CALLS FOR SUBMISSION

Community Arts Fellowship

TCA and partners are offering (3) multidisciplinary fellowships to individuals or groups working in performing and visual arts, film/video, literature and music in Northern New Mexico.

The program champions artists in further development of a work or project and promotes connections between artists and surrounding community and the exchange of knowledge. 

Paid fellowships ($850 per month for 6 months), access to venues, facilities, and equipment, opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange, collaboration with the fellowship cohort, engagement with art administrators and emerging artists and technicians. 

Download these guidelines in a PDF here.

Info Sessions
Interested artists are encouraged to join one information session: 

• TUE February 10, 12pm (zoom – Meeting Link here ) 
• TUE February 10, 5:30pm (In Person, TCA Encore Gallery) 

TO APPLY
Fill out the online form and submit artistic samples. 

Artistic Project

Projects may culminate into a performance, concert, showcase, display, series, workshops, exhibition, or innovative programming that utilizes TCA’s facilities, key partner facilities, or other venues/spaces in Taos County. Fellows will be paired directly with one partner organization for mentorship and administrative support. Proposals may outline desired partner and relevant activities associated with the key partner organization of their choice, but this is not required. Proposals may also be aligned with multiple partners or be flexible enough to connect to all key partners.   

 

Key Partners include:

Harwood Museum of Art 

Taos Land Trust 

Taos Center for the Arts (TCA) 

 

Education and Support

Projects must include a component (at least one) that engages with the public. Examples include: workshops, presentations, performance, exhibitions. Fellows are encouraged to expand their technical skills and knowledge. TCA, and partners, will coordinate opportunities to support artists in using spaces and resources. 

 

Fellows will work directly with their partner organization to carry out fellowship activities. Fellowship activities are not confined to their specific partner organization. For example, a fellow could utilize space at TCA, create an installation at Taos Land Trust, and present a talk at the Harwood.   

 

Available to all Fellows:

• Support from all three partners ( TCA, Harwood, Taos Land Trust) accessing greater network of community partners in Taos 
• Admin and marketing support 
• 24/7 reign of Rio Fernando Park and its various outdoor spaces (outdoor picnic tables, wash station, gardens) 
• Support connecting with school groups, interns, and other audiences 
• Access to other TLT park spaces: El Salto, Rio Hondo Fishing Park 

 

Harwood Museum of Art Fellow will have access to: 

• Access to Harwood collection for research (July-December)
• Free entrance to Harwood Museum 
• Support working with Harwood Education team and access to Harwood Museum Education Studio 
• Support connecting with school groups and other audiences
• Use of shared kitchen and bathrooms 
• Access to private studio space in the new Center for Creative Learning ( available July – December)

 

Current Harwood Programs ( Fellow does not need to work within these, but may like to): K-12 programs such as school tours, teacher professional development programs, after-school programs; Intergenerational programs such as Story Time, Family Art Lab, Community Day, First Friday, Lighting Ledoux; Adult programs such as Slow Art, Artstreams: Meet Us at the Museum, film screenings, lectures and other programming. The featured exhibition during the fellowship time frame will be Unearthing Futures/Desenterrando Futuros, a contemporary art exhibition highlighting the transformative power of mud—a substance that bridges tradition and innovation, ecology and artistry. 

 

Programmatic Partners: UNM-Taos, Taos Public Library, DreamTree Project, Twirl, Taos Education Collaborative, UNM-Taos Hive, Taos Chamber Music Group, Taos Jazz Bebop Society, Yellow House Taos, Taos Behavioral Health, STEMArts Lab, Artstreams, SOMOS, Taos Abstract Artist Collective, Movement Lab, and more. 

 

Taos Land Trust Fellow will have access to: 

• Admin and marketing support from TLT staff 
• Desk in shared office
• Use of Chromebook or tablet and other office technology
• Use of shared kitchen and bathrooms 

 

Current TLT Programs ( Fellow does not need to work within these, but may like to) 

Forestry and fire mitigation, trail building, wetland restoration, soil restoration, Rio Fernando Community Farm, community composting, animal stewardship (goats/turkeys), internships, equipment rental programs, and this year we’ll be designing nature-based playscapes for a new Children’s Garden 

 

Programmatic Partners: De la Tierra a la Cosecha Coalition, Amigos Bravos, TCEDC, Alianza Agricultura de Taos, Field Institute of Taos, Taos County Extension Office, Taos High School (CEO Fridays), Forest Schools, Rio Fernando de Taos Collaborative, Vigil y Romo Acequia, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

 

TCA Fellow will have access to: 

• Access to rehearsal space in TCA’s theater, Stables Gallery, 132 Paseo 
• Possibility of performance space in TCA’s theater, Stables gallery, 132 Paseo 
• Use of TCA’s Cinema facility ( must fit within TCA regular scheduled programs) 
• Internship support ( admin, tech, studio assistant possible) 
• Possible use of Stables Gallery for workshop or exhibition ( not guaranteed) 

 

Current TCA Programs (Fellow does not need to work within these, but may like to) 

Movies on the Big Screen ( new Indie & World Cinema), Throwback Films, MET Opera LIVE in HD, National Theatre LIVE, TCA Exhibits in The Encore, Inter-Arts Internship Program, Taos Film Festival

 

Programmatic Partners: Couse Sharpe Historic Site, UNM Taos, Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, Revolt Gallery, Metta Theater, Wildflower Playhouse and more 

Timeline: 

March 6: Proposal submissions are due.
April 10: Selected proposals / artists are notified.
May: Orientation to TCA and key partner spaces, existing programs, and other fellows. 

June 1: Fellows submit timeline for their proposed project, and goals for community engagement.
June 1, 2024 – December 31, 2026: Fellows complete projects

 

FAQ

+ Can I apply as both an individual and with a group?  Yes. 

+ Can I submit multiple project proposals as an individual? No.  

+ Do I need to live in Taos?  Fellowships are intended for individuals and groups that live in the following counties: Taos, Rio Arriba, Mora and Colfax Counties. 

+ When does the fellowship begin and end?  May 1 – December 2026 

+ When will I hear if my application has been accepted? – April 10, 2026 

+ Who is choosing the projects?  A panel that includes partnering organizations, TCA staff, and community members active in the arts.   

 

CRITERIA

The criteria outlined below will be used by the selection committee to review the applications. 

• Artistic excellence: the quality of the artists and other key individuals, creative process, works of art and their relevance to the audience or Taos and surrounding communities. 

• Artistic value : the value and appropriateness of the project to Taos and surrounding communities

• Artistic value: clearly defined goals and/or proposed outcomes 

• Artistic value: engagement with individuals whose opportunities to experience and participate in the arts are limited by geography, race or ethnicity, economics, or disability.