Nominate an emerging artist for Kennedy Center program
Nomination deadline: Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018
The Kennedy Center is currently accepting nominations for its Citizen Artist Fellow Program.
The Kennedy Center, a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, honors our 35th President everyday by uplifting ideals from his legacy (service, justice, freedom, courage, and gratitude) that live through the arts. As part of this celebration of legacy, the Kennedy Center launched the “Citizen Artist Fellow Recognition” in 2016, which celebrates emerging artists across the country who utilize their art form for positive impact on communities.
Through the Citizen Artists Fellows program, the Kennedy Center uplifts citizen artistry, providing selected fellows with customized resources and support to advance their work. During their year-long engagement, Citizen Artist Fellows develop and strengthen connections in their fields, receive opportunities for artistic collaboration and presentation, and gain access to Kennedy Center staff and artistic partners for individual professional development. In return, the Citizen Artists enrich the Kennedy Center community, helping us understand broader issues, reach new audiences, and learn through the power of their art.
Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellows represent the overall diversity of the national audience the Kennedy Center strives to reflect and serve.
Here is a brief summary of the Citizen Artist Fellow Program:
- The year-long program celebrates artists in the U.S. utilizing their work for positive community impact and connection.
- The Kennedy Center provides fellows with resources, opportunities, and support to strengthen connections in their field and advance their work.
- The fellows help the Kennedy Center understand broader issues, reach new audiences, and learn through their art.
Read more about the format and content of the program here.
Below are two examples of current Citizen Artist Fellows (more on the 2018/2019 fellows available here).
- Omar Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/poet living in Los Angeles. Known for his blend of hip-hop and Arabic poetry, he’s appeared on prominent news outlets, at prestigious academic institutions, major cultural organizations, and helped raise millions for humanitarian groups.
- Musician/composer Shaw Pong Liu engages communities through multidisciplinary collaborations, music, and social dialogue. She started Code Listen, a project using music to build relationships between Boston police, teen artists, families surviving homicide, and local musicians, to support healing and dialogue around gun violence, racism, and police practices.
Information about eligibility as well as the nomination form can be found here. Nominations are due by December 22, 2018.