Essential funding arrives at a critical time to benefit an artist who has never been to the residency program.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has approved a $25,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to MacDowell, the nation’s first artist residency program, to provide critical support for an artist working in one of MacDowell’s various disciplines. The grant will provide a first-time Fellowship to an artist, assisting MacDowell in meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues to offer artists from all over the United States ideal workspace and time to expand their creative practices in 2021. This grant is one of 1,073 projects across the country, totaling nearly $25 million, selected by the NEA during this first round of fiscal year 2021 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects category.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support this project from MacDowell,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “MacDowell is among the arts organizations across the country that have demonstrated creativity, excellence, and resilience during this very challenging year.”
Fellowship recipients will be selected from a range of artistic disciplines, geographic regions, race, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, gender, and age. To attract qualified applicants who would otherwise not be able to afford time off for a residency, MacDowell provides financial aid and travel support. More than one third of our accepted artists receive financial aid to cover lost income, travel expenses, and other costs that might interfere with their ability to take part in a residency. MacDowell distributes more than $170,000 annually in financial aid and travel support to artists demonstrating need.
MacDowell residencies last two weeks to two months, with an average duration of 30 days. Each residency includes use of a private studio with discipline-specific amenities, three meals a day, and living accommodations. The opportunity for artists-in-residence to engage with creators in other disciplines and backgrounds is vital to the program, and MacDowell is ensuring that it can continue to take place in a safe and healthy manner even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to interrupt our daily lives. The relationships formed between artists often spark inspiration and long-term creative partnerships.
MacDowell’s next application deadline for residencies is April 15, 2021.
For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
