The purpose of the Individual Artist Fellowship program is to support professional, established Kentucky artists engaged in creating artwork of high quality and to recognize creative excellence.

The purpose of the Emerging Artist Award program is to support professional, early-stage Kentucky artists engaged in creating artwork of high quality and to recognize creative excellence.

The primary goal of the Individual Artist Fellowship program is to directly support the advancement and continuation of Kentucky artists’ careers and creative work. The program seeks to provide public recognition and acknowledgement of Kentucky artists creating work of high artistic merit.

The primary goal of the Emerging Artist Award program is to directly support the advancement and continuation of early-stage Kentucky artists’ careers and creative work.

To be eligible to apply to the Individual Artist Fellowship or Emerging Artist Award program, an applicant must:

• Be a legal, full-time resident of Kentucky
• Remain a legal, full-time resident of Kentucky for the duration of the grant period
• Be at least 21 years of age at the time of application for the Individual Artist Fellowship and at least 18 years of age at the time of application for the Emerging Artist Award
• Be a professional, working artist, responsible for creating original work, not interpreting the work of others or creating under the guidance of an instructor or mentor

Note: For the purposes of this grant application, an emerging artist is defined as a professional creator of new work who:

1. Has a developing voice that reveals significant potential
2. Is rigorous in their approach to creation and production
3. Has some evidence of professional achievement though not a substantial record of accomplishments
4. Is not recognized as an established artist by other arts professionals (artists, curators, critics and arts administrators)

Applicants must be United States citizens, lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence or have permission from the Department of Homeland Security to work permanently in the U.S.

Applicants must have been legal Kentucky residents for a period of at least one full year immediately prior to the application deadline (i.e., legal Kentucky residency must have begun by March. 15, 2024, for applications due March 15, 2025).

Fellowship and emerging artist award recipients will be required to provide the Kentucky Arts Council with two proofs of residency before payments will be issued. Acceptable proofs of residency are:

• Kentucky driver’s license or Commonwealth of Kentucky identification card that includes the date issued and expiration date (Note: The arts council will not accept both a Kentucky driver’s license and a Commonwealth of Kentucky identification card as the required two proofs of residency.)
• A screenshot of Kentucky voter registration verification from the State Board of Elections’ Voter Information Center website.
• 2023 or 2024 Kentucky state income tax form (740 series form for full-year residents)
• A copy of a Kentucky utility bill (electric, gas or water) from Jan. or Feb. 2025 that includes the applicant’s name, current address and evidence of usage

The Individual Artist Fellowship is a highly competitive $7,500 award given to working, professional Kentucky artists who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work and who have demonstrated significant achievement in their field. Fellowships are based upon the quality of the work samples submitted by the artist. Fellowship awards are unrestricted and may be used in any way to enhance the artist’s career.

The Emerging Artist Award is a competitive $1,000 award given to working, professional Kentucky artists who are in the early years of their career (usually the first 10 years of their professional artistic life) and who have achieved a level of excellence and creativity in their work. Emerging Artist Awards are determined by the quality of work samples submitted by the artist. Emerging Artist Awards are unrestricted and may be used in any way to enhance the artist’s career.

The FY2026 Individual Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Award program is open for applications in the following subdisciplines of the Visual Arts discipline:

• Craft, including clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, paper, plastic, wood
• Drawing
• Experimental (excluding film, video, audio, performance)
• Graphics
• Installation (film, video, audio may be included only as an integrated part but not the focus of an installation; performance is ineligible)
• Mixed media
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Visual artists must select and apply under one subdiscipline only. Visual artists working in conceptual, kinetic, mechanical and/or installation formats should consult with the program director if unsure about selection of medium or subdiscipline or the format of appropriate work samples.

Performance, film, video and audio work samples are not eligible for consideration in the Visual Arts category (with the exception of installation as noted above).

