Short Description

The Center for Art and Advocacy believes there is an abundance of uncultivated talent and exceptional creativity among individuals who share the lived experience of incarceration.

At a time when the U.S. leads the world in the criminalization of its most vulnerable populations—often made up of people with marginalized identities—justice-impacted artists remain especially at risk of being under-funded, under-mentored, under-resourced, and disconnected from traditional institutions and arts communities.

The Center is dedicated to removing these barriers and empowering justice-impacted artists across disciplines, recognizing that their distinct creative vision has the power to challenge punitive systems, reshape public discourse, create more connected communities, and inspire movements for justice.

Eligibility

The Center for Art and Advocacy will accept applications from creatives working in visual art, film, music, creative writing, performance, design, and multidisciplinary practices for the 2026 Fellowship (formerly Right of Return) from September 15 through October 26, 2025. 

Through our Fellowship, the Center for Art and Advocacy seeks to support directly impacted artists with a demonstrated capacity to advance social change and a clear vision for utilizing their creative practice to end mass incarceration.

More specifically:

  • Directly impacted artists of all creative disciplines, ages 18 or older at the time of the application. We do not fund organizations or non-profits, only individual artists.
  • We define the word “artist” in broad terms to include creatives who work in visual art, film, music, creative writing, performance, and multidisciplinary practices. 
  • In the context of this Fellowship, “directly impacted” includes those who have themselves been incarcerated in U.S. prisons, jails, or detention centers. Those who were detained in migrant detention centers must have since attained U.S. citizenship by the time of this application’s opening. 
  • Artists must collaborate with an advocacy organization during the development and/or execution of their proposed project (collaborating organizations do not need to be secured at the time of application and the Center for Art and Advocacy can help connect fellows to advocates). 
  • Artists may be at any stage of their career, with or without formal training.
  • Projects and applicants must be U.S.-based. This includes all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. 
  • The Center for Art and Advocacy seeks a diverse cohort of fellows with regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and experience.

How to Apply

Online Application

Program Benefits & Awards

The first of its kind, the Center’s Fellowship offers an annual award of $10,000 in unrestricted funds and $10,000 in project development funds to formerly incarcerated artists. Fellows are invited to an annual retreat to network with previous fellows, advocates, industry leaders, and funders. During the retreat, they can present their project proposals to the cohort, receive feedback from their peers, and participate in New York City’s many cultural events. The  Fellowship (formerly Right of Return) was founded in 2017 by artists Jesse Krimes and Russell Craig

Entry Fee

None

Location

Brooklyn, NY, United States

Timeline

  • Application Deadline: 26 October 2025

Website Link: https://centerforartandadvocacy.org/

Fellowship