Emerging Creator Fellowship
Emerging Creator Fellowship supports Charlotte-Mecklenburg artists with training, experimentation, and creative risk-taking to expand their practice and build sustainable artistic careers.
This grant was recently updated
Applications shift from January 20–February 22, 2026 to February 1–March 7, 2027 (11:59pm deadline). You may now apply to only one fellowship annually—not both Emerging Creator and Creative Renewal; drafts are due February 28 at 11:59pm, and project and review timelines also changed.
Funder: Arts and Science Council
Due Dates: February 1, 2027 (Applications open) | February 28, 2027, 11:59 p.m. (Draft review) | March 7, 2027, 11:59 p.m. (Application)
Funding Amounts: $10,000 per fellowship; projects take place May 1, 2027–June 30, 2028
Summary: Supports emerging Mecklenburg County artists pursuing training, experimentation, and creative risks to expand their practice.
Key Information: Applicants must have less than nine years of experience and at least three years of Mecklenburg County residency.
Description
The Emerging Creator Fellowship, administered by the Arts and Science Council (ASC), helps developing Charlotte-Mecklenburg artists expand their skills and build a stronger foundation for sustainable artistic careers. It supports new projects and learning experiences that involve creative risk-taking, experimentation, or gaining new skills and knowledge—not completing previously started work.
The fellowship emphasizes workshops, apprenticeships, residencies, mentorships, and other training experiences. Funding can support participation fees, related travel and accommodations, and materials for experimenting with new work, with learning and professional development remaining central. Supported by Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte, the program invests in early-career artists as contributors to the region’s cultural vitality and an inclusive creative future.