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

Artistic Merit (70 points):

• Distinctiveness (35 points)
• Originality (35 points)

Achievements and Commitment (30 points):

• Awards, Achievements, Exhibitions, Education/Training (30 points)

The fellowship and award programs use a “blind jury” process, meaning that applicants’ names and other personal information are not revealed to the panel. Applicants must exclude their name and other identifying information from the artist statement, list of awards/recognitions, list of presentations/screening, on work samples, in work sample information, in work sample titles or metadata. Work samples must be public facing and easily accessed without the use of passwords, codes or special access permission.

Work samples must support the selected discipline and subdiscipline. Applicants must submit work completed within the past three full calendar years and up to the application deadline (for example, for the application deadline of March 15, 2025, eligible work must have been created between Jan. 1, 2022, and March 15, 2025.)

• Applicants may apply only with images of work samples over which they had complete creative control.
• Works based on appropriated images or music are not allowed.
• Applicants may apply in only one discipline and subdiscipline per application year. All work samples submitted must be representative of the selected discipline and subdiscipline.
• Students currently enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting educational program at the time of application, are not eligible to apply for an Individual Artist Fellowship.
• Students in the final year of their college or university art degree program, may be eligible to apply for an Emerging Artist Award.
• Work created solely for commercial or instructional purposes is not eligible.
• Multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary or multi-category applications are not eligible.
• Applicants with past due final reports for any Kentucky Arts Council program are not eligible.
• Work created by collaborations or teams is not eligible.
• Applicants may submit only one application for either the Individual Artist Fellowship or the Emerging Artist Award per application year and must designate their preference on their application.
• Program recipients may receive no more than two Individual Artist Fellowships and/or three Emerging Artist Awards in their lifetime.
• Individual Artist Fellowship recipients must wait at least 10 years before applying for a second fellowship (for example, a FY2016 Individual Artist Fellowship recipient is eligible to apply at the March 14, 2025, deadline for a FY2026 fellowship).
• Individual Artist Fellowship recipients may not apply for an Emerging Artist Award.
• Emerging Artist Award recipients must wait at least four years before applying for an additional Emerging Artist Award or an Individual Artist Fellowship (for example, a FY2022 Emerging Artist Award recipient is eligible to apply for a FY2026 Emerging Artist Award or a FY2026 Individual Artist Fellowship).
• Per the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 with expanded criminal penalties in the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, 2010 amendment, it is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell, any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, within the United States. Under the Act, a Native American is defined as a member of any federally or officially State recognized tribe of the United States, or an individual certified as a Native American artisan by a Native American tribe.

Note: If submitting authentic Native American work, you must submit with your application a copy of your membership card or certification as a Native American artisan from a federally- or state-recognized Native American Indian tribe, band, nation or organized group or community.

• Public announcements of fellowship recipients.
• $7,500 unrestricted cash award for Individual Artist Fellowship recipients.
• Individual Artist Fellowship recipients may be eligible to apply to the Kentucky Peer Advisory Network (KPAN) program for consultations about art business issues.
• Individual Artist Fellowship recipients are invited to participate in other special initiatives as available.
• $1,000 unrestricted cash award for Emerging Artist Award recipients.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Note: The application can take several minutes to upload and closes at exactly 11:59 p.m. Eastern. The arts council strongly advises that applicants submit early. The Kentucky Arts Council is open 8:30-4:30 p.m. Eastern, Monday-Friday. Staff will not be available to assist you outside of these hours.

A panel of out-of-state, discipline-based arts professionals will review all eligible fellowship applications according to the performance expectations. Kentucky Arts Council staff do not participate in the panel process and have no input into panel discussion or award decisions. The arts council reserves the right not to award an Individual Artist Fellowship or Emerging Artist Award due to funding availability, when fewer than five applications are received by the deadline or as a result of low panel scores.

The panel’s recommendations are forwarded to the arts council’s governing board for approval.

