2025-2026 CSP ARTIST COLLECTIVE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Conch Shell Productions
DEADLINE: February 3, 2025 at 11:59pm EST
INFO: Screenwriters and playwrights of Caribbean heritage! Conch Shell Productions is accepting applications for membership in its CSP Artist Collective.
MEMBERSHIP PERIOD: March 2025 - Feb 2026
GUIDELINES:
As per our mission, members must be of either of Caribbean ancestry or nationality.
Members agree to attend one monthly Writer's Room (online gatherings). Duration: 3 hours per session.
Members have the option of sharing up to 40 minutes (20-30 pages) of current work (film, tv or theatre) and get feedback (members will cold read the pages for each other.)
Members will sign up to share pages (preferably a month ahead of time)
Fellow members, CSP’s dramaturg and AD will provide feedback on works
Members will volunteer to lead discussions about the craft, and the session opening icebreaker.
Members agree to be Conch Shell Productions ambassadors
Sharing CSP weekly posts via social media
Getting the word out about all online and in person CSP events.
Introduce CSP to possible supporters, sponsors, new audiences, and donors.
Collaborate with follow members on CSP readings (whenever possible)
8. Members must attend a minimum of 80% CSP online monthly meetings and events. In-Person events - when possible.
9. Membership in the collective is a yearly membership at no cost to members. (workshops and CSP events are free for members)
10. If invited to do so, members are welcome to extend their membership into the following year
11. Annual new works readings:
Artistic Director and Dramaturg will select works to be included in the reading series (Bluelight Series (full length works), CSP New Works Fest (one act plays)
Playwrights will self-produce their plays for these event
Max cast size: 5.
CSP will finance part or the whole cost of the reading (based on available funding)
12. Cold readings and shared pages readings during meetings - private. No audience.
13. Public readings will take place online or in-person - depending on the location of the writer (only NYC-based writers or writers ready and willing to self finance travel and stay in NYC are eligible to have their work featured in our in-person reading fest)
14. CSP budget for readings - tbd.
15. Reading date (s): Bluelight Series (dates tbd); CSP New Works Fest December 2025 (dates tbd)
_____
2025 TORCH RETREAT
Torch Literary Arts
APPLICATION PERIOD: February 3 - 17, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: Torch Literary Arts is proud to provide our annual creative writing retreat. We welcome applications from Black women writers with works-in-progress across poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction (personal memoir or lyric essays), and script (plays or screenplays).
RETREAT LOCATION: Austin, TX
ABOUT THE RETREAT:
Dedicated Writing Time - Fellows receive plenty of time for dedicated writing devoted to their works in progress. We gently support you in your writing goals for the week by providing group check-ins and the opportunity to share your progress in a nurturing environment.
Comfortable Accommodations - Retreat fellows will stay at the beautiful Colton House Hotel. Accommodations include a private bedroom and bathroom in a two-bedroom suite with a shared living room and full kitchen. During your week-long retreat, you will receive dedicated writing time each morning, catered breakfast and lunch, and ample time during the afternoons and evenings to rest, recharge, enjoy the hotel amenities, or explore the city. The retreat will also include guest speakers and a public reading by fellows at the end of the week.
Financial Support - There is no fee to apply or attend the retreat. Each fellow will receive a $1,000 stipend to assist with travel, supplies, childcare, or anything else that helps make it possible for fellows to attend regardless of financial ability.
_____
HANSBERRY-LILLY AWARD
Dramatists Guild Foundation
DEADLINE: February 7, 2025 by 11:59pm ET
INFO: The Lillys’ Lorraine Hansberry Initiative, under the leadership and vision of Julia Jordan and Lynn Nottage, has generously developed this opportunity to honor the great American Lorraine Hansberry and ensure the next generation of women and or non-binary playwrights of color is able to follow in her footsteps, regardless of their economic situation.
AWARD: Two Hansberry-Lilly awardees will be given stipends of $25,000 each year of their graduate education in playwriting. The award is a need-based scholarship to both acknowledge and combat the financial disparities between races and between genders. The awardees must be newly accepted to or currently enrolled in one of the designated MFA programs. The funds awarded are to be used to support cost of living expenses that are not otherwise covered by other scholarships, subsidized tuition, or fellowship monies. The Hansberry-Lilly Award was specifically created to ensure that our awardees have protected time to actually write, time to develop relationships with peer collaborators, and time to nurture relationships with mentors that will endure through their careers.
