Application Information

APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

CAMPBIENT: The 44 Hour Sound Art Residency

June 4-7, 2026

Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, Ravensdale, WA

Rolling Application Opens: January 5, 2026

Applications received by March 5 will receive priority review. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Selection announcements begin March 12, 2026.

Maximum Participants: 24

Application Fee: None

Participation Fee: Sliding scale starting at $300 down to $50. (Due upon acceptance, financial sponsorship available for those in need. More info on the Support CAMPBIENT page.)

CONCEPT

Campbient is a weekend-long sound art residency that brings together participants for 44 hours to conceptualize, produce, and record two sound art compositions on-site at a state park in Washington State. The residency includes sound-related workshops and creative activities and a start-to-finish audio production process with the results pressed in a collaboratively-authored, Creative Commons licensed recording. The residency is designed to be off the electrical grid, with audio production and other activities battery-powered.

Campbient takes place on public land of Coastal Salish heritage, straddling the natural and built environments. An awareness and respect for these sociocultural, ecological, and historical characteristics, and their effect on the soundscape, are core values to having a successful creative and communal experience.

Previous participants include a range of artists, writers, actors, conceptual thinkers, culture workers, and sound makers. Additionally, every year a different Guest Artist-in-Residence is invited to participate.

PROCESS

Participants will arrive on Thursday, June 4th, at 3:00pm for campground setup, introductions, and establishing the agenda. On Friday, a 44-hour production process commences, interspersed with various sound-related workshops, activities, and communal meals. Appropriate amounts of personal and rest time are built into the schedule. Final realization and review of the finished recorded work will be complete by early afternoon on Sunday, June 7th.

Participants will be organized into one of four collaborative working groups, and each group will independently have complete artistic control of both their creative process and the content and character of the resulting recorded work. Recordings will be made on a battery-powered multitrack mobile audio workstation with a variety of transducers, with experienced audio engineers supervising the recording sessions. Participants are not required to bring any additional audio equipment, instruments, or sound-making devices of their own, but are welcome to do so (with some limitations).

ELIGIBILITY

Campbient is open to all creative thinkers and doers over the age of 21. The residency is invitational, based on application, and there is no fee to apply. Diversity of all kinds is encouraged, and there is no expectation or requirement of prior musicianship, audio production, or sound art experience by participants. Because Campbient is only once a year, and space is limited we can’t accept repeat participants. (If you applied previously and didn’t attend Campbient, please apply again!)

If you have already attended Campbient and want to come back, we have a new advanced residency that runs concurrently with Campbient : S’more CAMPBIENT.

EXPECTATIONS

Because of Campbient’s brief and intense duration, all participants will be expected to take an active role in the processes and activities, with consideration of their interests, abilities, and experience. Creative risk-taking is encouraged in an environment that is playful, non-judgmental, safe, and supportive. Every aspect of Campbient relies on respectful, open, and honest communication and collaboration. All participants will be expected to demonstrate these qualities to each other and to the creative process.

CAMPBIENT follows state park rules and expects that participants will too. Alcohol is permitted at the park and at CAMPBIENT, but it is not provided. If participants choose to use, please be respectful of others who do not.

Please note that CAMPBIENT takes place in a public location. While we respect everyone’s privacy, state parks are a shared space with others outside the residency. The residency will be documented in video, audio, and still photography for promotional and archival purposes. By applying to CAMPBIENT, you will agree to have your likeness and creative work generated at the residency used by the organizers into the future (for example, the photos on this website, promotional materials, audio remixes, etc.)

FEES

Free to apply. While we try and cover all the costs we can and provide meals during the residency, if selected, there will be a participation fee on a sliding scale starting at $300 USD down to $50. This helps keep the residency continuing, and at the minimum level covers the camping fees at the state park. There are no other obligatory expenses, but further donations are welcomed! There is more info on the expenses to produce the residency on the Support CAMPBIENT page. If camping fees are a barrier to participation, financial assistance is available to ensure equitable opportunity.

CAMPSITE

Kanaskat-Palmer State Park
32101 Cumberland-Kanaskat Road
Ravensdale, WA 98051

Kanaskat-Palmer State Park is a camping park on a forested plateau next to the rushing whitewater of the Green River at the upper end of the Green River Gorge in the western foothills of the Cascade mountains.

Participants will need to provide their own camping supplies such as a tent and sleeping bag, as well as any personal needs for comfort and safety in the outdoors. A limited amount of equipment is available with nominal rental fees to cover expenses. Participants should dress for inclement weather (regardless of the weather forecast!), including warm clothes, rain gear, and durable footwear. Sunscreen, bug repellent, and any other personal protective supplies will be the responsibility of the participants. If equipment or supplies are a barrier to participation, please indicate as such on your application, as it is not a reason for disqualification and the organizers will attempt to accommodate any reasonable requests or needs.

All meals will be provided by the hosts, with consideration of any dietary restrictions.

TRANSPORTATION

Without your own vehicle:

For those locally or regionally, we can help coordinate ride shares with those who are driving. For those coming from further afield, we will be coordinating one shuttle trip from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and one from downtown Seattle.

With your own vehicle:

There is ample parking at the group campsite. If possible, we ask that local/regional drivers carpool with others if needed. This will be coordinated by the organizers.

EQUITY, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY

Campbient is a safe space and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity and access for all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability. LGBTQIA+ friendly. Intolerance will not be tolerated. ADA accessibility is based on Washington State Parks facilities; questions about specific accommodations or accessibility can be addressed in the application.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

Applicants are selected on a variety of criteria intended to be as inclusive as possible including, but not limited to, expressed interest and understanding of the concept, previous life experience, demonstrated skill sets, and enthusiasm for a successful project. Lack of previous experience in the sonic arts is not a disqualification.