Applicants who are approved for funding enter into a legal agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Agreements cannot be altered without prior approval from the Kentucky Arts Council.

Grant agreements must be signed and returned within 30 days to initiate payment. Award payments will be issued within 30 business days of receipt of the signed grant agreement form. All funds for this program must be disbursed by the arts council no later than June 1, 2026.

Recipients concerned about tax liability should consult a tax professional. The Kentucky Arts Council is unable to provide tax advice or information.

All grantees must promptly notify the Kentucky Arts Council in writing of any significant changes that could affect services provided under the grant contract, including changes to the recipient’s physical or mailing address, phone number or email address.

Grantees are required to clearly acknowledge support from the Kentucky Arts Council, including on publications and websites and in social media posts by including the KAC logo and acknowledgement line. The appropriate credit line for the Individual Artist Fellowship is:

“In recognition of artistic excellence, {NAME OF ARTIST} is the recipient of an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.”

The appropriate credit line for the Emerging Artist Award is:

“In recognition of artistic excellence, {NAME OF ARTIST} is the recipient of an Emerging Artist Award from the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.”

In addition, each recipient is required to write to their legislators with information about their award and the importance of the awarded funds, and to invite their legislators to future public events involving the awardee. Copies of each letter must be included with the recipient’s final report, which is due no later than July 30, 2026. To locate names and contact information for your legislators visit the Legislative Research Commission’s Find Your Legislator webpage. A sample letter is available on the Kentucky Arts Council website.

All arts council grantees must submit a final report within 30 days of completion of the grant period. The grant period for the fellowship will be July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Final reports will be due by July 30, 2026. To access the final report, login to your GO Smart account.

There are no appeals in this program.

After creating your profile, select Media Library at the top of the page and follow the instructions to upload the required 10 work samples. At least eight of the images must be of separate work samples. Two of the images may be details derived from other work sample images.

Exception: Installation work samples must represent at least two different installations. Installation work samples must include one full image of each installation. The remaining eight images must be of individual pieces within the installations. Media, video and audio work samples are not accepted in the visual arts application cycle.

Naming work sample files: Work sample image file names should begin with the application number followed by the title of the artwork. The application number is located at the top of each application page.

For example, if your application number is 001 and your image is called Visuals, your file name should be “001_Visuals.”

Work Sample Requirements: All work sample images must be of original pieces made by the applicant. Work samples should be in the same medium. Samples should be of similar style and technique to complement each other and create a cohesive body of work. Each image should include one work sample only. Sets may be considered as one sample: a set of jewelry may consist of earrings, necklace and bracelet designed to be worn together; a tea set may consist of tea pot, creamer and cups and saucers; a triptych of three separate paintings that combine to make one image, etc.

Images must be:

• JPG, JPEG format
• Sized at exactly 1920 pixels by 1920 pixels at a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (Use a photo editing program such as PhotoShop or Pixlr.com to correctly size images. Be careful not to crop or stretch images that are not square by forcing them into a 1920 pixels x 1920 pixels box. Instead, add black or white borders to make the canvas measure 1920 pixels x 1920 pixels. Avoid drawing attention away from your images by using white borders on light images and black borders on dark images.)
• Under 250 MB (inclusive of all 10 images)

Images uploaded to the Media Library must be attached to the application in the Work Samples section.

Do not include your name or other identifying information in your work samples, embedded metadata or in work sample file names. Visual artists must obscure signatures on their artwork. An application submitted with identifying information in any of these areas of the application will result in the application being ruled ineligible.

Work samples are the primary means by which panelists assess artistic and professional quality. Carefully consider your choice of work samples in relation to the program’s application criteria. Images should not include anything that detracts from or interferes with the main subject of the image. Applicants who are unsure about the eligibility of their work samples must contact the program manager at least one week prior to submitting their application.