ELIGIBILITY:
Persons wishing to apply must:
Be a person of color
Be a woman or non-binary
Be a first-year/newly accepted into one of these graduate dramatic writing programs: Brooklyn College, Brown, Columbia University, Julliard, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, Northwestern, Yale, University of California at San Diego, and Hunter College.
dramatistsguildfoundation.submittable.com/submit
_____
2025-26 Writing Fellowship
The Playwrights Realm
DEADLINE: February 10, 2025 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: The Writing Fellowship is at the heart of what we do: helping writers write. Four early-career playwrights receive nine months of resources, readings and feedback designed to help them reach their professional and artistic goals. The culminating event of the program is our INK’D Festival, which features public readings of each Fellows’ play.
To be eligible you must:
Live within commuting distance to Midtown Manhattan, and be able to make it to regular evening writers meetings, rehearsals, and events.
Have a script that would benefit from a nine-month, intensive development process.
Please note: short plays, solo plays, plays with multiple authors, and musicals are not eligible for the Writing Fellowship.
GUIDELINES:
Applicants for the Writing Fellowship will submit:
Online application - short-answer questionnaire (see details here)
Artistic résume (PDF format)
Complete draft of the play that you wish to develop (PDF format), with your name and the play title on the cover page.
Music samples (if applicable)
playwrightsrealm.submittable.com/submit
_____
2025-26 Scratchpad Series
The Playwrights Realm
DEADLINE: February 10, 2025 by 11:59pm EST
INFO: Scratchpad Series jumpstarts The Realm’s relationship with early-career playwrights from around the country. Participants will spend a week in New York City for a developmental reading of their play with top-notch professional collaborators—director, cast, and The Realm’s artistic staff. If the playwright is based outside of New York, The Realm will provide travel and housing or per diem. To be eligible you must:
Have a script that would benefit from dramaturgical conversation with The Realm and 15-hour developmental reading process reading. (Plays can be anything from a rough first draft to a play that is close to production-ready.)
Be able to be present in New York City for a process of between 3-6 days, at a time agreed upon by both you and The Realm.
Please note: short plays and solo plays not eligible for the Scratchpad Series.
GUIDELINES:
Applicants for the Writing Fellowship will submit:
Online application - short-answer questionnaire (see details here)
Artistic résume (PDF format)
Complete draft of the play that you wish to develop (PDF format), with your name and the play title on the cover page.
Music samples (if applicable)
playwrightsrealm.submittable.com/submit
_____
Indigenous Writer in Residency
Cranberry Lake Biological Station (Syracuse, NY)
DEADLINE: February 15, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: Cranberry Lake Biological Station (CLBS) is located in the heart of the Adirondack Park, on the lands of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The biological station is a satellite campus of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), in Syracuse, NY.
For over 100 years CLBS has served as a source of ecological knowledge and inspiration. Generations of students have learned from the land, explored their interests, and built lasting bonds with other students. CLBS is a place where student aspirations take root and career paths are launched. It is also a hub of research with over 115 peer reviewed publications crediting CLBS. Building on this tradition our mission is to provide learners with exceptional field experiences, further ecological understanding of the Adirondacks, engage with the broader scientific community, ensure diverse communities are supported in field studies, and to engage with local communities.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:
Three, three-week residency slots are: May 18 - June 6, June 8 – June 27, July 13 - August 1. Housing, a private room with shared living space, three meals a day are provided at the station dining hall, and a workspace will be provided. The resident will also have access to all facilities including canoes, classroom spaces, microscopes, and the ability to join classes if desired. Additional needs and requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility: The residency is open to Indigenous writers over 21 years of age whowrite poetry, plays/screenplays, fiction/short stories, and/or nonfiction.
Funding: The residency is fully subsidized and provides housing, food, and workspace space at no cost. In addition, the selected artist will receive a stipend/travel allowance of $1,000.
Expectations: It is expected that each resident will offer two evening readings/discussion during the residency, one for students at the station and one for local residents, these programs will be planned in conjunction with CLBS staff. In the fall writers are asked to participate either virtually or in person in an event on the SUNY ESF main campus in Syracuse, NY alongside the other residents. Past residents are also asked to serve on the selection committee for the next year.
