2025 KRESGE ARTIST FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION CYCLE BEGINS

Artists residing in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb county can apply for the newly increased $50,000 fellowships starting December 2, 2024. The latest application guidelines for the no strings attached awards are available now.

“Artists reflect our shared experiences and aspirations while providing the imagination and creativity we need—collectively—to ensure our culture evolves toward justice,” says Christina deRoos, director of Kresge Arts in Detroit. “Consistently investing in the vision, self-determination, and unique power of artists contributes to a thriving community. Thriving communities recognize and respect the opportunity and imperative to ensure robust opportunities for everyone.”

In 2025, there will be 25 awards in total—15 Kresge Artist Fellowships at $50,000 each and 10 Gilda Awards at $5,000 each. Fellowships and Gilda Awards are divided between the two categories—Literary Arts and Visual Arts—based on the number of applications received in each category.

While the number of Kresge Artist Fellowships has varied from year to year since the program’s inception, the eligibility criteria and selection criteria have remained constant: 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.

The $50,000 fellowships continue to include career support and a commissioned short film highlighting the artist’s work.

“I applied a few times before I received a fellowship,” said Alise Alousi, 2019 Kresge Artist Fellow in Literary Arts. “I spent the majority of my time on my work samples, revising and generating new work and also seeking advice from a writing mentor. These poems eventually became a core part of my poetry collection which was accepted for publication shortly after my fellowship year. I always encourage people to start the process early, put the most time into your samples, and to keep trying. It is time well-spent.”