The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Program has supported artists at all stages of their professional careers for nearly 40 years.
We are proud that many of our past fellows have gone on to become world-renowned artists whose work has touched the lives of many. Each began with a creative vision—in video/film, writing, poetry, painting, composition, choreography, and more—needing only freedom, time, and reassurance to channel that vision through their work.
Illustrious Program Alumni
- Kyle Abraham (Choreography ’10)
- Vito Acconci (Architecture/Environmental Structures ’00)
- Doug Aitkin (Video ’00)
- Elia Alba (Crafts ’01, Photography ’08)
- Diana Al-Hadid (Sculpture ’09)
- Anohni (Performance Art/Emergent Forms ’97)
- Ida Applebroog (Graphics ’86, Painting ’90)
- Xenobia Bailey (Crafts ’93, ’99, ’00)
- Paul Beatty (Poetry ’93)
- Sanford Biggers (Performance/Multidisciplinary ’05)
- Ross Bleckner (Painting ’85)
- Suzanne Bocanegra (Printmaking/Drawing/Artists’ Books ’89, ’93, ’05; Sculpture ’01)
- Zana Briski (Photography ’98, ’04)
- James Casebere (Photography ’85,’94; Sculpture ’89)
- Shayok Misha Chowdhury (Poetry ‘20)
- Billy Collins (Poetry ’86)
- Junot Diaz (Fiction ’96)
- Mark Dion (Printmaking ‘17)
- Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio (Architecture ’85, ’87, ’98)
- Marylyn Dintenfass (Crafts ‘87)
- Jennifer Egan (Fiction ’90)
- Liana Finck (Fiction ’15)
- Karen Finley (Conceptual/Performance Art ’86; Performance Art/Emergent Forms ’90, ’95; Performance Art/Multidisiplinary Work ’01)
- Coco Fusco (Nonfiction ’91, ’14)
- Phyllis Galembo (Photography ’96, ’10, ’16)
- Elliot Goldenthal (Music Composition ’89)
- Barbara Hammer (Film ’88, ’97, ’98, ’01; Video ’92; Video/Film ’12)
- David Hammons (Sculpture ’87)
- Todd Haynes (Film ’89)
- A.M. Homes (Fiction ’88)
- Nina Katchadourian (Video ’04)
- Deborah Kass (Painting ’91)
- Eli Keszler (Music/Sound ‘16)
- Baseera Khan (Interdisciplinary Work ‘18)
- Tony Kushner (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’87)
- Barbara Kruger (Interdisciplinary Arts ’85)
- Deana Lawson (Photography ’06)
- Spike Lee (Film ’85)
- Min Jin Lee (Fiction ’00)
- Ralph Lemon (Choreography ‘92)
- Simone Leigh (Sculpture ’09)
- Sherrie Levine (Painting ’87)
- Zhou Long (Music Composition ’00)
- Jennifer Wen Ma (Performance Art/Multidisciplinary Work ‘03)
- Taylor Mac (Interdisciplinary ’09)
- Christian Marclay (Interdisciplinary Arts ’85)
- Tony Matelli (Fellow in Sculpture ‘99)
- Mary Mattingly (Sculpture ’11, Interdisciplinary Work ’18)
- Terry McMillan (Fiction ’86)
- Marilyn Minter (Painting ’94, ’00)
- Meredith Monk (Music Composition ’85, Choreography ’96)
- Mira Nair (Film ’88)
- Shirin Neshat (Photography ’96)
- Lynn Nottage (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’94, ’00)
- Sigrid Nunez (Fiction ’06)
- Tere O’Connor (Choreography ’87, 92, ’98, ’02, 06, ’10)
- Erin O’Keefe (Photography ‘13, ‘19)
- Pauline Oliveros (Music Composition ’89)
- Sarah Oppenheimer (Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design ’06, ’10, ’16)
- Eric Overmyer (Screenwriting/Playwriting ’86)
- Gregory Pardlo (Poetry ’05)
- Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’90)
- Justin Peck (Choreography ’13)
- Wendy Perron (Choreography ’85)
- Yvonne Rainer (Film ’90, ’95)
- Dwight Rhoden (Choreography ’98)
- Faith Ringgold (Painting ’88)
- J.T. Rogers (Playwriting/Screenwriting ‘04, ‘08, ‘16)
- Saïd Sayrafiezadeh (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’96, ’06; Fiction ’10)
- Carolee Schneemann (Performance/Multidisciplinary ’87)
- Dread Scott (Sculpture ’01, Performance Art/Multidisciplinary Work ’05, Interdisciplinary Work ’12)
- Andres Serrano (Photography ’87)
- Stephanie H. Shih (Crafts/Sculpture ‘23)
- Jean Shin (Crafts/Sculpture ’03, Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design ’08)
- Amy Sillman (Painting ‘86)
- Arthur Simms (Sculpture ‘03)
- Theodora Skipitares (Conceptual/Performance Art ’86; Performance Art/Multidisciplinary Work ’90, ’01; Performance Art/Emergent Forms ’97; Playwriting/Screenwriting ’06)
- Emily Mae Smith (Painting ‘18)
- Elizabeth Streb (Choreography ’86, ’90, ’94, ’02)
- Swoon (Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design ’13)
- Julie Taymor (Performance Art/Emergent Forms ’89)
- Lynne Tillman (Film ‘87, ‘91, ‘06)
- Carmelita Tropicana (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’91)
- Kay Walkingstick (Painting ’92)
- Hank Willis Thomas (Photography ‘06)
- Fred Wilson (Sculpture ’87, ’91)
Hall of Fame
View NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellows from years past—now critically acclaimed and established figures—in our Hall of Fame.
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