Apply for Create Change Fellowship (US)

Fellows participate in tailored workshops and training sessions, develop and implement community-focused projects, and engage in professional development opportunities. The program includes monthly cohort coaching sessions, professional development mentorship and culminates in a group project and public presentation of their project outcomes. Fellows also join a community of over 250 alumni, benefiting from ongoing support and networking opportunities.

The Create Change Fellowship is a six-month immersive program designed for artists and cultural producers committed to addressing pressing social issues through their creative practice. Focused on the Bed-Stuy community, this fellowship serves as an incubator where selected artists collaborate with local organizations to co-create impactful projects.

Fellows are placed in groups of 3-4 and paired with local community organizations working on priority social issues identified through a thorough needs assessment. These issues may include housing, food or environmental justice, economic empowerment, health equity, and more. Each group co-creates projects that aim to address these issues in meaningful and sustainable ways. The program includes the following:

• Orientation and Create Change Lab
• Cohort coaching sessions and professional development opportunities based on their learning blocks of making art, building community, and making change
• Opportunity to develop a collaborative public program with community partners
• A culminating final activation and presentation
• Access to office-hours with LP program staff

Focus Areas

• The Create Change program is shaped around three learning blocks (graduated advancements in the training):
  • Make Art: What role does art, culture, and creativity play in making meaning, shifting narratives, and creating change in the communities? Participants examine a range of artforms across the fields of social practice and creative place making that align with The Laundromat Project’s approaches to cultural asset mapping and leadership development.
  • Build Community: How can art and cultural practices build trust and accountability with communities? Participants will explore approaches to fostering attunement with community rhythms, building reciprocal partnerships, and the art of meeting people where they are.
  • Create Change: Understanding the power that exists within themselves and the communities, how do they creatively leverage power for equity and positive societal change? Participants will explore personal and collective relationships to race, power, and privilege in order to facilitate social transformation through their art and cultural practices.

Funding Information

• Each Fellow will receive a honorarium of $1,500 for their participation in the program and group production fund.
• Duration: 6 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ideal candidates having some experience with developing collaborative or community-based projects. They are in alignment with LP values and have the experience or capacity to contribute to a collaborative learning environment.
• They value applications with diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities and expertise, while encouraging age diversity, multilingual folks and practitioners without formal arts-education to apply.
• Eligible Fellow Candidates:
  • 21 and above
  • Are not enrolled in a degree-seeking program
  • Are committed to working collaboratively with their cohort members
  • Are in alignment with The LP’s values and POC-centered principles
  • Demonstrate a practice or deep interest in socially and community engaged art
  • Are familiar with the cultural history and local issues impacting communities of color
  • Lives in one of the five NYC boroughs.

Selection Criteria

• Application Reviews: LP staff will review all applications and select a shortlist. This shortlist will be reviewed by their Artist and Community Council.
• Shortlist Fellowship Applicants: Fellowship candidates will be asked to submit additional materials as part of the second-round process. There is no interview panel for the Fellowship program.

For more information, visit The Laundromat Project.