Princeton Arts Fellowship — Fellowship

The Princeton Arts Fellowship, run by the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University, supports early-career artists “whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching.” Selected fellows hold a two-year, full-time appointment (September 1 to July 1 across two consecutive academic years), teach one course each semester — or take on an artistic assignment such as directing a play or creating a dance — and become active members of the campus arts community.

For the cycle opening July 1, 2026, applications are accepted only in the Program in Dance, the Program in Theater and Music Theater, and the Department of Music. The program is funded in part by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the David E. Kelley Society of Fellows in the Arts, and the Maurice R. Greenberg Scholarship Fund.

Benefits & funding

$93,000 per year stipend, for two consecutive academic years
$5,000 per academic year for research expenses
$2,000 per academic year for classroom expenses
24-month full-time appointment (September 1 – July 1)
A teaching role and full membership in the Lewis Center for the Arts community
Note: these positions are not eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship requiring consular processing; applicants must hold work authorization and bear their own visa costs (the Davis International Center provides guidance only)

Eligibility

Early-career artists — for this cycle: composers, conductors, musicians, choreographers, playwrights, designers, directors and performance artists
This cycle is open only to applicants in the Program in Dance, the Program in Theater and Music Theater, and the Department of Music
Advanced degrees are not required; the fellowship cannot fund work toward an MFA, PhD or any other advanced degree
One need not be a U.S. citizen to apply; non-U.S. applicants must have work authorization
Holders of a PhD from Princeton are not eligible; past Hodder Fellowship recipients and anyone with a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton are not eligible (an occasional and sporadic relationship is fine)

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

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Application process

1
The online application opens July 1, 2026 via Interfolio, linked from the Lewis Center fellowships page.
2
Submit a curriculum vitae, a 750-word proposal (in three roughly 250-word parts: how you would use the fellowship to develop your work, what you would teach or pursue with undergraduates, and how you have approached community building), one reference contact, and work samples with a 150-word statement.
3
Submit before the deadline of September 8, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (EDT).

Program timeline

Application opens (Interfolio)
Jul 1, 2026
Application deadline (11:59 p.m. EDT)
Sep 8, 2026
Finalists invited to the next stage
November 2026
On-campus interviews (week of December 7, 2026)
Dec 7, 2026
Award decisions announced
Spring 2027
Appointment begins (September 1)
Sep 1, 2027