2023 Define American Fellowship
Supporting immigrant artists and storytellers in their creative and professional development.
About the fellowship
The world is moved by stories and storytellers. Culture is changed by compelling narratives.
The 2023 Define American Fellowship supports artists and storytellers who happen to be immigrants who are working in narrative art forms. We will select five fellows to participate in workshops and conversations around: defining and broadening their audiences, demystifying career paths and opportunities, and methods for building support for a creative practice both within their individual communities as well as in the larger national arts community.
Apply here!
Who should apply
The 2023 Define American Fellowship is open to immigrant artists working in a lead creative role in narrative-oriented art forms (writing, filmmaking, visual storytelling, theater, illustration, podcasting, etc.) with some experience in their chosen medium.
Examples of experience level:
(These ranges are only to be used as reference and are not a requirement for application.)
- Filmmakers who have completed 2-3 short films
- Writers who have published 2-3 short-form pieces and/or 1-2 books
- Theatre makers who have written and/or directed 1-3 produced plays
- Illustrators/Cartoonists who have published 2-3 pieces
- Podcasters with an established show they consistently either produce and/or write for
- Digital storytellers with a consistent audience and content output
What you’ll gain from being a fellow
- A $5,000 stipend
- An in-person gathering
- Regular check-ins with Define American staff
- 6-8 professional development workshops and facilitated conversations
- Introductions to experienced artists and storytellers in their field
- An opportunity to apply for additional project-based funding
Conversations and workshops may include:
- Telling your own story
- Building digital audience through an artist website and social media
- How to find and apply for arts grants and other funding
- Culture change in the worlds of entertainment media, journalism, and digital storytelling
- The role of an artist in intersectional and ethical storytelling
- Best practices for engaging community organizations in your creative practice
Application Process
- Read through the fellowship expectations and tips for applying.
- Complete the application form and upload portfolio
- 2023 application period: January 3 to February 3 at 11:59pm PST
- Finalists will be contacted by email to schedule a phone interview in March
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years old at time of application
- Must have been born outside of the U.S. and currently living in the U.S.
- Must be an Immigrant American, regardless of current immigration status. Undocumented, DACAmented, naturalized citizens, green card holders, refugees, and asylum seekers are encouraged and welcome to apply.
- Cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program during the length of this fellowship (May-November 2023)
For questions regarding the fellowship, please email fellowship@defineamerican.com
2023 Fellowship Expectations
Duration
The fellowship runs May 1 – November 30, 2023.
In-person gathering
A weekend in-person gathering in a major U.S. city is planned for mid-2023 (health restrictions permitting.) All travel, lodging, and meal costs will be covered for participants.
Regular check-ins
Fellows will schedule regular calls with Define American staff to check-in about their fellowship experience, how their projects are developing, where they are looking for connections and professional development, and more. These can be scheduled weekly, every other week, or once a month depending on what the fellow finds most helpful and at a time of day that works best for them.
Professional development workshops
Fellows will attend 6-8 90-minute webinar workshops and facilitated conversations over the course of the fellowship on topics including storytelling, communications, fundraising, culture change in various fields, and more. These conversations will be scheduled at a time that is most conducive for most fellows with the expectation that participation in these workshops is mandatory.
Conversations and workshops may include:
- Telling your own story
- Building digital audience through an artist website and social media
- How to find and apply for arts grants and other funding
- Culture change in the entertainment industry
- The role of an artist in intersectional and ethical storytelling
- Best practices for engaging community organizations in your creative practice
Expected outcome
Over the course of the fellowship, artists will further define their creative and professional goals, the audience for their work, as well as identify support and supporters for the next steps in their career.
Stipend
Upon acceptance to the program, in order to receive the $5,000 stipend, fellows must send:
- Completed W-9
- Invoice made out to Define American
- Signed Define American Fellowship Agreement
End of fellowship
Each fellow will complete an exit survey and interview upon completion of the fellowship. Define American will use this feedback to continue to develop opportunities for creative professionals. Define American will also send surveys post-fellowship to gauge the continued impact of the fellowship.
F.A.Q.
How does Define American define “narrative-oriented art forms”?
We loosely define this as mediums rooted in storytelling: writing, filmmaking, photography, theatre, illustration, design, comics, podcasting, etc. We find we can be most helpful to artists working and creating in these fields but we are open to other mediums as long as you can explain the narrative angle of your work.
How does Define American define “mid-career” artists?
This fellowship is best suited to artists who have solid experience in their craft and are looking to expand their network/following/career. Some examples of experience level:
- Filmmakers who have completed 2-3 short films
- Writers who have published 2-3 short-form pieces and/or 1-2 books
- Theatre makers who have written and/or directed 1-3 produced plays
- Illustrators/Cartoonists who have published 2-3 pieces
- Podcasters with an established show they consistently either produce and/or write for
- Digital storytellers with a consistent audience and content output
(These ranges are only to be used as reference and are not a requirement for application.)
I am a part-time/full-time undergraduate/graduate student, can I still apply?
No. The reason for this is both because an artist in a degree-seeking program is already receiving support from their educational institution and also because we find that fellows enrolled in educational programs often don’t have the time to get everything out of the fellowship they could otherwise.
I grew up in an undocumented household and/or was raised in another country but I was born in the U.S., can I still apply?
No. This fellowship is open to those who were born outside the U.S. and currently living in the U.S. because so many other fellowship and arts grant programs have requirements around citizenship and immigration status that exclude immigrants and especially undoc+ applicants.
Is this an in-person or online fellowship?
Regular fellowship workshops, check-ins, and other activities will take place online. We plan to have at least one in-person fellowship gathering in 2023 (dependent on COVID restrictions). Travel, meals, and accommodations will be provided for all fellows attending the in-person gathering.
I am a multidisciplinary artist, can I provide examples of work from multiple creative fields or should I stick to just one?
You are welcome to show work from various mediums. We suggest that you focus on the parts of your practice that exemplify storytelling since this fellowship is geared towards artists in narrative art fields.
How are fellows selected?
Each application is carefully reviewed by fellowship staff, alumni, and creative professionals. Applicants that are selected for the final stage will be invited for an interview.
What is Define American?
Define American is a culture change organization that uses the power of narrative to humanize conversations about immigrants. Our advocacy within news, entertainment, and digital media is creating an America where everyone belongs. We were founded in 2011 by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas and named one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company.
What is the amount of the fellowship stipend?
Each fellow receives a stipend of $5000.
If selected, when and how will I receive the stipend?
All fellows receive their stipend at the beginning of the fellowship. In order to receive the funds, fellows need to sign a fellowship agreement and submit an invoice and W9.
When will applicants be notified of a decision?
All applicants will be notified of a decision by the end of March 2023.
When is the fellowship period?
The 2023 fellowship runs from May 1 – November 30, 2023.