Support: The residency is jointly supported by the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment and the Cranberry Lake Biological Station
APPLICATION DETAILS:
The application is hosted through an online form. The required information for the application is provided below. You may be unable to save your application, so please be prepared to submit all information at one time. Please submit all materials as a single PDF or word document.
Brief Biography - In 500 words or less, please share your professional trajectory, skills, and any relevant background you would like to share
Applicant Proposal - A 500-word proposal that addresses the concept and direction of planned work
Importance of Cranberry Lake Biological Station
In 500 words or less, please explain how CLBS is suited to your work and how you will utilize the station and its resources.
Résumé/CV - Please include educational background, teaching, publications, awards, honors, and other pertinent experiences.
Preferred Residency Dates - You will be asked to submit your ranked choice of residency dates.
Work Samples - Please submit a work sample no longer than 10 pages.
EVAULATION: Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee made up of past recipients, Indigenous and non-Indigenous professional writers, and other qualified individuals.
This committee will make the final decision on who will be awarded residencies. The residencies can be awarded to writers at all career stages, from those who have never been published and without formal writing education to established writers with extensive education. Selection will be based on the strength of the application package.
NOTIFICATION:
Writers will be notified in mid-March whether they have been offered residency. All applicants will be notified about the final status of their application.
For questions, please reach out to Terrance Caviness at tcaviness@esf.edu
_____
OPEN CALL: The Artist Publishing Cohort
at Louis Place
DEADLINE: February 15, 2025
INFO: at Louis Place is a community for artists and writers. Through an accessible, collaborative online platform, at Louis Place is an ecosystem for artistic practice that values liberation, experimentation, cooperation, and shared leadership. Daily co-writing, weekly writing groups, monthly guest workshops, peer exchange, and other offerings connect participants to peers around the world. at Louis Place was created by and for writers marginalized by conventional writing communities, including Black, Indigenous, immigrant, disabled, and over-50 writers, as well as writers outside urban centers; it is open to everyone who shares our values.
The Artist Publishing Cohort is a new initiative offering personalized support for eight artists with publishing projects in progress. Selected artists receive a $1,000 stipend, coaching and staff support, optional weekly workshop, and access to aLP resources.
The Artist Publishing Cohort at Louis Place is made possible by the generous support of Wagner Foundation.
WHO IS THIS FOR:
The Artist Publishing Cohort is right for:
Visual artists, choreographers and performing artists, and other interdisciplinary artists whose primary training is outside of the field of creative writing
Artists preparing a publishing project featuring their own creative work, such as a novel, memoir, monograph, or book of poems
Artists looking for regular practical and creative support on their publishing project
Artists looking to build their work in fellowship with other artists and writers
Artists preparing work for digital publication, self-publication, or traditional publication
Artists with projects actively and urgently in progress and ready for support
We love all writers, but this particular program is not suited for:
Academically-trained writers preparing academic manuscripts in any field
Playwrights and other trained writers preparing projects for performance rather than publication
Published authors with access to extensive writing networks
Artists preparing print editions that won’t require an editorial process
Artists preparing projects that will be distributed in editions less than 50
Current and past aLP writers are eligible for this opportunity, along with those who are new to our community.
Not eligible?
Artists curious about publishing who do not have a specific project in mind are invited to join our Artist Publishing Practicum in Spring 2025 to learn more about pathways to publication for artists and nontraditional writers.
The creative community at Louis Place welcomes artists and writers who share our values, even if they are not eligible for the Artist Publishing Cohort. We review registrations in September, January, and May.
WHAT DO PARTICIPATING ARTISTS RECEIVE?
Participating artists receive:
Financial support: A stipend of $1,000 to support their creative work—use it to offset childcare, research, rent, groceries, supplies, or anything else connected to life as an artist.
Mentorship: A supporting coaching session by an external mentor aligned with the artist’s creative goals, scheduled early in the cohort session
Peer support: Monthly cohort meetings to share project progress and identify opportunities and connections, facilitated by aLP staff
Workshop: Participate in a weekly workshop for creative feedback and accountability (this is an optional offering)
Practicums: In March and October 2025, aLP will offer two comprehensive practicums designed to demystify the pathway to publication for visual artists featuring a network of special guests. aLP Cohort artists are encouraged to join these special retreats.
Resources: Benefit from monthly writing workshops by guest lecturers, our archive of past events, our prompt and resource libraries, our extended network of writers of all kinds, and all other aLP offerings.
