Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design
➔ Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design
View Guidelines as PDFGRANT TIMELINE
Applications Open: Tuesday, October 8, 10:00 AM ET
Applications Close: Tuesday, December 17, 5:00 PM ET*
Applicant Notifications: Summer 2025
*Please note that the application form on Submittable will automatically close and stop accepting applications at this time.
Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted and no exceptions will be made. We strongly recommend that applicants complete their applications in advance of the deadline to allow time for work samples to upload and to avoid potential technical problems.
Applicants will receive an automatic response from Submittable once their application has been successfully received.
DISCIPLINE DESCRIPTION
This category includes environmental design; the making of places, spaces, constructions, and landscapes; traditional and experimental forms of architecture (built or unbuilt); functional art and design objects; and/or work made for hire. NYFA recognizes that architecture is typically a collaborative process, but applicants should only submit work for which they are able to demonstrate they played the primary design role.
APPLICATION CONTENTS
1. Work Samples
Work samples are a representation of your artistic work. This is the most important part of your application, as it will be the primary point of review. Keep in mind the panel reviews a large volume of material in quick succession; therefore, it is very important that you present your work clearly. This is not a project grant; therefore you should be submitting work that is completed, or is a completed piece of an ongoing/continuing body of work.
TIP: Work samples produced in the past five years are highly recommended. If you submit older work samples, consider providing an explanation as to why you chose the older work samples in the metadata section.
What to Submit:
Applicants can submit up to 10 images total (submitting no less than 5 images is recommended). Images can be representative of a singular body of work or multiple bodies of work.
- Formats Accepted: Artists can select one of the following options:
- JPG or JPEG – Maximum of 10 uploads. Each upload should represent one single work sample.
- PDF File – 1 upload with a maximum of 10 pages. Each page should represent one single work sample. Do not include links within your PDF.
- Do not label/title your work sample file(s) with your name
- Images of diptychs, installations, and multi-part works are accepted.
- Providing multiple images of one work sample on a single JPG or page of your PDF is acceptable in the Architecture/Environmental Structures/Design category.
TIP: When formatting your images, RGB is the recommended color profile for screen viewing. You can use image editing software such as Photoshop, Canva or Preview to edit, resize, and format your images.
Metadata Section in Application: A metadata section will appear on your application form after each work sample has been uploaded. In this section, you will be able to provide the following information:
- Title
- Date of Completion
- Materials
- Dimensions
(Required, 250-Words Max.): In addition to your submitted images, further explain the context, concept, and execution of your work sample(s).
- Be sure to note whether your work samples represent documentation of an installation, experience, etc.
- You can also describe the circumstances in which the viewer/audience should experience the work.
- If your work samples (or a portion of your work samples) represent a larger body of work, you can use this section to further describe the connection between the images.
2. Support Statements
Support statements are to be submitted directly to the application form in the corresponding textboxes. We recommend writing your statements in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and pasting them to Submittable. Document uploads for Support statements will not be accepted.
What to Submit:
(Required, 250-Words Max.): A concise statement giving an overview of your artistic practice.
- This statement should give a brief introduction to ideas, themes, and methods in your practice (i.e. how you make what you make, and/or why you make what you make).
- This statement should also specifically reflect the ideas and inspiration relevant to your submitted work samples.
- Use this statement to highlight your role in creating/executing the work, as well as describing the key technical aspects of the work.
- You can also describe the circumstances in which the viewer/audience should experience the work.
- Please include instructions on how to navigate your work if it’s interactive.
- This is not an Artist Bio.
(Optional, 250-Words Max.): A supplemental statement that describes how your work is related to and/or rooted in a specific cultural practice, tradition, or community. This statement can also offer an opportunity to describe how your artistic work relates to or stems from your culturally-specific lived experience(s).
EVALUTION PROCESS
Applications are reviewed over the course of 3 elimination rounds. All applications are reviewed anonymously in Round 1.
Rounds 1 & 2: The panel will carefully review and score assigned applications independently. Applications are assigned a number and are reviewed anonymously.
Round 3: The panel will meet as a group and collectively discuss the applications that have made it into this round, and conclude by selecting the Fellowship Recipients.
Peer review panelists will assess eligible applications according to the following evaluation criteria:
- Artistic Merit
- A competitive application demonstrates excellence in their discipline through strong Work Samples that highlight the applicant’s creativity, technical proficiency, and cohesive artistic vision.
- Clarity and Cohesiveness:
- A competitive application presents clear, concise, and compelling Support Statements that provide valuable insights into their practice and motivations. The Support Statements should work together with the submitted Work Samples to provide a comprehensive understanding of the applicant’s vision and goals.
- Originality and Innovation:
- A competitive application showcases innovative methods, ideas, and/or concepts that makes their work stand out within the discipline. Panelists will assess the uniqueness and originality of an applicant’s approach, including the quality of execution, innovation in materials or techniques, and the overall impact of your work.
As part of the evaluation process, the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship prioritizes applications from New York State residents who live outside of the New York City metropolitan area. While this prioritization is considered within each round of review, it does not guarantee any specific outcomes regarding who will ultimately be awarded a fellowship.
HOW TO APPLY
We only accept applications via Submittable. First-time users will need to register with Submittable to access the application portal.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted and no exceptions will be made. We strongly recommend that applicants complete their applications in advance of the deadline to allow time for work samples to upload and to avoid potential technical problems.
Applicants will receive an automatic response from Submittable once their application has been successfully received.
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
Visit the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship homepage to view this year’s Information Sessions.
To request an accommodation or if you need assistance in applying online, please email [email protected] or call (212) 366-6900 ext. 166 on Tuesdays-Thursdays between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM ET (NYFA is currently working on a hybrid schedule). We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible, and no later than Wednesday, December 4 to allow adequate time for staff to support you in submitting an application before the deadline.
