Applications Now Open for our Spring 2025 Chicago Creatives for Justice Arts Fellowship

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our Spring 2025 Chicago Creatives for Justice Arts Fellowship!

Applications are now closed.

The goal of the fellowship program is to increase the capacity of our member organizations and support emerging movement artists. The fellowship will consist of a 10-week program in which eight fellows will be paired with an active campaign. We will convene fellows weekly for a combination of skill building sessions and co-working time on their respective campaign projects. These sessions will be a mix of virtual and in-person. Sessions will cover key topics such as working as artists as a practice of hope, unpacking money myths in artistic labor, and tending to mental health as artists. Fellows will also be actively creating visual art relevant to the work of their hosting member campaign.

The Details:

10-week program running from March 4 to May 6, 2025
A mixture of in-person and virtual sessions once a week
Eight fellows will be selected to be paired with an active campaign
Stipend of $2,000 and project supply budget

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by movement artist?

By “movement,” we mean social justice movements. We are looking for artists and creatives comfortable collaborating with active campaigns to create work that amplifies their messaging on digital platforms. For examples, check out the work of our 2023 Art Fellows: Chicago Creatives for Justice 2023.

How do you define emerging?

We define “emerging” by career stage, not age. This fellowship is for early-career artists—whether recent graduates, career-changers, or those establishing their practice—who are passionate about merging art with social justice advocacy through campaign work.

Is this only for people living in Chicago?

Yes, applicants should live near Chicago to attend the full 10-week program, which includes both virtual and in-person sessions.

What kind of work samples are you looking for?

We’re open to all types of work. However, the fellowship focuses on social justice movement artists.

I’m having a hard time with the file size requirements. What should I do?

You can use an online file compressor like Compress2Go to resize your files. If you’re still having trouble, email them to zitlali@grassrootscollaborative.org. If they’re too large for email, upload them to Google Drive and share the link.

Are there other upcoming opportunities?

We’re planning a fall session, but the dates are not yet confirmed.

Is this remote or in-person?

It’s a mix of virtual and in-person sessions.

Who can I contact with additional questions?

For further questions, email our Senior Digital Organizer at zitlali@grassrootscollaborative.org.

Learn more about our 2023 Chicago Creatives for Justice Art Fellows.

2023 Chicago Creatives for Justice