2021 Kresge Artist Fellowship Application Cycle Begins
November 3, 2020Metro Detroit Artists Working in Literary Arts and Visual Arts Invited to Apply for $25,000 Fellowships and $5,000 Emerging Artist Awards.
Metropolitan Detroit artists working in literary arts and visual arts disciplines are invited to apply for a 2021 Kresge Artist Fellowship.
KEY DATES
Monday, November 2, 2020: Application Guidelines Available
Tuesday, December 1, 2020: Online Application Opens
Thursday, January 14, 2021 by 11:59 PM EST: Application Deadline
Now entering its 13th year, Kresge Arts in Detroit will award 20 fellowships ten in Literary Arts and ten in Visual Arts—to artists of all career stages living and working in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Kresge Artist Fellowships are $25,000 no strings attached awards, plus professional development support and the creation of a short film highlighting the artist’s work.
Fellowships are awarded on the basis of a demonstrated track record of artistic achievement and high-quality work, the potential to grow and advance in one’s career during the fellowship period, and the potential to reflect, enhance, or impact communities within metro Detroit.
Kresge Arts in Detroit will also award ten Gilda Awards—$5,000 no strings attached prizes—for emerging artists living and working in the metro Detroit area. The awards honor the legacy of Gilda Snowden (1954–2014), who was one of the 18 inaugural artists to receive a Kresge Artist Fellowship in 2009, and who taught painting at the College for Creative Studies for more than 30 years.
Gilda Awards celebrate early stage artists with a demonstrated commitment to their craft and a willingness to explore and exceed the boundaries of their chosen art form. Gilda Awards recipients are chosen from the pool of Kresge Artist Fellowship applicants. There is no separate application for Gilda Awards.
“These are obviously times that are hitting many artists particularly hard, and these are precisely the times when we look to artists to ground us, to connect us, to help us see the world around us and look to possibilities ahead,” said Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director of The Kresge Foundation’s Detroit Program. “Kresge Artist Fellowships and Gilda Awards are one way that we can lend support to the metro Detroit community of artists in return.”
Artists working in the following disciplines are eligible to apply:
LITERARY ARTS: Arts Criticism, Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Playwriting, Poetry, Spoken Word, Zines, Interdisciplinary Work
VISUAL ARTS: Book Art, Ceramics, Collage, Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Installation, Metalwork, New Media, Painting, Photography, Performance Art, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video Art, Interdisciplinary Work
Kresge Artist Fellows receive in-depth professional development support, administered by the Kresge Arts in Detroit and a team of nationally recognized arts organizations. Fellows are able to select the skill-building, networking, promotion, and coaching support that best suits their goals and definitions of success.
Each year, the Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award recipients are selected by independent panels of distinguished local and national artists and arts professionals. The program strongly encourages previous applicants to re apply, as new panels, with new perspectives, are convened each year.
“We are continuously amazed by the depth of artistic talent and commitment in our region, and by The Kresge Foundation’s unending support for ensuring that artists are rewarded for the many ways they enhance and transform our region,’’ said Kresge Arts in Detroit Director Christina deRoos. “I can’t think of a time when the visionary role of artists has been more vital to the human spirit.’’
Kikko Paradela, an independent designer, printmaker, and 2019 Kresge Artist Fellow says that the in-depth application process gave him an unexpected sense of creative clarity. Paradela applied twice before his selection in 2019. To prospective applicants he says, “Just do it. Obviously, the financial benefit is great, but what’s really nice about it, even if you don’t win, is that it allows you to reflect and articulate all the work you’ve been doing.’’
Cherise Morris, a writer and 2019 Kresge Artist Fellow adds, “I encourage all literary artists to apply for this amazing opportunity. The (application) questions provoked me to think through my work in new ways and really, for the first time ever, define myself and my purpose as a writer.’’
In light of COVID-19, the customary in-person info sessions will be presented in a digital format this year. An informational video pertaining to the application will be released in November. While not required, applicants are encouraged to view the video, which is designed to support artists in creating their most authentic and compelling application for a Kresge Artist Fellowship. Additionally, Kresge Arts in Detroit staff will hold an online question and answer session in January.
APPLICATION INFO SESSIONS
Thursday, November 19, 2020: Informational video released (online) Thursday, January 7, 2021, 5:00-6:30PM: Application Questions & Answers (online)
Visit kresgeartsindetroit.org to access the complete guidelines, FAQs, and additional resources. Direct questions about application requirements to Kresge Arts in Detroit: [email protected]. The Kresge Arts in Detroit office is currently operating remotely, so email is the best way to contact us.
