Posted On: September 10, 2025

Fellowship

Media Organization: MacDowell

Company Description

Established 118 years ago, MacDowell is the nation’s first artist residency program. Our mission is to nurture the arts by providing exceptional creative individuals with an inspiring environment to produce enduring works. We host 300 artists annually —architects, composers, filmmakers, interdisciplinary artists, theatre artists, visual artists, and writers—from across the U.S. and around the world.

MacDowell serves artists who are actively creating original works of art, are at least 21 years of age, and not enrolled in a degree program. MacDowell is open to artists working at various stages of their artistic careers as well as at different stages of their projects – from initial concept to final draft. Formal training is not required; however, applicants must have ongoing artistic practice.

Located in the southwest region of New Hampshire in the small town of Peterborough, our 450-acre wooded campus is situated between a neighborhood of single-family houses and undeveloped land. Artists-in-residence need to be comfortable with a degree of solitude and disconnection from the outside world. Please read this article What to Expect to learn more about our setting.

Job Description

A MacDowell Fellowship, or residency, consists of use of a private studio, simple yet comfortable accommodations, and three prepared meals a day for up to six weeks. There are no residency fees, and we offer financial assistance to those with demonstrated financial need. Additionally, nonfiction writers engaged in long-form journalism projects are eligible to apply for small project grants through a fund endowed by the Calderwood Charitable Foundation. Project grants of up to $2,500 are awarded to individuals who have been awarded a MacDowell Fellowship under the Literature category and based on financial need, the scope of their project, and availability of funds. These grants are intended as reimbursement for expenses already incurred and as support for the long-form project(s) worked on while at MacDowell.

MacDowell artists are most successful when they arrive with an open mind and without specific pre-conceived expectations of their residency experience. We strive to offer a joyful and supportive environment. Our Fellows are obliged to adhere to the MacDowell Community Agreement that speaks to our respect for artists and their creative process and asks in return for curiosity, generosity, and goodwill within the resident community, so that Fellows may participate in the enriching exchange that has given rise to countless friendships and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Artists accepted to a MacDowell residency are responsible for bringing or shipping all materials, tools, and equipment they need to work on their projects. This includes any special supplies, technology, or instruments specific to their discipline, as MacDowell does not provide a full range of materials.

To Apply

Applications are completed online and can be found here: https://www.macdowell.org/apply/application-guidelines. All details and requirements are found within the application. Please watch our How To Apply To MacDowell  video to learn more about the requirements of the application.
The main components our selection panels consider during the review process are:
• a list of professional achievements in an artistic field (consideration of your prior body of work)
• a current work sample (demonstration of your practice)
• your project proposal (what you hope to accomplish with your residency)