Sixty Inches From Center is inviting applications for Midwest Arts Writers Fellowship, a 6-month opportunity for two writers to develop, refine, and publish writings on topics that are resonant and relevant to Indigenous, trans, queer, diasporic, and/or disabled artists and arts workers in region.
Donor Name: Sixty Inches From Center
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 03/27/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
Fellows will be invited to consider and reflect on the complexities of Midwest life and the artists who help define and articulate its culture. With this fellowship they want to support writers whose work elevates the ways that artists are thinking about the defining dynamics of the Midwest, from their distinct vantage point. During the fellowship each writer will publish two long-form and related articles (1,200+ words) that offer a deeper understanding of the cultural ecosystems of the Midwest and explore how their topic/s intersect politically, culturally, and regionally.
Fellowship Offerings
This 6-month fellowship includes the following:
- A $3,000 unrestricted award for each fellow.
- Dedicated editorial mentorship and support throughout the fellowship period.
- Dedicated support from the editor of Sixty Bilingual, network of Spanish-language translators, and transcription services, if needed.
- Participation in a public discussion between you and a guest speaker of your choice, hosted by Sixty.
- Invitations to writer-focused gatherings and events hosted by Sixty during and beyond the fellowship period.
- Post-fellowship access to paid opportunities and resources offered only to Sixty’s network of past and present artists, writers, and arts workers.
They’re looking for applicants who are interested in exploring the following questions:
- What are the unique working conditions and challenges facing arts workers in the Midwest?
- What are the methodologies and artistic strategies that anchor regional practices or address pressing issues?
- What artist-led community organizing and advocacy work is happening in your city, state, or region?
- What are the complex relationships between and/or misconceptions of life, opinions, culture, and arts ecosystems within bigger cities and smaller towns?
- What are the historic or contemporary ways that the arts are used to amplify and dream up solutions to economic, political, and social concerns of Midwest artists and residents?
- Who are the Midwest artists, collectives, or organizations whose work addresses any of the topics mentioned above?
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the fellowship, all of the following must apply to you:
- You have an active writing practice
- They welcome applicants at all stages of their writing career, from emerging to seasoned, and everything in between. Publishing experience is a plus (this includes Substack, personal website, or other self-publishing platforms).
- You are based in the Midwest.
- This means you are a current, full-time resident of the region. Sixty defines the Midwest as the interconnected Native lands and diverse communities overlapping the arbitrary colonial boundaries of North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
- You have not been a contributor to or commissioned artist for one of Sixty’s special projects within the past year
- This includes Chicago Archives + Artists Project, Art Design Chicago, Bemis Critic-in-Residence, etc.
- You have a clear and demonstrated commitment to the topic you are writing about
- This includes things such as previously publishing writings on these topics, having a creative practice that explores these topics, being a member of the community that is centered in your topic, or having a deep relationship across communities.
For more information, visit Sixty Inches From Center.
