Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency is a 501C3 non profit for the purpose of providing time & space for artists to create new works of art. The Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency provides artists from around the world seven weeks of uninterrupted time and space in the inspiring desert environment surrounding Joshua Tree National Park. It’s an opportunity for painters, sculptors, photographers, writers and musicians to have a full block of time to focus on their work without the distractions of day to day schedules, jobs or family. The residency bestows each artist with a place to live, a full studio to work in and a stipend to offset travel costs. The residency encourages the exchange of creative ideas by connecting visiting artists with local artists from the community. The hosts arrange gatherings, exhibitions, field trips, educational outreach and workshops. This not only benefits the artist, but also the cultural life of the rural gateway communities to the Joshua Tree National Park making international artists and their work accessible to the local residents. It complements the local arts community and adds vitality to the whole region. JTHAR has hosted over forty domestic and international artists since its inception in 2007. Former residency artists have reported that their experience in the desert was life-changing for them and their work. During their time here, works of art have been created, life-long friendship have been made, experiences have been rich and mutually beneficial and not least, an additional outcome of the JTHAR program, is a band of artist-ambassadors that complete their residency with a deeper understanding of the high desert.