ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Applicants must be citizens of one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Application deadline: November 30 for Fellowships that begin the following year
Priority focus on the climate emergency and human rights The ArtsLink International Fellowship program prioritizes applicants whose social practices seek to actively engage communities on issues related to the current climate emergency and human rights. We will actively encourage artists and arts leaders whose work is making a vital contribution to furthering people’s awareness, understanding, and active participation in environmental and/or social justice issues. Please read these guidelines carefully. Eligibility
CEC ArtsLink will accept applications from contemporary artists, curators, and arts leaders whose work is informed by community engagement processes or social practice. Applicants must be citizens of one of our network countries. If you are living outside the region temporarily, please contact CEC ArtsLink staff to discuss your eligibility. There are no age limitations. Applicants must have sufficient knowledge of English to function independently in the US. Undergraduate students, non-professionals and research scholars are not eligible. Arts leaders/curators must be affiliated with an arts organization in the non-commercial sector or work as individual independent arts professionals. Artists seeking placement in commercial firms are ineligible. ArtsLink International Fellows from prior years cannot re-apply. Review Criteria
All ArtsLink Fellowship applications will be evaluated by an independent review panel comprised of arts professionals based on the following criteria:
Artistic or professional excellence of the applicant’s work
Demonstration of experience and an active commitment to community engagement and dialogue
Potential for the applicant to interact with the host communities in the practice or development of their work
Benefit to the applicant, at this time in their career, from interaction with US artists, arts institutions, and the US host community
Applicant’s plans for sharing the benefits of the exchange with artists and institutions in their home country
Applicant’s ability to meet cross-cultural challenges successfully Preference will be given to those applicants for whom this will be a first-time opportunity for in-depth research/creative work in the US. The program prioritizes applicants whose social practices seek to actively engage communities on issues related to the current climate emergency and human rights. The selection process is extremely competitive and applicants should anticipate a highly rigorous review of their work. Applicants are advised to submit recent quality work samples. Please follow carefully the instructions for submitting work samples below. Applicants should make sure their work is properly labeled and that all work samples are fully and succinctly described. Applications that are missing any of the required materials will not be considered. We recognize that each artist’s experience may prove to be profoundly different from what they anticipated as an applicant. Successful Fellows reflect a balance between expectations of specific goals and being open to new processes and opportunities for creative development and collaboration.
A completed ArtsLink International Fellowship online application form.
Answers to the following questions:
Describe the current issues in your work and explain how a residency in the United States will advance your professional development as an artist, curator or arts leader. (300 words maximum)
Please describe previous projects that have involved community engagement or participation, and explain how you plan to engage with US artists and communities during your Fellowship. (300 words maximum)
Please list the most important types of activities and arts events you are hoping to take part in, keeping in mind that your residency may take place in any of the 50 states of the US. (300 words maximum)
What prior experience or contact have you had with the United States? (300 words maximum)
Have you traveled outside your country of residence to pursue research or study? If so, please indicate when and where you have traveled and in what capacity. (300 words maximum)
How will you share your ArtsLink Fellowship experience with your home community? (300 words maximum)
The most recent CV or résumé (only one-page PDF file) that lists your professional accomplishments in reverse chronological order starting from the most recent one. Only one-page documents will be submitted for panel review.
A letter of recommendation (only one-page PDF file) from a colleague or supervisor that explains how a residency in the United States will benefit you professionally and why it is an important endeavor at this time in your career. If written in a language other than English, please include an English translation. This letter can be submitted to mtumenev(at)cecartslink(dot)org separately from your application, but it must arrive within two weeks of the application deadline. Please do not send the letter to the email above, if you have submitted it with the application. Letters without signatures will not be accepted.
If you are applying as an arts leader / curator submit a one-page PDF file with description of your organization, or the organizations you work for independently in English. Include information about staff size and resources.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants are advised to submit recent good quality work samples. Please follow carefully the instructions for submitted work samples in the application. Applicants should make sure their work is properly labeled and that all work samples are fully and succinctly described. Applications that do not include all required materials will not be considered.
Important Information You are required to submit work samples, which are a critical part of your application. Because of the limited time available for the review panel, you are encouraged to prepare a well-organized presentation that exhibits your work in the best possible way. Work samples should be recent (no more than 3 years old), preferably of work that is technically or conceptually relevant to your current work. Work samples in a language other than English must be accompanied by a synopsis or translation. You can upload your work samples when you complete the online application form. Please include the following information about each sample: title, date, medium, dimensions/duration, your role and short description (no more than 4 sentences). List the work samples in the order in which you would like to have them viewed. For large files, please, use Internet services capable to transfer large-sized data, like Dropbox or WeTransfer. You also may submit links to your video or audio files on YouTube, Soundcloud or Vimeo. If you use Dropbox or WeTransfer to send a large file, please provide an external link accompanied by the file’s description. Samples submitted without proper descriptions cannot be considered. Please label your materials with your full name identical to how it appears on your application. IMAGES Up to 10 images in JPEG format.
The file name should be in the following format: Number_LastName_Title (e.g. 01_Smith_Untitled 1, 02_Smith_Untitled 2, etc.).
Each image file should be no larger than 2 MB.
Submit individual image files only – NO PowerPoint, PDF or Keynote presentations will be accepted.
VIDEOS OR AUDIOS Two different 3-5 minute video/audio samples.
