.svg)
COCONUT GROVE, FL — Friday, October 30 — The Kampong is proud to announce a new collaboration with AIRIE.Foundation to host a residency program in the garden. Nestled on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, The Kampong will serve as a living laboratory and creative sanctuary for resident artists exploring the intersections of art, tropical botany, environmental stewardship, and community engagement.
Originally the estate of famed plant explorer Dr. David Fairchild, The Kampong is a place of plant exploration and community connection. Through this new partnership, AIRIE artists-in-residence will engage deeply with the garden’s tropical plants, rich history, and scientific resources, bridging plant conservation with contemporary artistic expression.
“Historically recognized as a site for plant exploration, The Kampong has taken significant strides toward becoming a true community hub,” said Dr. Brian Sidoti, Director of The Kampong. “New initiatives, including our collaboration with AIRIE.Foundation, mark an exciting next step in that evolution. By inviting artists to engage with our living collections in new ways, we are fostering dialogue around biodiversity, conservation, and the deep, inseparable connection between nature and culture.”
The residency program will bring selected multi-disciplinary artists to reside and create on the historic grounds of The Kampong. During their time in Coconut Grove, residents will conduct research, develop site-specific works, and connect with the local community through public programming, workshops, and exhibitions.
AIRIE Foundation, which has championed environmental artist residencies in South Florida for 25 years, brings its established residency expertise and artistic network to the collaboration. Together, both organizations aim to leverage art as a catalyst for environmental awareness.
“Creating space for artists to pause, ask questions, and imagine is central to our work,” said Tracey Robertson Carter, Acting Director of AIRIE.Foundation. “Our collaboration with The Kampong extends that commitment into a landscape where nature and culture are deeply connected. We look forward to the perspectives our Fellows will bring and the conversations their experiences will inspire.”
Details regarding the inaugural resident artists, upcoming public installations, and community activations at The Kampong will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information about visiting The Kampong or learning about upcoming residency programming, visit [Kampong Web Link] or follow [@Kampong Instagram/Social Handle].
Located on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, Florida, The Kampong is one of five gardens comprising the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Once the home of Dr. David Fairchild, today The Kampong serves as a center for botanical research, educational programs, and conservation efforts dedicated to preserving tropical plant diversity and cultural heritage.
AIRIE.Foundation supports artists working at the intersection of art, environment, and community. Through strategic funding, curatorial platforms, and public programs, we cultivate stewardship, elevate underrepresented narratives, and expand environmental dialogue locally and globally.
