Capturing West Michigan’s enduring places
With the sweep of a brush or the click of a camera, a moment and place in time is preserved. It is through art that we understand the past and inspire the future, and it is through conservation that the natural areas around us are preserved for future generations to visit and enjoy in perpetuity.
For 50 years, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan has worked to conserve West Michigan’s ecologically critical land. Preserved! is one way the Land Conservancy has invited artists to help tell that story. Hosted in 2015, 2017, and 2019 under the guidance of the late artist Susan M. Rose, Preserved! celebrates the beauty of our local landscapes and the importance of protecting them forever.
This year, as we mark 50 years of conservation in West Michigan, we’re bringing Preserved! back. The Land Conservancy of West Michigan seeks local artists to highlight the beauty of the natural areas we have protected together over the last half-century—and draw awareness to the importance of continuing our conservation efforts for the next 50 years and beyond.
During the spring, summer, and fall of 2026, participating artists will visit the Land Conservancy’s protected properties to create their art en plein air. Their experiences and work will be shared on the Land Conservancy’s blog and social media, at live demo events throughout the season, and in a gallery exhibition in the fall.
In October of 2026, the art created through the Preserved! program will be shown at LaFontsee Gallery in Grand Rapids.
Preserved! is an opportunity for artists, nature lovers, and the greater community to join together and celebrate the scenic land that surrounds us in West Michigan.
To participate artists must go through the application process. Applications will be juried. All medias welcome.
Benefits for Participating Artists
Become a key contributor to a project that celebrates art and conservation, and supports a well-established non-profit organization that works to protect natural areas in West Michigan
- Access to scenic protected properties for creating your art
- Inclusion in the Land Conservancy’s strategic marketing materials from May to October 2026, including but not limited to the following:
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- Promotion of the gallery event via press releases to local and arts-focused media outlets
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- Promotion of the gallery event via e-newsletters distributed to LCWM’s audience (5,000 recipients)
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- Artist information (bio, website, etc.) linked on LCWM’s website and event pages
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- Promotion of the gallery event and ongoing Preserved! project on LCWM’s social media pages
- Catered gallery reception with printed invitation
Artists may also opt in to the following opportunities:
- Contributing to blog posts featured on the LCWM website about the Preserved! project
- Inclusion in a print commemorative coffee table book of LCWM’s work and history
- Invitation to lead community event(s) for the public
Expectations of Participating Artists
- Work with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan to coordinate which properties will be featured
- Collaborate with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan to arrange timing and location of working sessions (if applicable)
- Create 2-3 pieces featuring Land Conservancy protected properties in the spring, summer, and/or fall of 2026
- Actively participate in marketing efforts and contribute to the Preserved! conversation on social media platforms for the project
- Produce gallery-ready work by September 14, 2026 for inclusion in the October show, by July 1, 2026 for inclusion in the commemorative coffee table book
- Attendance at gallery opening reception the first weekend of October 2026
- Donate 50% of the proceeds from your Preserved! works to the Land Conservancy to support conservation in West Michigan
