DETROIT — Metro Detroit artists are invited to apply for Kresge Artist Fellowships, now in its 15th year.

Kresge Artist Fellowships are $25,000 no strings attached awards, which include professional development support and the creation of a short film highlighting the artist’s work.

In 2023, Kresge Arts in Detroit — a grantee of The Kresge Foundation that is administered by the College for Creative Studies (CCS) — will award 20 Fellowships and 10 Gilda Awards to artists of all career stages living and working in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties, the program’s organizers said in a press release.

Fellowship selection criteria includes a demonstrated track record of artistic achievement and high-quality work, the potential to grow and advance in one’s career and the potential to reflect, enhance or impact communities within Metro Detroit.

Early career artists are also encouraged to apply for one of the 10 available Gilda Awards, which are $5,000 unrestricted prizes for emerging artists living and working in the tri-county area. The awards honor the legacy of Gilda Snowden (1954–2014), who was one of the 18 inaugural artists to receive a Kresge Artist Fellowship in 2009 and who taught painting at CCS for more than three decades.

The Fellowships and Gilda Awards will be divided between the two categories — Literary Arts and Visual Arts — based on the number of applications received in each category.

Gilda Awards are exclusively for artists who are early in their artistic career, gaining momentum, and who demonstrate exceptional potential through creative risk-taking and pushing the boundaries of their chosen art form. After the 2023 Kresge Artist Fellows are selected, Gilda Award recipients are chosen from the remaining applications.

The same application covers both awards; applicants need only opt in to be considered for a Gilda Award.

Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award recipients are selected by independent panels of distinguished local and national artists and arts professionals. Previous applicants are strongly encouraged to re-apply, as new panels—with fresh perspectives—are convened each year.

“Awards for individual artists with no strings attached are exceptionally rare, especially at the $25,000 level,” said Kresge Arts in Detroit Director Christina deRoos. “The Kresge Foundation’s demonstrated respect for and support of Detroit artists is simply unmatched and we look forward to continuing that into the 15th year of this program.”

Key dates:

• Tuesday, November 1: Application guidelines available Thursday
• December 1: Online application opens Thursday
• January 19, 2023 by 11:59 p.m. EST: Application deadline.

Artists working in the following disciplines are eligible to apply:

Literary arts: Arts Criticism, Creative Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Playwriting, Poetry, Spoken Word, Zines, Interdisciplinary Work.

Visual arts: Book Art, Ceramics, Collage, Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Installation, Metalwork, New Media, Painting, Photography, Performance Art, Printmaking, Sculpture, Video Art, Interdisciplinary Work.

Kresge Artist Fellows receive a tailored professional development experience that provides skill-building, networking, promotion and coaching opportunities. Produced by Kresge Arts in Detroit, its programming is created and delivered in collaboration with local and national artists as well as arts and culture organizations. Within the catalog of offerings, fellows are empowered to determine what best suits their goals and definitions of success. Gilda Award recipients are also invited to participate in the majority of professional development programming.

“Fifteen years ago we began tapping into Detroit’s arts community to lift up Kresge Artist Fellows,” said Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director of Kresge’s Detroit Program. “The process of bringing forth a new cohort of artists is in some ways even more exciting than when we started — with more fellowships awarded, with the addition of the Gilda Awards and as we see the collective impact that our Fellows and Gilda Award winners are having on the community. I encourage our artists to take the time to apply and I look forward to greeting 20 exciting new Fellows and 10 new Gilda recipients in class of 2023.”

Kresge Arts in Detroit staff will hold an online informational session for first time applicants in December, followed by a second online Q&A session for all applicants in January. While not required, applicants are encouraged to attend these sessions, which are designed to support artists in creating strong applications for a Kresge Artist Fellowship. The dates are Wednesday, December 14, 5-6:30 p.m., First Time Applicant Walkthrough (online) and Thursday, January 12, 5-6:30 p.m.: Application Questions & Answers (online)

Visit kresgeartsindetroit.org to access the complete guidelines, FAQs, and additional resources. Direct questions about application requirements to Kresge Arts in Detroit at: admin@kresgeartsindetroit.org or by phone at 313.744.3204.