Each June, NXTHVN welcomes up to seven artists, two curators, and eight New Haven high school students to its annual Fellowship and Apprenticeship programs. Through a proprietary curriculum that focuses on mentorship, professional development, and skills training, members of the cohort cultivate their individual practices within a collaborative, community-driven context. Each fellow mentors a local high school apprentice, providing them with hands-on instruction in studio and curatorial practices. Through active participation in NXTHVN’s year-long programs, early-career artists and curators make the personal strides and interpersonal connections that advance their careers.

The 2021-22 Fellowship dates run from June 2021 – May 2022.

NXTHVN’s unique pedagogy focuses on both the theoretical and practical components of establishing and nurturing a sustainable studio or curatorial  practice. Our curriculum features bi-monthly workshops led by visiting artists, curators, scholars, and practitioners whose lived experiences serve as the foundation for our signature, mentorship-driven curriculum. It is through their personal anecdotes and experiences of navigating the art world that we often learn the most!

Some examples of our workshops and seminars include: Strategic Planning, Money Management, Contracts (Art and Law), Online Portfolio Development, Donor Relations, Public Speaking, and Grants Writing. 

In addition to active participation in cohort-building activities, each fellow mentors a local high school student through our Apprenticeship Program to ensure the next generation of talent is given a chance to excel in the arts.

The Studio Fellowship includes:

• a generous stipend to go towards producing original work for the culminating exhibition
• partially subsidized housing on the NXTHVN campus for eligible candidates and their families 
• dedicated 24/7 access studio space within a state-of-the-art facility for the duration of the Fellowship year
• a dedicated, rotational studio assistant through the NXTHVN Apprenticeship Program
• Professional Development Workshops twice per month
• scheduled critique sessions through NXTHVN’s Visiting Artists Series
• a group exhibition in the NXTHVN Gallery
• support from the NXTHVN Studio Advisor
• access to the Yale University Library and Art Gallery
• free membership to the NXTHVN co-working space

The Curatorial Fellowship includes:

• a generous stipend for travel and research
• professional work space—including a desk and conference table for meetings—within NXTHVN’s resource library 
• the opportunity to co-curate two exhibitions in the NXTHVN Gallery and develop the associated public programming
• a fully-funded exhibition production budget
• the opportunity to research, design, contribute to and copy edit the accompanying exhibition catalogue
• Professional Development Workshops twice per month
• support from a dedicated NXTHVN Curatorial Advisor
• access to the Yale University Library and Art Gallery 
• free membership to the NXTHVN co-working space