Our rigorous selection process aims to identify applicants who subscribe to  NXTHVN’s mission and values, and push us to think in innovative ways about our own community. NXTHVN welcomes submissions to our Fellowship program during our annual open call and Apprenticeship program on a rolling basis. 

Each year NXTHVN welcomes up to seven artists and two curators to participate in its paid 10-month intensive Fellowship Program. Each Fellow will receive studio or office space, a stipend, and subsidized housing. Selected from an international pool of applicants, Fellows relocate to New Haven to participate in NXTHVN’s mentorship-driven curriculum which includes professional development sessions led by visiting artists, curators, scholars, and practitioners. Selected Fellows are also matched with a high school Apprentice, for focused one-on-one mutual learning, which gives the next local generation a chance to grow and excel in creative fields. The Fellowship year culminates with an annual group show at a prominent gallery space.

Our Fellowship Application is open December 5, 2023 until February 26, 2024.

Please direct any application questions to hello@nxthvn.com

• Applicants must be 21 years old by the start of the Fellowship and cannot be enrolled in an academic program or other residency during the Fellowship year.
• Applicants are not required to hold an art degree or to have received any formal training.
• Studio Fellows are required to reside in New Haven for the duration of their Fellowship. Applicants may be based in the US or internationally. PLEASE NOTE: at this time NXTHVN does not cover travel or relocation costs.
• NXTHVN encourages and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply for the Fellowships. We do not discriminate based on age, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital status, or nation of origin in our admission policies.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit their application through our online application form on Submittable. All information submitted on the application form must be in English or, if video, subtitled in English. Please thoroughly review the application requirements before beginning your online application. Please ensure the email address provided on the application form is active. Other requirements can be found on the Submittable platform.

Selection Procedure

A panel consisting of NXTHVN staff and alumni will make admissions selections based primarily on an applicant’s ability to clearly express their desire to join our program at this particular point in their career. Interviews typically take place in the spring, and the final cohort is announced shortly thereafter.

Selected applicants will be notified in April 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

High School  Apprenticeship

Eligibility & Non-Discrimination

• Applicants must be at least 15 years of age to apply and be a high school student in the greater New Haven area.
• Applicants must be available to work after school between 5-10 hours each week.
• Applicants are not required to have received any formal arts training
• NXTHVN encourages and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply for the Fellowships. We do not discriminate based on age, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital status, or nation of origin in our admission policies.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit their application through our online application form on Submittable. All information submitted on the application form must be in English or, if video, subtitled in English. Please thoroughly review the application requirements before beginning your online application. Please ensure the email address provided on the application form is active.

Applicants to the Apprenticeship Program are required to submit:

• A statement of interest
• Artwork and/or creative samples
• Answer questions regarding skills you’d like to acquire at NXTHVN
• Three references

Selection Procedure

If your application is selected, you will first be invited to participate in a group interview with your peers to assess your fit within our program.  Following the group interview, if you are further selected to the next round, you will be invited for an individual interview with our Selection Committee.