A new in-residence program at Allerton Park and Retreat Center provides artists with a chance to be inspired by the park to create artistic projects.

Spring artists in-residence Nicole Anderson-Cobb and Latrelle Bright are looking at the history of black culture and the relationship to nature in the United States. They are asking “What has grown on stolen land?”

The pair are involved in the arts scene of Champaign-Urbana. Bright is a teaching assistant professor of theater at the university and Anderson-Cobb is a writer and journalist as well as a university alumna.

The program provides funding to support an In-Residence program which allows black and latinx artists to stay at the park for three weeks and be inspired by the nature, gardens and other aspects of Allerton Park. 

José Gobbo also spent three weeks at Allerton as an artist in residence. Gobbo created a musical suite for jazz guitar that was recorded and performed at Allerton. Gobbo is a Brazil native and a alumnus of the university.

Simiya Sudduth shared her processes and the conceptual underpinnings of their practice as a multidisciplinary artist and art educator during an artist in an event that is open to the public.

The artist in residence program is sponsored in part by the Chancellor’s Call to Action to address Racial & Social Injustice.