New York artists can apply through Oct. 21 for four yearlong fellowships that place them inside state agencies to develop public-facing projects. Each selected artist will receive $60,000, an amount that includes project expenses, according to the state Council on the Arts.
The State of the Arts Fellowship is entering its second year. The council and each host agency will choose the fellows, who are expected to begin their residencies in early 2027. Artists working in visual art, performance, literature, film and interdisciplinary practices are eligible to apply.
Applications are due at 5 p.m. Oct. 21, and the state expects to announce selections in early 2027. The program's guidelines are available through the New York State Council on the Arts.
Canal corridor and homeownership projects
One fellow will work with the New York State Canal Corporation to document and interpret the skill and ingenuity of canal workers and communities. The project may involve sites along the statewide canal corridor, with agency offices in Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany. That scope could include canal communities across the Finger Lakes.
Another position is with the State of New York Mortgage Agency, part of Homes and Community Renewal. That fellow will work on public awareness of homeownership opportunities and how the agency connects with residents across the state. Its project sites are statewide, while principal offices are in Albany and Manhattan.
The fellows are not being hired to administer canal operations or mortgage programs. Their assignments are artistic collaborations intended to communicate how the agencies' work connects with the public, according to the governor's announcement.
The Canal Corporation said its assignment will highlight the people who maintain the waterway as it enters a third century of operation. Homes and Community Renewal said its assignment will focus on gaps in public understanding of the mortgage agency's programs, not a new mortgage benefit or change in eligibility.
Rights and disability history assignments
A third fellow will work with the state Division of Human Rights on public dialogue about rights, identity and belonging. The listed location for that residency is New York City and the Bronx.
The fourth position is with the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. That artist will gather and interpret memories, lived experiences and archival materials from former residents of Willowbrook State School, their families and others in the disability-rights community. The work is tied to a planned Willowbrook Center for Learning, with locations listed in Albany and Staten Island.
The assignments differ in subject and location, but the application opportunity is open to artists statewide. The state described the fellowships as collaborations with agencies, rather than unrestricted grants for independent work.
Gov. Kathy Hochul encouraged artists to apply, saying cross-disciplinary partnerships can bring new approaches to state projects. Council on the Arts officials said they hope the placements will help agencies explain their work and connect with communities.
Applicants can review the requirements, host-agency assignments and application instructions at arts.ny.gov/SOAfellow before the Oct. 21 deadline. The $60,000 award must also cover each fellow's project costs.
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