February 19, 2023—Please join me in spreading the word about two important fellowship opportunities for people of color in the visual arts and arts journalism—the NXTHVN Fellowship for Emerging Artists and Curators and the 2023 Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) program, which is sponsored by the Theatre Communications Group (TCG).

The deadlines are coming up soon—the NXTHVN deadline is February 27, 2023, and the deadline for the RLC program is March 7, 2023.

NXTHVN was established in 2019 by artist Titus Kaphar; equity investment advisor Jason Price, and artist Jonathan Brand. It is a residential, arts incubator program that offers professional development, mentorship and career advising through a specifically designed curriculum. Up to seven artists and two curators are chosen to participate in the 10-month program. Each participant, chosen from an international pool of applicants, is given studio or office space; a stipend, and subsidized housing. The program helps to accelerate the careers and retention of emerging artists and curators as professionals in the field.

I first wrote about the NXTHVN Fellowship in a blog report last year, which you can find at this link. The program has a phenomenal history of not only mentoring artists and curators, but also engaging with the local community. For more information about the NXTHVN Fellowship, check out this link. Applications are due Monday, February 27, 2023, and can be submitted at this link.

The 2023 Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) program is targeting early-career journalists of color committed to focusing on theatrical institutions in Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities. In addition to those currently working as arts journalists, the RLC program emphasizes that writers of all genres can be cultural mirrors, whether short-form (social media, social networking, spoken word, or poetry) as well as long-form (blogs, podcasts, articles, op-ed, essays, etc.). Writers in these genres interested in expanding the landscape of journalism and cultural criticism also are encouraged to apply.

Those selected to participate in the 2023 RLC cohort will engage in professional development activities, including registration and transportation to the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; individual paid writing assignments for American Theatre magazine, and paid assignments for TCG’s social media and social networking platforms. Members of the cohort also will have networking opportunities with veteran leaders in the field; one-on-one career counseling with TCG staff; a one-year subscription to ARTSEARCH®, and access to the RLC Toolkit, which includes publications and resource materials.

You can find a 45-minute information video about the RLC program at this link. And follow this link for the application, which is due Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

I believe these are two great opportunities for mentorship and career development for artists of color, aspiring curators, and those interested in cultural criticism. I hope you will join me in letting others know about these career development programs.

As always, I want to know what you think. I invite you to share your thoughts and comments below.

PS: Check out the thought-provoking, short film, Shut Up and Paint!, about the art market seeking to silence NXTHVN founder Titus Kaphar’s activism, and his efforts to make his work accessible to a wider audience.