Artist Publishing Cohort artists should be prepared to participate fully in program offerings. Cohort artists are not required to attend every event, but should be able to make a meaningful commitment to regular participation.
HOW DO I APPLY:
The application requests biographical information, a CV, information about your project, and a work sample.
Have questions? Join us for the information session January 23 at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern time. Register for the information session HERE.
Artists registered for the information session also receive access to the information session recording.
HOW ARE ARTISTS SELECTED?
After an internal review for eligibility, cohort artists are selected by an independent jury of artist-writers.
Applications are reviewed according to the following criteria:
Is this the publication the world needs now? Is the work innovative, excellent, and exciting to the jurors?
Is the project feasible; is the opportunity timely? Can this project be realized with the capacity you have and according to the plans you described? Is the opportunity a good fit with your current stage in career as well as the stage of the project?
Is the project aligned with aLP values and priorities? Is this project under-supported by traditional publishing pathways—would it benefit from the specific resources we offer at Louis Place?
IMPORTANT DATES:
Applicants notified: Early March, 2025
Program dates: March 22, 2025 - September 30, 2025
_____
International Summer Program
The Watermill Center
DEADLINE: February 19, 2025 AT 11:59pm EST
INFO: The International Summer Program is an exceptional residency that brings 20 artists together for four weeks at The Watermill Center.
Participants are invited to develop new works alongside emerging artists and established creative professionals from various countries and disciplines. They exchange ideas, share practices, attend workshops, and collaborate on projects in a communal and experimental environment that encourages them to push the boundaries of contemporary creative practice. Participants also have opportunities to work with Founder/Artistic Director Robert Wilson on workshops, rehearsals, and installations.
The program culminates in a festival of works developed during the residency, alongside works by renowned artists across dance, visual arts, theater, music, and performance art.
During the program, artists are immersed in an extensive collection of resources, including The Watermill Center Collection, the Library of Inspiration, and ten acres of landscaped grounds and sculpture gardens.
PROGRAM DATES: July 7 – August 2, 2025
_____
KHN Residency
Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts (Nebraska City, NE)
DEADLINE: March 1, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $35
INFO: The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts awards up to seventy juried residencies per year to established and emerging visual artists, writers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists from across the country and around the world. Residencies are 2 to 8 weeks in length. Each resident receives a $175 stipend per week, housing, and a private studio.
2025 SESSIONS: July 7 - December 19, 2025
GUIDELINES: Each item will be presented as a separate form within our online application portal. Before beginning your application, download the WORK SAMPLES guidelines specific to your discipline (file links located bottom of page) and follow the directions to help prepare files. Application sections include:
General Application Information including your preferred dates and length of residency.
2 ANONYMOUS Statements: An anonymous Statement of Submitted Works that clarifies the work and/or its relevance within contemporary or historical creative practices, contemporary society/issues, or the evolution of your personal creative practice; and an anonymous Statement of Intent regarding how you intend to utilize your time and why a residency at KHN is important to you at this point in your career.
KHN utilizes a blind jury process. The ONLY items seen and reviewed by jurors are ANONYMOUS WORK SAMPLES and ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS. Jurors rate applications based solely on the quality and relevance of the submitted work and the statements' effectiveness in clarifying the work and the applicant’s intentions for a residency.
Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, GALLERY OR VENUE NAMES, or any other identifying information within the statements.
ANONYMOUS Work Samples: See the guidelines PDF specific to your discipline (file links located bottom of page) to help you prepare your materials.
KHN utilizes a blind jury process. The ONLY items seen and reviewed by jurors are ANONYMOUS WORK SAMPLES and ANONYMOUS STATEMENTS. Jurors rate applications based solely on the quality and relevance of the submitted work and the statements' effectiveness in clarifying the work and the applicant’s intentions for a residency.
Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, GALLERY OR VENUE NAMES within any uploaded work samples, file names, or descriptions.
References: Contact information for two professional references that are familiar with your work and your potential to be a positive member of our small community of residents.
Professional History from your current resume or CV. Your name MAY appear in the contents of this information.
Application Fee of $35 paid via credit card through the online portal. All fees must be paid through the online portal. We are unable to waive the application fee.
STIPEND, HOUSING, + TRAVEL: Residency awards come with a weekly $175 stipend. All residents are provided housing that includes a private bedroom, bathroom, and studio space. Writers and visual artists generally share an apartment with one other resident, with shared kitchen, living room, and balcony space. Composers are generally housed in a garden-level studio apartment.
