The Center for Art and Advocacy Fellowship 2026 (Due Oct. 26)
The Center for Art and Advocacy Fellowship 2026
Deadline: October 26th, 2025
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.
What We Do
To improve outcomes for these artists, we provide financial and community support through: our catalytic Fellowship program, capacity-building Academy and Arts Incubator, exhibition and programming opportunities through our Gallery, and practice exploration through our forthcoming Residency and Retreat in rural Pennsylvania. Through mentorship and professional development, we equip our community with the tools to succeed—helping to reframe our society’s criminal legal narrative, advocating for racial justice and equity, and using art to build, organize, and support local and national movements.
The Fellowship
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