Call for Artists: Apply to the 2026 AFH Artists Fellowship 

Application Deadline: May 8, 2026

Link: here

Artists for Humanity (AFH) is excited to open applications for the 2026 Artists Fellowship program. This 6-month fellowship offers a transformative opportunity for five emerging to mid-career level local artists to work directly with a prominent professional Mentor and AFH Fellowship Program Director to refine their artistic research process while developing a meaningful body of work that culminates in a final exhibition.

Fellows will gain valuable experience in collaborative project development and work closely with their Mentor, the Program Director, and a cohort of fellow artists. The program also provides a stipend, professional development workshops, resources, and access to the dynamic AFH network.

Focus of the 2026 Fellowship Cohort

Since 1991, Artists for Humanity (AFH) has worked to bridge social and economic divides in Boston by placing creative power directly into the hands of young people. For decades, AFH has provided resources to teens with paid, professional art and design employment. These opportunities continue to foster self-sufficiency, skills, and empower teens through mentorship and real-world creative projects.  

Now, in its 35th anniversary year, AFH reaffirms its commitment to youth as both creators and catalysts for change. What began as a small collective of teens determined to expand access to the arts has grown into a dynamic organization that continues to challenge inequities and nurture emerging voices.

This Fellowship and its culminating exhibition are rooted in that legacy. Positioning art as a platform for dialogue, the Fellowship exhibition will invite audiences to engage with the ideas, questions, and cultural narratives shaping our present moment. The exhibition’s theme will emerge through a collaborative process between Fellows, Mentor, and program leadership, ensuring it reflects a shared vision grounded in curiosity, experimentation, and lived experience. In this way, the project embodies AFH’s core belief, that creative expression is a powerful force for transformation. When artists are empowered with resources, support, and platform to realize their ideas, they don’t just create art, they foster connection, and help build a more inclusive and imaginative future. Simply put, they make the world a better place. 

2026 Fellowship Mentor

Michael Talbot is a Jamaican-born, Boston-based Freelance Artist and Visual Story-teller who has worked on a wide range of projects, murals, exhibitions, and showcases since 2012. His work, often narrative-driven, is most characterized by the keen use of motion, negative space, as well as a limited palette reminiscent of graphic novels and other forms of sequential art. Michael believes that all art is inter-connected in some facet; informing, complimenting and/or enhancing each other. And although his passion and interest for storytelling is forefront in his practice and craft, he tends to draw from his knowledge in multiple areas of study to help strengthen this process.

2026 Fellowship Program Director

Alison Drasner is an arts administrator, curator, interior designer, and artist. She currently serves as the Curation & Exhibitions Manager at Artists for Humanity in Boston, where she supports exhibitions and programming for both internal initiatives and external clients. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Somerville Museum, where she led exhibitions, public programming, and directed the Community Curator program. In that role, she collaborated with artists, curators, community members, staff, and volunteers to develop and design exhibitions and events. Examples of  exhibitions and community programming include projects with Padres Latinos (Museo Inmigrante: Stories of Resilience from Somerville’s Padres Latinos), local artists (Blue: The Celebration of a Color), and community members and high school students (Above and Beyond: The Remarkable Life of Somerville Olympian Phil Reavis). In addition to her institutional work, Alison maintains an active art practice and art studio space at Vernon Street Studios in Somerville. She holds a Master of Art in Interior Design from the Corcoran College of Art + Design and a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Studio Art from Skidmore College. Learn more: www.ampleartdesign.com

Who Should Apply

We welcome applications from artists who are:

• Committed to their art practices and processes

• Eager to expand their artistic research methods, explore new mediums and techniques, build artistic networks

• Seeking mentorship, professional growth, and enhanced visibility in the Boston arts community

What You'll Gain

• A $9,600 stipend to support your artistic journey (paid biweekly) 

  • Please note that Artists for Humanity will not be providing additional funding for project materials. Fellows are encouraged to manage their stipends thoughtfully to accommodate any material costs. However, AFH will assist in any material budget proposals and the sourcing of donated materials 

• Professional development workshops tailored to drive priority skill sets and your own growth goals

• Access to the studio space, tools, and storage of AFH 

• Opportunities to showcase your work to an expanded audience with the culmination of the Fellowship exhibition

Expectations

Fellows must commit to: 

• Duration: 6 months, beginning June 30, 2026

• 16 hours per week (two 8-hour days) developing their artistic practice through independent research, making, networking, and other relevant activities 

  • There will be a required weekday in the AFH space 

  • A second, flexible day to take place at AFH

• Conducting one workshop for AFH teens in whatever technique they wish to share.

• Preparing work and producing an exhibition showcasing their work

  • Participate in the installation process

  • Participate in Artist Talk and Opening Reception for exhibition in January 2027

• For more information, please view this 2026 Information Sheet

Application Requirements

• Applicant must be 21 years of age or older

• Thoughtfully completed application form (link below)

• Artist’s CV or resume

• Portfolio (does not need to be fully developed)

  • Portfolio Template for those who may not have one already

  • Example Portfolio provided by the 2026 Mentor, Michael Talbot

Important Dates

• Application Opens: April 9, 2026

• Application Deadline: May 8, 2026

• Interview Process

  • First Round Interview -  1:1 Interview (15-30 minutes, virtual)

  • Second Round Interview - Group Panel (1-2 hours, in-person)

• Acceptance Notification: late June 2026

• Program Start Date: June 30, 2026

• Program End Date: December 31, 2026 (with time set aside for the exhibition preparation in January, 2027)

• Fellowship Exhibition: mid-January 2027

We can’t wait to see your work!