All travel expenses are the responsibility of the awardee, with the exception of cab fare from Omaha or Lincoln on the day of arrival and/or departure.
There are two airports about an hour away: Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) and the Lincoln Airport (LNK). To get from either airport to Nebraska City, residents can arrange for transportation with Nebraska City's Tree City Cab at least 24 hours prior to their arrival or departure. The taxi fare ($100 per trip) will be paid for by the Kimmel Foundation.
Residents can also consider traveling by train or bus to Lincoln or Omaha. The same arrangement with the taxi service applies. The Kansas City Airport (KCI) is two hours away. However, taxi service will not be paid for from Kansas City to Nebraska City.
WORK SAMPLE GUIDELINES FOR WRITER + POET (LITERARY) SUBMISSIONS:
Upload one PDF that contains all writing samples (up to 10MB).
Previously published or non-published material is eligible.
Only writing submitted in English will be considered.
Fiction: Submit no more than 2 short stories or novel chapters, not to exceed 7500 words in length. If a portion of a novel is submitted, a brief (100-200 word) synopsis may be included and does not count toward the 7500-word limit.
Non-fiction: Submit no more than 2 essays or chapters, not to exceed 7500 words in length. If a portion of a manuscript or book is submitted, a brief (100-200 word) synopsis may be included and does not count toward the 7500-word limit. If the work submitted is memoir or biography, the requirement to remove your name from the writing sample may be disregarded.
Poetry: Submit up to 10 poems, combined length not to exceed 30 pages.
Drama: Submit up to 2 one-act plays or up to 2 excerpts (monologues, acts, scenes) from a longer work. Include a character list and brief synopsis. Total number of pages may not exceed 30.
Screenplays: Submit no more than 2 screenplays. Include a brief synopsis. Total number of pages may not exceed 30.
Combination of Genres/Non-traditional applications: If submitting samples from more than one genre, total submission should not exceed 7500 words or thirty pages in length.
All work samples MUST be ANONYMOUS. Do NOT include your NAME, CREDITS, AWARDS, UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYERS, COLLABORATORS, COMMISSIONING OR PUBLISHING AGENTS, or GALLERY or VENUE NAMES within any work samples or in the title/description area within Slideroom.
*If your application includes a combination of visual and literary works, please consider applying under the interdisciplinary category.
Contact us at info@khncenterforthearts.org or 402-874-9600 with any questions regarding applications or submission materials.
khncenterforthearts.org/residency
_____
2025 Summer Institute on Environmental Justice
Black Midwest Initiative (University of Illinois Chicago)
DEADLINE: March 7, 2025
INFO: The Black Midwest Initiative (BMI) at the University of Illinois Chicago invites applications from early-career scholars, artists, and community organizers to its 2025 Summer Institute on Environmental Justice. This convening will bring together 15 participants, designated as BMI Fellows, who are doing work around environmental justice issues affecting Black people and communities within the Midwest and Rust Belt regions of the United States for a week-long series of discussions, presentations, and workshops with leading figures in the field. In alignment with environmental sociologist and Institute facilitator David Pellow, we conceive of environmental racism as a “form of violent control over bodies, space, and knowledge systems.” Accordingly, we define the parameters of the environmental justice issues applicants might propose to address broadly—from urban agriculture, toxic emissions, natural disasters, and climate change to carcerality, housing instability, residential segregation, community health and wellness, and beyond.
After the conclusion of the Institute, each Fellow will also work to develop a project, individually or in collaboration with one or more other Fellows, that will be incorporated into the Black Midwest Justice Hub (the HUB)—a digital platform we will launch in the fall of 2026 that will serve as a resource repository for the BMI Environmental Justice Collaboratory, a set of environmental justice courses that will be taught across multiple midwestern colleges and universities during the 2026-27 academic year. HUB projects may ultimately take any number of forms that can be accessed digitally, including but not limited to short films, virtual exhibits, traditional academic papers, storymaps, graphic notes, sound recordings, oral histories, interviews, and introductory essays or lectures.
