COLUMBIA, SC - The South Carolina State Park Service is sponsoring the 12th annual Artist-In-Residence Program for the 2009 season to encourage artists to interpret South Carolina’s state parks through their work

The program offers a one-week stay in a state park cabin to help the artists find inspiration through their park experience. Interested artists are invited to submit their applications by Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Each artist must submit examples of past artwork in the application. A panel of park representatives will select artists based on artistic quality and the ability to relate and interpret the park through their work. Selected artists will be notified by Nov. 30.

Upon completion of the selected artist’s visit, he or she must donate a completed original work to the park within 90 days. In the past, diverse media such as photography, quilts, paintings, wall hangings and pottery have been accepted and kept by the host parks for posterity and public display.

For more information about the Artist-In-Residence Program or to apply, contact Mark Davies at Oconee State Park at (864) 638-5353 or oconee@scprt.com.