Short Description
These competitive awards recognize artists, at all stages of their careers, who are creating outstanding work in all media including painting/drawing, printmaking, photography, bookmaking, sculpture, installation, film/video, fibers, glass, metals, wood, and ceramics.
By increasing critical attention and exposure for recipients, the fellowships seek to foster their continued artistic and professional development.
Eligibility
The eligibility requirements for applying have changed over time as new dynamics emerge. For this reason, interested artists are encouraged to review the criteria for each cycle as an aspect previously rendering someone ineligible may have changed.
- Four fellowship recipients will be selected based on the quality of artwork submitted and will represent a range of styles. Applicants must be over 21 years of age and not currently enrolled in a degree program.
- An Emerging Artist Award will be given to an artist who is between the ages of 21 and 39 on January 23, 2026 and cannot be currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
- Applicants must specify during the application process whether or not they would also like to be considered for the Emerging Artist Award.
- Visual artists at all stages of their careers who reside anywhere in Racine and Kenosha counties are eligible. All art media are eligible.
- RAM full-time employees are not eligible to apply.
- Past RAM Artist Fellowship/Emerging Artist Award recipients are welcome to apply again but not for the term immediately following the term during which they won (i.e. if an artist was an award winner in 2024, they cannot apply again until 2028).
Submission Requirements
- Include an artist bio (no more than 150 words).
- Include an exhibition proposal statement (no more than 300 words).
- Include artist resume (no more than 3 pages).
- Upload 10 .JPG images of your artwork saved at 300 dpi resolution, at least 1800 pixels on the longest side, and with a file size no larger than 3 MB each.
- Each image must be labeled according to the instructions on the application.
- Videos can also be submitted. Artists should upload still images from the videos, and provide a link to completed videos.
- Jurors select winners based on submitted digital images—no physical artwork is judged.
- Racine Art Museum reserves the rights to use all submission materials for promotional purposes.
How to Apply
Online Application
Program Benefits & Awards
Four $3,000 Artist Fellowships and one $1,500 Emerging Artist Award will be presented, which may be used for any expenses that will assist in the development of new work and advance their artistic careers, e.g. equipment and supply purchases, studio rental, travel, etc. Artists will receive the first half of the award upon selection—the second half will be awarded following the first submission of publishable quality images of work in January or February 2027.
All five recipients will be featured in solo exhibitions presented concurrently at RAM’s Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts. A full-color exhibition catalogue will be printed to accompany the RAM Artist Fellowship and Emerging Artist Exhibition 2027, August 25 – November 20, 2027.
Entry Fee
None
Location
Racine, Wisconsin, USA
Timeline
- Application Deadline: 23 January 2026
Website Link: https://www.ramart.org/artist-resources/fellowships/