Media Library Additional Fields: Some of the fields on the Media Image Library page are not required for this application. The required fields for work sample images in the Additional Fields section are:

• Year Completed (2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025)
• Artwork Dimensions
• Artwork Description (describe medium, materials, processes and details)

Do not include artist names or wholesale/retail pricing.

Uploading images to the Media Library is the first step of providing work samples for your application. In the second step, you must attach your 10 images in the Work Sample section of the application. You may sort the order of images once they are attached ensure panelists view them in the order you determine.

The arts council recommends using Google Chrome, Safari or Firefox to complete your application. Do not type in all CAPITAL letters.

Carefully review the program guidelines and instructions before beginning your application.

Submission of the application indicates that you have read and understand all guidelines and application instructions but does not guarantee eligibility or that all guideline requirements have been met.

The Individual Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Award are competitive programs. Not all applicants will be awarded funding.

A Kentucky Vendor Number is required of all applicants for an Individual Artist Fellowship or Emerging Artist Award. Look up or register for your free Kentucky Vendor Number on the Kentucky Vendor Self-Service Registration portal.

The Finance and Administration Cabinet manages the Kentucky Vendor system. All questions about registration must be addressed to the Cabinet’s Customer Resource Center by calling 502-564-9641 or emailing [email protected].

Applications submitted without a valid Kentucky Vendor Number will be ruled ineligible.

Applications for this program are made through Kentucky Arts Council’s GO Smart application system at GO Smart. If you have not used the Kentucky Arts Council’s GO Smart system, you must first set up a profile. Once established, your profile remains in the system for future applications. Be sure to keep your username and password in an easy to access location for future use. If you have applied to the Kentucky Arts Council in the past three years, you may already have a profile. Do not create a duplicate profile.

Profile Type: Select Individual Artist.

Enter your first name, last name, phone and email, then create your username and password. (Save your username and password in a safe place for future use.)

Click Save Work on the bottom of each page to ensure your work is not lost. The Profile page will refresh to include additional fields as follows:

Legal Name: Enter your name as it appears on your birth certificate or Social Security card.

Address: Enter your Kentucky mailing address.

Artist Description: Select Individual Artist.

Applicant Discipline: Select Visual Arts and then select the appropriate subdiscipline.

Congressional district/state legislative districts: Enter your current district numbers. Find your congressional district and your state legislative district or check your Kentucky Voter Registration where you’ll find all three district numbers.

Click the reCAPTCHA box. GO Smart will take you back to the grant system’s main page.

Select the Current Programs and Applications tab and scroll down to Individual Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Award 2026. Click Start to open the application. Until the deadline, the application program will permit you to save, exit and return to the application later.

Use the menu on the upper left of each page or the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of each page to navigate through the application. Remember to always click the Save button before moving on to avoid losing work.

The Applicant Information page will be viewed by the Kentucky Arts Council only. You must enter personally identifiable information on the Applicant Information page.

Select either the Individual Artist Fellowship or Emerging Artist Award at the top of the page.

Applicant Name: Enter your legal name as it appears on your federal income tax form.

Also known as: Enter your name as you would like it to be announced if you receive a fellowship.

County: Select the name of the county in which you reside.

Kentucky Vendor Number: Enter the number you received when you registered in the Kentucky Vendor Self Service System.

Biography: Enter a brief biography. Awardee biographies may be used by the arts council to announce the fellowship award. Panelists will not have access to applicant biographies.

The Artistic Excellence page of the application will be reviewed by the panel. Do not include your name or other identifying information in this section.

Artist Statement: Enter a brief overview of your current work including artistic inspiration and philosophy, evolution of style, current directions, influences, your reason for creating in your discipline, etc. Artist statements must be written in first person. However, do not include information that may identify you.

Resume: Enter a professional artist resume that includes:

• Education/training
• Jobs as a professional artist
• A short list of up to 15 awards from the past five years. Include the date and name of the award or recognition, the name of the presenting organization and its location. You may include a short summary paragraph of your important awards from earlier in your career.

