Eligibility

Recology Western Oregon AIR program is open to local artists living in Yamhill County, as well as Recology customers residing in Polk County, and The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, working in any style or medium.

Participating artists are required to attend an orientation and training session at the McMinnville transfer station and McMinnville facility and observe proper safety precautions with respect to design, technical construction, and materials in the creation of artwork, including precautions reasonably required or recommended by RWO personnel. Participating artists will exercise complete control over the creative process, and all creative ideas and expressions will originate from the artists. However, RWO and AAYC reserve the right to reject artwork that is offensive or unacceptable for display to the general public. Such material may include but is not limited to:

• Overtly pornographic or libelous content.
• Overtly offensive religious or political content.
• Content that includes any personally identifiable information.

Application Process

Applicants are asked to submit the following materials through an online form:

1. Contact information: name, address, telephone number, email address
2. Website address, if available
3. Resume or C.V.
4. An essay that addresses the following:
   • Artist’s Statement
   • Statement of Purpose. Please describe what you plan to work on during the residency and how you will incorporate recycled materials. Additionally, please answer the following questions:

1. What encouraged you to apply for this residency?

2. What medium do you generally work in?

3. What types of tools do you generally work with?

5. Four samples of past work. Please submit high quality JPEG or similar format.

6. Contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) for two references that can speak to your artistic practice.

All application materials must be submitted through this form or emailed to kklienstuber@recology.com.

Nota Bene: Artists interested in collaborating on a project must submit individual applications and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at the Residency. An example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress) may also be submitted. Admission status is determined by averaging the individual application scores of all collaborators.

Selection of Artists

Our Selection Committee, composed of RWO staff, AAYC staff and/or Board members, arts professionals, and environmentalists, review applications and select two finalists to participate in the program.

The Committee evaluates submissions based on the artists’ demonstrated commitment to resource conservation and recycling through art, the quality of previous work, and the artist’s application and references.

Important Dates

AIR Program Exhibition & Pop-Up Gallery

Location: McMinnville Art Alley Studio (Alleyway connecting NE Davis & NE Evans, between NE 3rd & NE 4th)

When: First Two Weekends of October from Friday to Sunday

Time: 10 AM – 5 PM

Don’t miss the opening exhibition on Saturday, October 4th, from 5 – 7 PM in the Art Alley! Food and drinks will be provided free of charge.

Come explore the work of the inaugural Recology Western Oregon / AAYC Artists in Residence! Over the past four months, Blaine Niehus and Jessica Husvar have transformed discarded and salvaged materials into thought-provoking works of art. Their creations celebrate sustainability, creativity, and the power of reimagining waste.

The exhibition will be open to the public during the first two weekends of October, offering visitors the chance to meet the artists, experience their work up close, and support local creativity. All sales from the Pop-Up Gallery will contribute 20% toward AAYC’s mission of expanding arts access and advocacy in Yamhill County.