PETERBOROUGH, N.H.: MacDowell has awarded its 2021 fellowships to 136 artists from 25 U.S. states and seven countries, representing multiple artistic disciplines. The fellowships are for upcoming residencies spanning autumn to spring as the program returns to a rolling scheduling protocol in anticipation of reaching pre-COVID capacity.
Fifty-five percent of the upcoming artists in residence identify as artists of color, and 75 percent are first-time awardees at MacDowell. Sixteen of the fellows are theatre artists, including Janet Allard, Jiehae Park, KJ Sanchez, Brittany K. Allen, Morgan Bassichis, Syreeta Briggs, Renae Jarrett, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Jiehae Park, Chana Porter, Nia Akilah Robinson, KJ Sanchez, Jen Silverman, Daniel Tejera, Niko Tsakalakos, and Max Vernon.
“This new group of incoming fellows is a testament to the diversity of talent represented by MacDowell Fellows who come to Peterborough from all corners of the world to find a bit of sanctuary in which to create, and also to share their valuable insights with each other,” said executive director Philip Himberg in a statement. “As we ramp up toward full capacity, our aim is to ensure that our Fellows have the time, space and communion to create transformative art and new ways of lifting the human spirit.”
Each fellowship has an average value of more than $13,000, awarded this year to MacDowell’s largest ever applicant pool. “This is a record number of submissions for MacDowell, and we wonder if this evidences the compelling need at this time for artists to make new work and the unvanquished creative spirit in the face of historic hardship,” Himberg said.
A professional panel from each discipline selects fellows based on their talent and vision, reflected by a work sample and project description. While at MacDowell, fellows are provided a private studio, three meals a day, and accommodations for a period of up to eight weeks.
MacDowell fellowships give artists uninterrupted time to work and and enjoy multidisciplinary exchange. Those with demonstrable financial need are eligible for travel grants and stipends to offset any expenses accrued at home for the duration of the fellowship. Check here for the next application deadline.
