Carefully read the requirements before completing your application online. 

→ No late applications will be accepted. 

→ No changes or additions may be made to application materials after the deadline.

Choose only one

As the applicant, you make the final determination of which panel will review your work. Think about what discipline shares a similar lexicon, practices, and/or frameworks that would be able to review your work thoughtfully. Applications will only be reviewed by one discipline-specific panel. We know that artists practice in multiple fields and across disciplinary boundaries; therefore, our staff works hard to build diverse panels for each discipline.

Additional short answer responses are requested from Dance, Theater & Performance, and Traditional Arts applicants.

Dance Applicants (Optional)

Text: 250 words or less (no more than 1600 characters)

If you primarily identify as a dancer or performer, could you elaborate on your process and the relationship you have with the projects you take on? Additionally, please provide any insight into the types of projects you are most engaged with and why?

Theater & Performance Applicants (Optional)

Text: 250 words or less (no more than 1600 characters)

If you primarily identify as an actor or performer, could you elaborate on your process and the relationship you have with the projects you take on? Additionally, please provide any insight into the types of projects you are most engaged with and why?

Traditional Arts Applicants (Required)

Text: 250 words or less (no more than 1600 characters)

Community plays a vital role in shaping cultural life and artistic traditions, particularly within the folk and traditional arts field. How does your artistic practice engage with your community?

Five words or less

The practice descriptor is a word or two that best summarizes your practice. (ex. painter, choreographer, poet, violinist, weaver, performance collective, documentary filmmaker, etc.)

Three pages or less in a single PDF

The resume should provide a concise but holistic snapshot of your professional accomplishments with an emphasis on your notable achievements, activities, and milestones.

Text: 250 words or less (no more than 1600 characters)

The biography is intended to provide a brief introduction and overview of your personal background and artistic practice. Although you may include accolades here, it should not merely repeat what is listed in your resume.

The application requires you to answer the following two short answer questions. These responses correspond to the criteria listed on page one and are used in the panel review process to give panelists insight into your practice, intention, and vision. These answers should focus on your practice as a whole rather than the specifics of individual works.

* We recommend drafting your text in a word processing program and using spell check before submitting it. *

What motivates your artistic practice? Please describe the intention behind your work.

This question directly relates to the artistic vision selection criteria outlined in the Application Guidelines. This statement is intended to give the reviewer's an insight into your practice, intention, and vision—further contextualizing your work samples.

Text: 200 to 500 words (no more than 3500 characters)

How will this award impact your work and life? How will it propel you forward or support you at a critical juncture in your practice? 

Our panelists are field leaders who understand the importance of financial support for artists, especially today, as a global pandemic has impacted the livelihoods of artists across the country. To the best of your ability, tell us where you are within the trajectory of your practice and how this fellowship may impact you. Please note that your application will be reviewed based on your whole body of work with an understanding that the pandemic has affected the production and presentation of new works.

Text: 200 to 500 words (no more than 3500 characters)

Choose the most relevant disciplinary panel

Decide what context you would like your work reviewed under and consider the discipline that shares your lexicon. This is not only about choosing which field colleagues are best suited to review your work, but also which discipline you are innovating or challenging within.

Embrace your voice in the short answer questions

Each application is reviewed individually and based on its own merit. With that said, the strongest applications are those that address the criteria—vision, impact, and momentum—with a strong sense of voice and perspective. This is an opportunity for you to contextualize your work and articulate what motivates and inspires you.

This is not a project-based grant

Write about your practice as a whole and only expand on important and relevant projects as needed. For example, if a project is central to your practice, you should write about it, but you shouldn’t spend time writing about every work sample provided in your short answer responses. Utilize the captions for project-specific descriptions. 

Create access points into your practice

Develop a narrative in your application through your short answer questions, work samples, etc. for panelists both familiar and unfamiliar with your work.

Focus on the narrative your work samples are telling and aim for quality over quantity

Share your strongest and most relevant work. Choose samples that highlight your innovative approach and/or your unique perspective as an artist. For example, for some artists, it is appropriate to show work in chronological order, while for others it can be a disservice. Submit work that you are most passionate about and believe is the strongest.