For example:

“Sept. 29, 2023, Art and Environment Prize, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA”

“Dec. 11, 2022, 2024 FL3TCH3R Exhibit: Socially & Politically Engaged Art, Reece Gallery, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN”

“Jan. 22, 2021, Barcelona Open Art, The Holy Art Gallery, Barcelona, Spain”

“Prior to 2021, I received the Photograph of the Year from the Nature Photography Contest, London, England (prize: $1,200) in 2015, the KY Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship, Frankfort, Ky. (prize: $7,500) and a Robert Juniper Award in the Arts, Boulder, Colo., (prize: $10,000) 2018.”

• A short list of up to 15 exhibitions from the past five years. Include the date, name and location of each. You may include a short summary paragraph including important early career exhibitions and presentations.

For example:

“April 30-May 10, 2022, Kentucky Derby Exhibit, Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort, KY”

“Jan. 24-Feb. 30, 2023, Art a la Carte Virtual Exhibit, Ten Moire Online Gallery”

“Oct. 15-30, 2024, High in Fiber, A Fiber Arts Exclusive Exhibit, Abingdon Art Center, Jenkintown, PA”

“Prior to 2021, my work was displayed in the Central Ky. Fine Arts Gallery, Middletown, Ky. (March 2-24, 2020); at the Central Park Art Fair, Upperville, Ky. (Oct. 3-7, 2019); and as a part of the Venice Bienniel Exhibition, Venice, Italy (April 20-Nov. 15, 2018).”

Work samples are the primary means by which panelists assess artistic and professional quality. Carefully consider your choice of work samples in relation to the program’s application criteria. Applicants who are unsure about the eligibility of their work samples must contact the program manager at least two weeks prior to submitting their application.

Pay careful attention to the specific requirements for submitting work samples and other information. All applicants must upload 10 JPEG work samples.

Naming work sample files: Work sample files should begin with the application number followed by the title of the work. The application number is located at the top of each application page. For example, if your application number is 001 and your work sample is called First Sample, your file name will be 001_First Sample.

Do not include your name or other identifying information on your work samples, embedded metadata, work sample file names or work sample information. An application submitted with identifying information in any of these areas will be ruled ineligible.

Submitting work samples: Submitting your work sample JPEGs is a three-step process.

1. Upload your JPEGs to the GO Smart Media Library

2. Attach your JPEGS to the application on the Work Sample Selection page by clicking on Attach Work Sample and then on the boxes next to your selections. (You can also upload JPEGs on the Work Sample Selection page by clicking on Upload New Media File.)

3. Use the drop-down menu below each work sample to determine the order in which you want the panel to review them. After numbering all work samples, click re-sort files.

Read the certification statement. By typing your name, you are certifying that you have read and understand the program guidelines and requirements and that your application is true and correct to the best of your knowledge.

Applicants are strongly advised to review their applications before submitting them. Click on PDF at the bottom of the page to view your application.

Once the application is submitted, GO Smart will redirect to a page confirming submission and you will receive an email confirming that your application has been received. A PDF of your application will be attached to the email for your files.

If you do not receive confirmation within 15 minutes, contact the program director immediately. (Outside of office hours, email the program director at the address below.) Applications not properly submitted by the March 15, 11:59 p.m. Eastern deadline will be deemed ineligible. It can take several minutes for the application to submit, and applicants are strongly advised to submit applications at least 10 minutes before the deadline.

First time applicants are encouraged to speak with the program manager before submitting their application to the Individual Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Program.

All applicants are invited to join application office hours and an application webinar by registering in advance or by contacting the program manager.

Zoom office hours, Tuesdays: Jan. 21, Feb. 11 and March 4 at 4 p.m. Eastern. Registration required at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUucu6trjIjGdZikTfOCuCff-TC_Rl3DPn7.

Zoom application webinar: Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Registration required at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqf-ihqz8tHtUVGQEqb4wC7H7wjaQqxuJ7.