April 10, 2019

Dear Shelby Head,

Congratulations! You have been accepted into Adams State University’s Social Practice Residency program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Grant.The faculty and students in Art, Theatre and Music are excited to meet you and looking forward to working with you.

Our Social Practice Arts Residency program supports artists as they create projects that involve our specific community. We invite you to get to know the residents of the San Luis Valley and invite locals to take part in the creation of your project. The goal of our program is to support the creativity of our diverse population and provide a new platform for citizens to make connections with one another and address the complex social issues of our region.

Your project was chosen for support because of the proposed focus on collecting stories from beneficiaries of the 1844 land grant from Mexico and Spain. We anticipate that you will record the personal stories involving the 50-year range war with the landowners of the Taylor/Cielo Vista Ranch. These stories will then be shared in an exhibition at the Cloyde Snook Gallery where you also plan to design and construct a shrine with the Costilla County land grant heirs.

We would like you to join us from September - December 2019. We will be in touch to make arrangements for your arrival in the next few weeks. Feel free to email Program Assistant, Isabel Rodriguez, for general questions. You may also contact Project Director, Leslie Macklin, if you have specific questions at lesliemacklin@adams.edu.

We can’t wait to meet you and experience the wonderful work you’ll make while here. Warm regards,

Leslie Macklin

Assistant Professor of Art - Adams State University AIR Program Manger
719-587-7822 – Office
lesliemacklin@adams.edu