The Creative Catalyst Fellowship 2027 supports individual artists creating work centered on 'Belonging' within AAPI communities. Up to eight artists will receive $30,000 each to produce portable and reproducible work that can spark conversation and reach broader audiences.
The Creative Catalyst Fellowship 2027 is seeking applications from individual artists whose work explores the theme of "Belonging." This theme encompasses a sense of community, home, agency, and the fundamental right for communities to thrive, serving as a counterpoint to racism and violence. The fellowship aims to advance a vision for the inclusion and recognition of the significant contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to the country through art. The program's objective is to provide independent artists with the necessary resources and creative freedom to produce their art, while also facilitating the application of this art to engage with the wider world. The fellowship seeks to support artistic creations that can break through existing barriers and initiate meaningful conversations. Up to eight selected artists will each be awarded $30,000. This funding is intended to enable them to create work that has the potential to reach broader audiences and stimulate dialogue around the central theme of Belonging. The fellowship prioritizes projects that are portable and reproducible, allowing for wider dissemination and impact. Eligible art forms include visual art, digital and media-based work, written and narrative forms, and hybrid or interdisciplinary work designed for public engagement. The fellowship specifically looks for artist-led projects that are deeply connected to AAPI communities, grounded in lived experiences, and shaped by cultural perspectives, with the goal of reaching new audiences effectively.
Artist-led work that connects with AAPI communities, grounded in life experiences, shaped by cultural perspectives, and built to break through to new audiences. The work should be portable and reproducible. Acceptable forms include visual art (printmaking, illustration, photography, modular installations), digital and media-based work (short-form video, audio storytelling), written and narrative forms (poetry, zines, narratives), and hybrid or interdisciplinary work built for public engagement. Feature-length films, fully staged theater, dance works, community events requiring extended rehearsal infrastructure, or projects dependent on large-scale or fixed physical installations are not funded, but adaptations of such practices into concise and shareable formats are considered.