California
California Cont.
Oregon
Washington
The Art of Recology

Recology believes that art plays a powerful role in education, inspiring the public to think critically about waste and sustainability. By supporting artists who create work from discarded materials, the Recology Artist in Residence Programs encourage a deeper understanding of resource conservation and responsible consumption. Through their work, participating artists help educate communities, fostering a shift in perspective about the items we purchase (and throw away), and how we can reimagine their value.

Founded in 1990, the Recology San Francisco Artist in Residence (AIR) Program was the first of its kind. As part of the Sustainability Education Program, the four-month AIR Program provides a rich and immersive environment for artists to develop their practice while deeply engaging with sustainability and community outreach. Now Recology AIR Programs operate in seven cities: San Francisco, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Astoria, OR; Ashland, OR; McMinnville, OR, and Santa Rosa, CA. GLEAN, in Portland, is a collaboration between Recology, ReClaimit, an environmental arts organization, and Metro, the regional government that manages the Portland metropolitan area’s garbage and recycling system. The Recology King County Artist in Residence Program operates in Seattle; and in Astoria, the Coastal Oregon Artist Residency (COAR) is a collaboration between Recology Western Oregon and Astoria Visual Arts. In 2025, Recology Western Oregon (RWO), in collaboration with the Arts Alliance of Yamhill County (AAYC), launched their first annual Artist in Residence Program in McMinnville, Oregon; and Recology Sonoma Marin implemented The Recology Artstart Student Hub with the non-profit Artstart.

Supporting Local Artists

AIR Programs are designed to support local artists and art communities. Artists are provided with access to materials at Recology facilities, a stipend, and, in some cases, a dedicated studio space. All residencies conclude with an exhibition. After their residencies, artists sometimes contribute select pieces to Recology’s permanent collection, which may be featured in exhibitions that highlight the transformative power of reuse.

Artist Selection

Each AIR Program accepts applications annually from professional mid-career, and emerging artists, and in some cases, college and university students. Artists must reside in the local community to be eligible for each specific residency, and are selected by advisory boards and juries. Applications are evaluated based on several criteria: