Mikhaile Solomon, founder of Prizm art fair, discusses the Artists in Residence in Everglades (Airie) program, which has hosted around 200 artists over 25 years. Founded in 2001 by artist Donna Marxer and park ranger Alan Scott, Airie invites about 14 artists per year to live and work for one month in Everglades National Park, producing work that responds to the subtropical wilderness. The program's exhibitions have traveled to venues like the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and the Venice Biennale, with recent projects including Miami-based artist Germane Barnes' sound installations.
Airie's mission is increasingly vital amid federal funding cuts to national parks and the arts under the Trump administration. The residency operates on the belief that artists can reveal new ways to engage with climate and community, and is now expanding its focus from 'Everglades everywhere' to 'environments everywhere,' recognizing that South Florida's ecological questions have global relevance. As Airie celebrates its 25th anniversary, its partnership with the National Park Service faces strain from recent federal cuts, making the program's work more essential than ever.