ARTS FELLOWSHIP

Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellowship

Mission

Arts and Cultural Organizing are pillars of Boston Ujima Project, Inc’s ecosystem. Ujima believes that artists and cultural workers are an integral part of building the new world; the knowledge, poetic imagination and inventiveness of artists has always helped the world find new, more liberatory, pathways forward. The Arts and Cultural Organizing Fellowship is awarded to a member of Ujima’s Arts and Cultural Organizing community who demonstrates a commitment to their artistic practice and a commitment to the principles of Ujima. The Ujima Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellow spends two years in an emergent, self-determined program tailored to the needs and interests of the fellow.

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Image: To Believe, To Belong, To Beloved. Shantel Miller '2022-24 Fellow

The Ujima Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellowship is an exploratory program designed to support artists, cultural organizers, and creative practitioners in deepening their engagement with experimental and socially engaged artistic practices.

This fellowship fosters critical inquiry and creative exploration, encouraging participants to engage with interdisciplinary approaches, cultural organizing strategies, and collective artistic practices. Rather than focusing on the development of a singular project, fellows will have the opportunity to investigate ideas, experiment with new methodologies, and refine their creative practice in a supportive environment.

The fellow will receive $25,000 in support over the two-year period.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

APPLICATION
PROCESS

The 2025 application is now closed.

All applicants will receive a status update in July 2025. Fellows will be notified of their acceptance in July 2025 for a fellowship period running from September 2025 to September 2027.

Submit your application online through our form available here.

Applicants must submit the following:

Artist Bio – A brief background on your artistic journey and influences.
Artistic Background – Describe your experience, training, and major projects or collaborations.
Statement of Interest – Explain why you are applying, what themes or ideas you want to explore, and how this fellowship aligns with your practice.
Portfolio – Submit 8–10 work samples with captions, including title, year, medium, dimensions (if applicable), and a brief description.

The Ujima Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellowship is dedicated to supporting an artist or collective committed to exploration and experimentation in their creative practice. This fellowship is not project-based but rather an opportunity for deep inquiry, risk-taking, and artistic growth. The ideal candidate is eager to participate in Ujima’s ecosystem and contribute to collective learning spaces.

Parents, queer, trans, and BIPOC artists are strongly encouraged to apply.

Over the course of the two-year fellowship, fellows are expected to actively engage with the Ujima community. This includes participating in key events and contributing to the collective cultural ecosystem. Fellows will select from the following opportunities to connect, share, and contribute:

Participate in an Ujima’s ecosystem (choose 3):
- Participate in a Ujima vote
- Attend an Ujima lecture
- Attend a community assembly
- Attend at least 4 Wednesday meetings over the duration of the residency
- Give an artist talk to Ujima members (optional)
Select and complete one of the following:
- Give a lecture to members and the wider community at #BlackTrust Chuck Turner Arts & Lecture Series (strongly desired, but optional)
- Organize and execute one public-facing event to engage the Greater Boston community
- Produce an artist book
- Organize a solo show

The fellowship welcomes applications from artists working in a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to:

Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, mixed media, installation)
Performing Arts (theater, dance, music, spoken word, performance art)
Literary Arts (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, screenwriting)
Media Arts (film, video, animation, digital storytelling, new media)
Social Practice & Community-Based Art (public art, participatory art, activist art, cultural organizing)
Design (graphic design, fashion design, urban design, social design)
Multidisciplinary/Interdisciplinary Practices (artists who work across multiple fields)

FAQs

Below are answers to common questions about the Ujima Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellowship, including eligibility, application requirements, and program expectations. If you have additional questions, please reach out to us at comms[at]ujimaboston.com

Throughout the fellowship, regular check-ins with Ujima Arts staff provide space for reflection, support, and dialogue. In the first year, fellows will participate in monthly check-ins to help shape their self-determined process and receive guidance. In the second year, check-ins will shift to a quarterly schedule, allowing for continued engagement while providing more flexibility for deeper exploration.

Learn more about Arts & Cultural Organizing at Ujima