Apply

Application Information

• 2026 Categories

  Live Arts
  Includes Choreography, Comedy, Dance, Performance Art, Playwriting, Storytelling, Theatre Directing, and Interdisciplinary Work

  Film & Music
  Includes Animation, Film Directing, Music Composition, Music Performance, Screenwriting, Sound Art, and Interdisciplinary Work

• About the Awards

  Kresge Artist Fellowships are $50,000 awards for emerging and established metro Detroit artists. Each fellowship award includes artist support and the creation of a short film showcasing the artist’s work.

  Fellowships recognize creative vision and commitment to excellence across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including artists who have been academically trained, self-taught artists, and artists whose art forms have been passed down through cultural heritage.

  Gilda Awards are $5,000 prizes for emerging artists. The award is named in honor of artist, College for Creative Studies professor, and 2009 Kresge Artist Fellow Gilda Snowden (1954–2014).

  Fellowships and Gilda Awards are no strings attached awards, meaning artists may spend the money on any aspect of their creative practice or life (i.e. making new work, renting or purchasing studio space, travel, general living expenses, paying off debt, etc.).

  Meet the Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award Recipients

• Who can apply?

  You are eligible to apply if you:

  • Are 18 years or older, and
  • Are a current legal resident of Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne county, and
  • Have resided in Macomb, Oakland, or Wayne county for at least the two years prior to the application deadline (January 15, 2024–January 15, 2026), and
  • Intend to remain a resident of the tri-county area throughout the fellowship period (July 2026–July 2027), and
  • Have not received a Kresge Artist Fellowship within the last 10 years (2015–2025).

  You are ineligible to apply if you:

  • Are a student working toward any degree at the time of application or are planning to begin a degree-granting program during the fellowship year (July 2026–July 2027). Exception: Ph.D. candidates who are ABD (all but dissertation) can apply.
  • Received a Kresge Artist Fellowship within the last 10 years (2015–2025)
  • Are a Kresge Eminent Artist Award recipient
  • Are a current Kresge Artist Fellowship panelist, staff member of Kresge Arts in Detroit or The Kresge Foundation, or immediate family member of any of these individuals

  Eligibility confirmation: If your application advances to the final round of consideration for an award, you will be required to submit materials to document your legal residency in the tri-county area for the last two years.

   

• What are the selection criteria?

  Kresge Artist Fellowships recognize artists who demonstrate:

  • Artistic achievement and high quality work (this is the most important factor in the selection of a fellow), and
  • The potential to grow and advance in their artistic career, and
  • The potential to reflect, enhance, or impact communities within metropolitan Detroit.

  Gilda Awards recognize artists who are:

  • Early in their careers, and
  • Are gaining momentum, and
  • Who demonstrate exceptional potential by taking creative risks and pushing the boundaries of their chosen art form.
• Review Process

  All applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of national and local artists and arts professionals. Panelists will remain anonymous until the Kresge Artist Fellows and Gilda Award recipients are announced in the summer of 2026.

  New panels are convened each year to review applications. Previous applicants are strongly encouraged to re-apply.

  Past Panelists

• Info Sessions

  While not required, applicants are strongly encouraged to attend our virtual sessions, which are designed to support artists in creating their most authentic and compelling Kresge Artist Fellowship application.

   

  Thursday, December 10, 2025, 5:30–6:30 PM
  Info session: Application walkthrough (virtual)
  Register

  Kresge Arts in Detroit staff will provide an overview of the 2026 guidelines and walk through a sample application in SlideRoom, sharing best practices for applicants. This Zoom webinar session will be recorded.

   

  Wednesday, January 8, 2026, 5:30–6:30 PM
  Info session: Application questions & answers (virtual)
  Register

  Kresge Arts in Detroit staff will address your specific, lingering questions about the application before the deadline. This Zoom webinar session will not be recorded.

• FAQ + Support

  Frequently Asked Questions
  Do you have a question not addressed on this page? Browse our frequently asked questions!

   

  Application Guidelines
  2026 Guidelines
  2026 Plain Text Guidelines

   

  Computer and Internet Access
  Many local libraries provide free internet and computer access. Search your local Michigan public library at publiclibraries.com

   

  Translation Services
  Fellowship applications may only be submitted in English. For translation services, visit Welcome Mat Detroit, a local immigrant integration network, to search their translation service database, or visit Hamtramck-based Bromberg & Associates.

   

  Artist Statements and Resumes Worksheet
  Download worksheet

   

  Stay Informed
  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for application tips, information, and reminders, and join our email list to get application information delivered directly to your inbox.