MacColl Johnson Fellowships is sponsored by Rhode Island Foundation (managed by Artist Communities Alliance). The MacColl Johnson Fellowship awards three fellowships annually to emerging and mid-career visual artists based in Rhode Island.

The MacColl Johnson Fellowships - Apply | Artist Communities Alliance Established by the Rhode Island Foundation in 2003, The Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship Fund provides up to three $30,000 artist fellowships each year. Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) leads the selection process for these fellowships. The MacColl Johnson 2026 Fellowships will be awarded to emerging and mid-career Composers in Rhode Island.

Three MacColl Johnson Fellowship Awardees: $30,000 each Three MacColl Johnson Fellowship Finalists: $1,000 stipend The Rhode Island Foundation is employing Artist Communities Alliance (ACA), an independent international service organization for artist residency programs and artist-centered organizations, to manage applications and the jury process for The Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowships.

Apply online here through Submittable: https://artistcommunities. submittable. com/submit/354809/maccoll-johnson-fellowship-2026-composers The application closes August 10, 2026.

Register for the June 25 virtual Information Session here: https://us02web. zoom. us/meeting/register/oKwexxxLRuC13w0A3LNVrg Even if you cannot attend the Information Session, we recommend that you register so we can send you the slide deck.

The Information Session will not be recorded. Please contact grants [at] artistcommunities. org if you have any questions.

Q: Who is eligible for these fellowships? A: This year, the fellowships are for Rhode Island-based composers. If you're a Rhode Island-based writer, you can apply in 2027; if you're a Rhode Island-based visual artist, you can apply in 2028.

Q: Are artist duos or collectives eligible for these fellowships? A: The fellowships are for individual artists. We will not give the award to collectives or collaborative duos.

You are welcome to apply using work created collaboratively, but make sure you explain the degree to which it represents your individual work in your Work Sample Index. Q: Are undocumented artists eligible for these fellowships? A: Yes, so long as the artist can verify their residence in Rhode Island.

The most common ways to verify residence are through a driver's license or other ID, a mortgage, lease or utility bill in their name, etc. The artist's documentation status will not impact the outcome of the panel decisions. Q: Who reviews the applications/selects awardees? A: ACA stewards the review process by selecting disciplinary appropriate panelists from outside of Rhode Island with relevant expertise.

In past years, the panel has been made up of practicing artists, curators, educators, administrators, and other professionals. Q: How much of my work can I share with the selection panel? A: Due to the volume of applications we receive, the selection panel will only be able to review up to 8 work sample files.

Please do not exceed these limits, and select your strongest work from the last 5 years. Q: Can I submit work that is older than 5 years? A: You are encouraged to submit work from the past 5 years.

You will not be disqualified for submitting older work samples. However, be aware that the panelists are looking to your work samples to show them your current practice, as well as where the fellowship might take you. It is to your benefit to focus on submitting your strongest recent work.

Q: Is it ok to have my name on my resume/work samples/Work Sample Inventory? A: While you are not required to put your name on your materials, you will not be disqualified for having them visible either. It is completely fine to have a name or signature visible on any part of your application.

Q: I'm not sure if I'm an "Established" artist or not. Do I still qualify? A: The guidelines listed below are what the selection panel will use to determine your eligibility.

If you aren't certain if you qualify based on your career stage, you're welcome to apply anyway, as there is no application fee or penalty for applicants who are deemed ineligible. Q: I have been making art for more than 15 years, but have not received major critical recognition. Am I considered "Established" or not?

A: The "Established" artist designation is based primarily on critical success and recognition. A record of major gallery shows, fellowships, etc. is weighted more heavily in assessing career stage than number of years practicing. An artist who has been working for over 15 years but has not seen substantial career recognition is still eligible for the Fellowship.

Q: Why do you ask for demographic information at the end of the application? Will this information affect the panelists’ decisions? A: We ask for demographic information to ensure that we are reaching a diverse range of applicants, representative of Rhode Island’s population.