Submit links to your video or audio files on YouTube, Soundcloud or Vimeo. Indicate the time cues for the segment that best represents the entire work.
The maximum file size for uploaded video or audio files is 20MB. (For larger file size, please, use Internet services capable to transfer large files, like Dropbox or WeTransfer. Files submitted vie Internet services must be accompanied by Work Sample Sheet)
Indicate the time cues for the segment that best represents the entire work.
MANUSCRIPTS One copy of an entire or excerpted original manuscript in English translation, not to exceed twenty pages for prose or ten pages for poetry. Any pages submitted over the limit will not be reviewed. One sample publication may also be submitted in electronic format but is not mandatory.
All pages of the manuscript should be double spaced with standard margins on white paper.
Label each page clearly with your name and page number in the upper right-hand corner. For arts leaders and curators Please submit digitized examples of published, professional writing or documentation of your work as an arts professional. You may also submit digitized items of descriptive literature about the organization(s) you represent (pdf documents of catalogues, brochures, press materials, etc.) All work samples should be accompanied by a description of the materials presented and your involvement in their content development, design and/or distribution (i.e. manager of the program, designer or developer of brochure, general organizational information). Work samples in a language other than English should be accompanied by an English synopsis or translation.
All Fellows must be able to accommodate this residency schedule: Year 1: ArtsLink International Fellows undertake a a six-week virtual research/networking residency from early October to mid-November. Year 2: ArtsLink International Fellows travel in early October to mid-November to be in residence with their US host organization to continue in person research or develop a specific project in partnership with local collaborators. In mid-November all Fellows travel to New York City to share their practices and experiences and network with Fellows, CEC ArtsLink staff and other colleagues. Year 3: ArtsLink International Fellows propose a project in their home country with collaboration from the US for consideration by CEC ArtsLink as a co-producing partner.
Applicants who have been selected by the review panel are matched by CEC ArtsLink staff with arts organizations across the US that can provide a research residency experience appropriate to each candidate’s professional skills and goals. The candidate’s professional interests and contacts are carefully evaluated to ensure the best available opportunity for each ArtsLink Fellow. While we take geographical and organizational preferences into consideration, Fellows should be prepared to fulfill their Fellowship in any of the fifty US states and US territories. In order to provide each group of Fellows with exposure to the geographic and cultural diversity of the US, we seek as broad a range of host sites as possible. Finances
ArtsLink International Fellowships awards offer an initial honorarium to Fellows and US hosts to cover the research residency and support for the subsequent project in the US to cover visa and travel, food and lodging, health insurance, and up to 50% of production costs. Reporting
At the conclusion of each year of the Fellowship, each Fellow will be required to submit a brief report that discusses the experience, research, and project activities and their impact on his or her professional development. Digital images of a sampling of activity are also required.
After the conclusion of a successful research residency, ArtsLink International Fellows should submit a proposal to CEC ArtsLink for co-production support for a subsequent collaborative project in the US, and then subsequently a project in their home country with US collaborators. These do not need to be in consecutive years. Applications will be available online through www.cecartslink.org. Notification
ArtsLink International Fellowship applicants who apply in November will be notified of the review panel’s decision by the end of the following March.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only individuals may apply to the ArtsLink International Fellowships program. Artists, arts leaders or curators working as a team may apply individually, but there is no guarantee that all members in the team will be accepted.
Yes. Former Fellows are ineligible; however, former alternates are welcome to apply again.
Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of artists, presenters, and arts administrators from the United States and our network countries including people who have experience working in the eligible regions. The composition of the panel changes every year. The selection panel meets 8-10 weeks after the application deadline. Written material is sent to the panelists one month before the meeting. All work samples are reviewed during the two-day meeting. Applications are evaluated according to the review criteria in the guidelines. How long should my responses to the application questions be?
You should answer each question fully but concisely. Please include at least a full paragraph for each answer. How much of my work sample will be seen or heard by the panel?
Generally, panelists spend three to five minutes reviewing each set of work samples. Since many applications must be reviewed over a short period of time, it is important to choose your work samples carefully. Video clips should be limited to the most relevant segments, and/or specific time cues should be provided in your work sample descriptions. As an arts leader, what types of organizational materials should I submit?
Please submit materials that represent your organization and your role within the organization well. Be sure to explain in your work sample sheet how you are connected to the publications or artistic samples you submit (i.e. designer of brochure, producer of event, manager of program). If I have a contact at or established relationship with a US organization can I choose my host organization or the city where I will have my residency?
Please let us know of any established connections you may have with US organizations. We will try to honor your preferences when making host selections. However, there are many factors involved in determining your placement, and we cannot guarantee a particular organization or city.
Fellows should expect to spend their Fellowship mostly in the city where their host organization is located. In some cases, host organizations will allocate funds for travel, but ArtsLink International Fellowship awards are modest and Fellows should not assume that travel to other cities will be covered. If Fellows choose to travel on their own, they will need to cover the cost of their expenses. The time they spend away from their host city should be limited and coordinated with the host organization. Please keep in mind, the US is a very large country and it can be costly and time consuming to travel between regions.
No. The residency is designed as a professional development experience and host organizations are not equipped to accommodate spouses and/or children.
To consult with CEC ArtsLink staff, please make initial contact by email info(at)cecartslink(dot)org
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