Early Career Artist Residencies

Early Career Artist Residencies

Early Career Artist Residencies

The Early Career Artist Residency program encompasses two unique fellowships, designed to provide up to four ceramic artists with the opportunity to be in residence at Northern Clay Center for one year, where they can develop their work and exchange ideas and knowledge with other ceramic artists.

Applications open January 26, 2024. Applications are due Sunday, March 31, 2024, by 5 pm CT.

Each recipient will have a furnished studio space with 24/7 access to NCC’s facilities. In addition to the workspace, each fellowship includes an annual material and firing stipend as well as professional development and enrichment opportunities offered through NCC’s education, exhibitions, and sales gallery programs. A group exhibition featuring work produced during the fellowship period will take place at Northern Clay Center in January of 2026. Additionally, recipients have the opportunity to present a brief slide lecture on their work in conjunction with the exhibition.

This year’s panel is Peter Jadoonath, Joon Hee Kim, and Ellen Kleckner.

Please note: you must indicate which of the three awards you are applying for. One application may be submitted for multiple opportunities and eligibility varies for each opportunity.

Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship
The Anonymous Artist Studio Fellowship will be awarded to two early career ceramic artists working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installation-based manner. Fellows will share a furnished studio space with 24/7 access to NCC’s facilities from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025.

BIPOC Studio Fellowship
The BIPOC Studio Fellowship will support one early career ceramic artist of color who is working in a functional, sculptural, relational, or installation-based manner. The 2024 recipient will share a furnished studio space from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025. The recipient will be provided additional resources to pursue mentorship opportunities including participation in the NCECA conference, support more robust materials and firing use, and to buttress the cost of living.

These programs are made possible by generous contributions from several anonymous donors, as well as various secondary market sales at Northern Clay Center, with the intention to nurture the creative expression of aspiring ceramic artists.

Eligibility

  • Eligibility is restricted to clay artists who have completed all formal academic training by the start of the grant period (September 1, 2021), who are not currently enrolled full- or part-time in a degree-granting institution (including BA, MFA, or a teaching certification program), and who are not employed full-time as a ceramics teacher at the college level.
  • Please note: a college degree is NOT required to apply for this or any NCC award. We encourage applicants who would like to make clay and creativity a continuing part of their lives, even if they do not or have not pursued it in a post-secondary institutional setting.
  • You CAN APPLY for all, but CANNOT RECEIVE any combination of the Emerging Artist Residencies, or the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award.
  • Current Early Career Artist Residents cannot apply again until three years after the date of their award. (A 2022 residency recipient could not apply again until the 2025 grant cycle.)  

Application Process

Applications open January 26, 2024.
Applications are due Sunday, March 31, 2024, by 5 pm CT. 

Application materials will be reviewed by a three-member panel, who will select the recipients on the basis of perceived merit. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection process by mid-May of 2024.

This year’s panel is Peter Jadoonath, Joon Hee Kim, and Ellen Kleckner.

There is no fee to apply. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Please label and format all documents as follows:

  • Written documents should be submitted as pdfs and should include your name at the top of each page.
  • Images must be submitted as jpgs or pngs, 1500 px on the shortest side and 300 ppi. DO NOT include your name on your images.
  • Format all file names as LastNameFirstInitialDocument.xxx (i.e. LongleySResume.pdf or LongleySImage1.jpg).

The following materials must be submitted online:

  • Resume – maximum of 2 pages or 2 minuted of recorded audio.
  • Artist statement – maximum 1 written page or two minutes of recorded audio.
  • Proposal – max 1 page. Explain the intended focus and growth of your work during the residency year. Describe the difference this fellowship will make in your development as a professional artist.
  • An image list that includes artist’s name, date of work, medium, and dimensions of work.
  • 10 images of completed work
Apply now