This demographic information is not shared with the panelists, and is not a deciding factor in who is awarded the Fellowship. If it feels important and relevant to you to speak to how your identity has shaped your creative practice, you are welcome to do so, but this is not a requirement. Q: I have a question that isn't answered on this page.

A: You may email your question to grants [at] artistcommunities. org . Please prepare accordingly and email any questions regarding your application by end of the day August 5 to ensure adequate time for a response.

(1) Prepare your application Be sure to read the Eligibility Guidelines below. Note: written/hardcopy applications will not be accepted. Eligible applicants may only apply online via Submittable.

(2) Prepare your work samples The review panel will rely on the submitted information you provide to inform their recommendations. You are encouraged to submit your strongest work created within the past five years.

(3) Review the application in the online platform Submittable (when application is made available) All applications must be submitted online through Submittable; paper applications and physical copies of work samples will not be accepted. Complete all required fields in Submittable and click Submit. You may save drafts in progress in Submittable by clicking on Save Draft.

Your Work Sample Inventory is a document that accompanies your work samples. It should include the title of the work, year of completion, length of piece, and cue point (if applicable). Applicants may also include a brief description of any relevant information about the work, its content, and compositional approach.

If a sample is excerpted from a longer work, applicants are asked to provide a brief description of the selection’s broader context. If the work is the result of collaboration, the applicant must explain their role and the degree to which the sample reflects their work as an individual artist. Applicants may submit a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 work samples .

You are encouraged to submit your strongest work created within the past five years, and are welcome to submit more than one medium. Audio and video files are accepted, as well as URLs to individual song files. Scores are no longer accepted, but may be converted to MIDI files for review (however, please note that Submittable cannot accept files in the following formats: .

mid, . midi, . mus, .

musx, . smf, . rmi).

No more than 10 minutes of material are permitted for review . The review panel is not required to critique more than the maximum amount of material allowed, but applicants are not penalized for submitting less material. You may upload all your work samples in Submittable, provide URL web links to each of your work samples, or a combination of the two.

(1) State Residency: Applicants must be Rhode Island residents 12 months prior to the application deadline, at the time of submitting the application, and during the period of the fellowship. If recommended for a Fellowship, applicants will be required to provide proof of residency.

(2) Disciplines / Genre : Applications are accepted for original work in all genres of musical composition, including, but not limited to: jazz, chamber, choral, electronic, experimental, symphonic, opera, contemporary, singer/songwriter, nontraditional, musical theater, world music genres, etc. (3) Career Stage: Though the Fellowships are not awarded by career stage categories, applicants must demonstrate that they are within the range of an emerging to mid-career stage in their artistic profession, regardless of age.

To assist applicants in determining if they are within this range, the Foundation defines the eligible career stages as follows: Emerging Artists are considered to be in the early years of their professional careers, which may include having recently undertaken a career change to a significant artistic practice.

Demonstrates at least 3 years of professional practice and currently is creating individual work independent of an institutional home or collaborators Demonstrates promising artistic development and may have attracted some early critical notice, but does not yet have an extensive record of recognition Has produced an elemental yet substantive body of work and has an accruing record of commissions, programming, and other presentations of work Mid-Career Artists are those who have created an independent body of work over a number of years and have received some regional or national recognition.

Demonstrates at least 7 years of a sustained professional practice and is currently producing work Has produced an accruing body of work that demonstrates artistic exploration and development Has received some regional and/or national recognition, but is not substantially established in the field, or has had substantial professional recognition at an earlier career stage (1) Established Artists : Established artists are not eligible.

They are defined as having reached the mature stage of their careers and advanced levels of achievement.

Has a record of at least 15 years of a continuous and sustained professional artistic practice Demonstrates a history of regional, national, and/or international professional recognition through commissions, critical reviews, performances, grant awards, residencies, fellowships, and/or productions Produces work that is regarded to have measurable critical and/or commercial value (2) Previous Awardees : Previous awardees of the Fellowship are not eligible; however, previous finalists/semi-finalists may apply again.

(3) Students : Applicants who are high-school students or who are undergraduate or graduate college students enrolled in a degree-granting program, at the time of application or during the period of the Fellowship, are not eligible.

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