INSTITUTE FACILITATORS:
Erika Allen, Urban Growers Collective
Adrienne Brown, University of Chicago
Lydia Marie Hicks, Black Eden Arts Alliance
Fayola Jacobs, University of Minnesota
Tonika Lewis Johnson, UnBlocked Englewood
David Pellow, UC Santa Barbara
LaShawnda Crowe Storm, Indianapolis, Indiana
Monica M. White, University of Wisconsin-Madison
ELIGIBILITY:
Emerging artists of all genres (including filmmakers, dancers, poets, and other literary, visual, sound, and performance artists), community organizers and activists, graduate students, junior faculty, adjunct and non-tenure track faculty, independent scholars, and postdoctoral scholars whose work deeply engages with environmental justice issues affecting Black communities in the Midwest or Rust Belt regions of the United States (ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, SOUTH DAKOTA, WISCONSIN).
DETAILS OF PARTICIPATION:
Fellows from outside of the Chicago area will be expected to arrive in Chicago on Sunday, July 20, with departure scheduled for the morning of Saturday, July 26. Most days of the Institute will feature a morning session during which facilitators will discuss their work with the Fellows and an afternoon session during which the Fellows will present their work to the group. There will also be a site visit during the week to a location TBA that is engaging critical EJ work in the Chicago metro area. Fellows will be expected to attend all sessions, including the site visit and final group dinner, to complete any readings or screenings assigned by the facilitators, and to prepare a presentation of their work to be shared during one of the afternoon sessions. The Summer Institute will be hosted at the UIC Institute for the Humanities, and all sessions will be held in person.
Each Fellow will receive up to $500 toward their travel expenses to attend the Summer Institute. Lodging will be provided in UIC campus housing for all Fellows coming from outside of the Chicago area. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day of the Institute, as well as dinner on Friday. After the conclusion of the Summer Institute, each participant will receive a $1000 stipend to be used toward the costs associated with their HUB project.
APPLICATION:
The BMI Summer Institute Application requires a 500-word project statement and a 5-page cv or resume.
Applicants will be notified of decisions by April 10.
QUESTIONS?
Please feel free to email theblackmidwest@gmail.com with any questions.
theblackmidwest.com/summer-institute
_____
2025-2026 emerging writer fellowship
GrubStreet (Boston, MA)
DEADLINE: March 10, 2025
INFO: The Emerging Writer Fellowship aims to develop new, exciting voices by providing three writers per year tuition-free access to GrubStreet’s classes and several key publishing/industry events. Over the course of one year, each Emerging Writer Fellow will attend a combination of seminars and multi-week courses of their choosing, along with a wide selection of other topical programming, in order to enhance their understanding of craft and the publishing industry.
We hope that this year's fellows will be able to join us in-person for classes and events. Priority will be given to applicants who will be able to join us in Boston.
OVERVIEW: The Emerging Writer Fellowship will be awarded to three writers who demonstrate a passion for writing, a commitment to developing their writing abilities, and financial need. Any person 18 and older who demonstrates ability and passion for writing is eligible.
The Emerging Writer Fellowship will provide access to each of the following:
5 multi-week courses
5 three-hour seminars
Access to key annual industry events and other craft-related programs.
Access to GrubStreet's Artistic Director and/or other program staff members for quarterly (or as-needed) office hours for personalized mentorship. (Optional)
At the end of the program, fellows will also receive a complimentary one-year GrubStreet membership so they can continue enjoying extra community perks even after their program year ends.
The fellowship year begins in May.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: This fellowship is open to anyone 18 and older with a passion for writing. The fellowship specifically aims to assist writers in need of financial assistance in reaching their writing goals. We particularly encourage writers of color, ethnic minorities, those who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and other members of communities historically underrepresented by the literary community to apply.
WHY WE CREATED THIS FELLOWSHIP: Over the years, GrubStreet encountered more and more people who loved to write but didn't have the money to invest in a creative writing education that would help advance their craft or give them a thoughtful introduction to the publishing world. As part of its mission to make sure that voices of every type and talent are heard, GrubStreet developed the Emerging Writer Fellowship to eliminate some of the financial barriers to entry. Through this program, we hope to connect writers to a literary world – a world made richer and more relevant with the contribution of these voices.
In the program's first year, we were able to offer one fellowship to one student. As of the 2018-2019 cycle, we were able to begin offering a second fellowship in memory of novelist Anita Shreve, longtime board member and dear friend of GrubStreet. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we now offer three fellowships each year.
HOW TO APPLY:
The Emerging Writer Fellowship Application Form will require the following:
A sample of your writing that demonstrates your artistic style and voice. 5-10 pages for prose, screenwriting, or playwriting. 3-7 pages for poetry.
