Gilda Awards are $5,000 prizes for emerging artists that honor Gilda Snowden’s legacy as a mentor and champion of emerging artists in metro Detroit. Gilda Awards recognize artists early in their careers, who are gaining momentum, and who take creative risks in their chosen art form.
Application guidelines released
Online application opens
Application deadline
Fellowships and Gilda Awards announced
Beloved painter, teacher, and activist Gilda Snowden (1954–2014) was one of the 18 inaugural artists to receive a Kresge Artist Fellowship in 2009. She served as interim chair and professor of fine arts (now art practice) at the College for Creative Studies where she taught painting for more than 30 years.
Gilda Awards recognize artists who are:
Anyone 18 years or older and a current legal resident of Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne County for the two years prior to the award deadline is eligible to apply for a Kresge Artist Fellowship. Within the fellowship application, artists may opt in to be considered for a Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist Award.
Individuals who have received a Kresge Artist Fellowship are ineligible to receive a Gilda Award. Individuals can only receive the Gilda Award once.
Gilda Award recipients must remain a resident in the tri-county area throughout the year-long award period.
Students working toward an academic degree at the time of application—or who are planning to begin a degree-granting program—are ineligible. However, Ph.D. candidates who are ABD (all but dissertation) may apply.
Staff members of Kresge Arts in Detroit or The Kresge Foundation and their immediate families are ineligible, as are previous Kresge Eminent Artist Award recipients.
Legal residency: If your application advances to the final round of consideration for an award, Kresge Arts in Detroit will require you to submit materials that document your legal residency in the tri-county area for the last two years.
Each year, Kresge Arts in Detroit convenes independent panels of artists and arts professionals to review the Kresge Artist Fellowship applications. The panel selects Gilda Award recipients from the pool of fellowship applicants who opt to be considered for the emerging artist award.
In addition to the $5,000 no-strings-attached award, Gilda Award recipients are offered artist support, including legal and accounting referrals and ongoing promotion of their work.
Gilda Snowden was an avid mentor and supporter of emerging artists.
I was really able to commit to and transform my artistic practice and this award played such a huge role in that.
Aiko Fukuchi
2019 Gilda Award recipient
I am very grateful for both the financial reward and the recognition for my art. This award and the follow up support has been an instrumental game changer in my strategic approach to funding my creative endeavors.
Emily Rogers
2020 Gilda Award recipient
82 Gilda Award recipients since 2015
15 Gilda Award recipients have gone on to receive Kresge Artist Fellowships
The 18th cohort of artists consists of 3 Kresge Artist Fellows in Live Arts and 7 Kresge Artist Fellows in Film & Music, in addition to 3 Gilda Award recipients in Live Arts and 7 in Film & Music.
Artists living in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb county are invited to apply for $50,000 Kresge Artist Fellowships through January 15, 2026.
