded a project implementation grant from Parks California to build out the program and community garden. We have teamed up with several community partners including the City of Redlands, University of Redlands, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, the Redlands Conservancy, Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (IERCD), Inlandia Institute, and Arts Connection (the Arts Council of San Bernardino County).

REACH employs artists as catalysts for creative action:

  • 4 Artists & 4 Writers Workspace Residencies: eight one month environmentally focused residencies in total (4 based in Redlands & 4 based in the Morongo Basin) for local visual, performing, and literary artists who will create work off-site and host public art sessions at two public sites-- Sylvan Park in Redlands (for Inland Empire-based resident artists) and the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve in Morongo Valley (for high desert & Coachella Valley-based resident artists)

  • Professional Development: Teaching artist training offered in collaboration with Arts Connection, The Arts Council of San Bernardino County, for artists and writers-in-residence.

  • Environmental Education: Public workshops with community partners.

  • 2-4 public art sessions monthly that may include writing, theater, and other hands-on arts activities that foster connection between residents and the land.

  • Community Garden: a California native garden, an edible garden with low maintenance perennials and climate appropriate fruit trees, and a pop-up workshop space for art sessions. Gardens will have native plants that can be used for pigments and fiber, as well as edible and medicinal plants.

  • Culminating Exhibition/Event in collaboration with the Redlands Conservancy at the Asistencia

  • Small edition (200) of a print publication of visual and literary work produced over the course of the project

  • Documentary video showing the evolution of the project

Apply for a residency now!

Watch our virtual information session that took place on Thursday 11/13/25

Watch now!

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Sign up to volunteer & be involved

We are now seeking community support and volunteers to build the community garden space at Sylvan Park.

The following is a list of proposed uses of the space:

  • Free, accessible, environmentally focused arts programming

  • Provide paid opportunities for local artists from all disciplines/mediums

  • Increase awareness of local environmental issues and encourage sustainable practices through free public workshops (composting, irrigation, plant propagation, etc)

  • Create opportunities for cultural exchange and dialogue– place to find common ground!

  • Honor and celebrate the cultural heritage of the Serrano and Cahuilla people, the original and ongoing stewards of the land. 

  • Artists garden of plants that can be used for dyes, weaving, and other creative endeavors

  • Community vegetable garden beds to expand upon existing city program provide horticulture activities

  • Native plant garden

“Plantas” mural by Al Marcano was commissioned and painted to raise awareness and engage the community about REACH in May of 2025. It is located at Viva La Boba in downtown Redlands.