A personal statement—no more than 500 words please!—which should include the following:
How you envision using the fellowship.
A description of your relationship to writing. By this we mean: what excites you about it? What does it mean to you personally?
How the fellowship will help you in your growth and success as a writer.
Your writing and workshop history (Note: Prior workshop experience at GrubStreet is not required).
The Fellowship year begins in May.
All applicants can expect to hear back by early May.
grubstreet.org/write/emerging-writer-fellowship
_____
BAYARD RUSTIN RESIDENCY
Penington Friends House (New York City)
DEADLINE: March 15, 2025
INFO: Building on the social activist history of Penington’s founders, original board, and later residents, the Bayard Rustin Residency at Penington Friends House (PFH) is envisioned as an ongoing ladder to empowerment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end Systemic Racism and to create a culture of anti-Racism and intersectional equality in the United States of America. It is also intended to extend and strengthen the wider Quaker witness to equality.
Beginning in September of 2025, this residency will provide up to one year of room and board to a person who demonstrates a strong project that addresses ending Systemic Racism and who has a necessity to be in New York City for up to one year. They will reside at the Penington Friends House located in New York City’s Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Bayard Rustin Resident will demonstrate a need to live in Manhattan. Areas of focus of their work can include activism in the arts, policy change, human rights, community organizing, and other areas of activism focusing on ending racism and strengthening equality. Residents will meet regularly with the Residency Manager and will be expected to share their progress with the New York City community in the form of presentations or workshops.
The resident does not have to be Quaker but their work should be shaped by and in harmony with our tenets of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. The resident will be expected to be a full-time resident of PFH and be participating member of this intentional community. This includes eating chef prepared dinners with the other residents and participating in shared light house chores. ( 1 1/2 hour commitment per week on average.) The Penington Friends House’s approach to living collaboratively may be new to you. We encourage to look at our website and instagram account (@Penington_friends_house) to gain a better understanding of what we are. Feel free to call us as well with questions. We are LGBTQ embracing community. We believe Black Lives Matter. We are always working to be a safe space and an anti-racist community.
Resident selection is made through a BIPOC committee of Quakers and non-Quakers and is based on the strength of the applicants work and proposed project. Final approval of the Bayard Rustin resident is made by the Penington Friends House Residents and staff, in the same interview process that all other residents are approved to live at the Penington. Applicants should note that the Bayard Rustin Resident bedroom is on the 4th floor of an historic Brownstone. An elevator is not available. Bathrooms are shared with other floor residents. This residency covers the cost of rent, boarding (food) provided 5 nights a week, internet, cable, and heat/AC. Limited access ( starting at 3:30PM weekedays) to a studio space may be available. A stipend is NOT currently provided by this residency.
Here are a few types of artists and activists activities that we would be interested in considering. Please contact us before applying if you are not sure your project would fit our call. Questions can be directed to Todd Drake at outreach at penington dot org.
An artist working on a body of art that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.
A writer working on a new book, play, screenplay, or collection that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.
A performer creating a new dance piece that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.
A community based artist designing or carrying out a community based project that addresses racism and/or intersectional issues.
An activist organizing communities to address racism and/or intersectional issues.
A social entrepreneur that is starting a non-profit focused on addressing racism and/or intersectional issues.
An inventor or designer working on solving a problem associated with systemic racism and/or intersectional issues.
A graduate student that has a strong and well defined anti-racism project that needs support and time to launch.
BACKGROUND: The residency is named after Bayard Rustin who was a Quaker and an attender at 15th Street Monthly Meeting in New York City. This meeting (Quaker house of worship) is next to the Penington Friends House. Rustin worked commitedly for the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He was an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on nonviolence. Rustin was also a chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a founding member of the Freedom Riders. He was an early advocate for gay rights. Rustin’s later work included a heavy focus on refugee affairs. Rustin served as Vice Chairman of the International Rescue Committee, helped to found the National Emergency Coalition for Haitian Refugees, and was Chairman of the Executive Committee of Freedom House. He died in 1987. In 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ( Source rustinfund.org)
We are currently accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Bayard Rustin Residency. This is our 5th Bayard Residency.
The Bayard Rustin Residency is supported with funds from the Society of Friends (Quakers) New York Yearly Meeting, the New York Quarterly Meeting, the Brooklyn Monthly Meeting, the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, and the Board of Penington Friends House. Donations are currently being accepted.