Artist Fellowships

Applications for the 2026 Resilient Cuyama Action Fellowships will open as of February 1st. Two Resilient Cuyama Action Fellows will be selected for 2026 dates. First review the call below and complete our google form to apply.

As an alternative to submitting via this google form, please download the Printable Application Form. 

Direct any questions to fellowships@blueskycenter.org

Applications are due 11:59 PM Pacific, Saturday, February 28th. 

Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of the next call or direct any questions to us by email.

The Cuyama Action Fellowship

The Cuyama Action Fellowship is an opportunity for an artist or artist team of any discipline (Visual Art, Film, Music, Writing, Theater, Dance, Design, etc.) who focuses on social practice, community engagement, and relational aesthetics to support creative community development in the Cuyama Valley. This work will be site-responsive, with an initial proposal and on-site proposal process guided by our staff and informed by the Fellow’s experiences listening and learning from Cuyama Valley communities.

Over the course of four weeks, Blue Sky Center’s Resilient Cuyama Action Fellow will develop an independent creative project that thoughtfully engages and mentors local residents. The fellow is also required to propose a curriculum for a course/workshop to work with students at the Cuyama Joint Unified School District schools (PK-12th grades). After initial introduction and support from local institutions and residents, artists will generate work and engage with the community primarily on their own, with limited oversight.  

In the current iteration, our fellowships are focused on exploring one or more community priorities identified in these excerpts from the Community Action Plan and the Cuyama Futures Report.

Fellowship Award and Travel
Each fellow (artist or team) receives a stipend. Additionally, limited travel support is provided as reimbursement. We also allocate a limited budget for supplies. The fellowship includes a few pre-arrival meetings, a total of 4 weeks on-site residency in Cuyama, and post-residency reporting work.

Accommodations
Fellow lodging provided by BSC via a dorm room in our main building. A weekly family-style meal with the BSC team is provided. We currently do not have an individual art studio space, but shared spaces are available.

Transportation
Fellows need a reliable vehicle for transportation while in the Cuyama Valley.

Fellowship Objectives

1. To expand the possibilities for creative placemaking in rural areas and explore how socially engaged arts can influence development in a small rural community. 

2. To further arts enrichment and access within the Cuyama Valley. 

3. To invite exchange and collaboration between the Fellows, Cuyama Valley residents, and Blue Sky Center. 

4. To highlight one or more community priorities identified above through education and advocacy, and the theme of “America 250.” 

5. To create work reflecting rural design, inclusive design, communications design, social impact design, architecture, or other artistic/design disciplines. 

Selection Metrics

All applications will be reviewed by a selection panel that will include the BSC Creative Community Engagement project team and may also include previous artists-in-residence, community members, BSC Board Members, and alumni staff. Our panel will review applications according to the following metrics: 

• Relevance to one or more community priorities 

• Clear understanding of why this Fellowship is a good fit. 

• Clear and thoughtful communication of the creative process and work. 

• Quality of work samples. 

• Demonstrates intentional and inclusive processes. 

• Capacity to design, propose, and produce site-responsive work that addresses one or more community development opportunities and “America 250” within a four-week fellowship. 

• Lived rural experience and/or appreciation is a plus. 

• Spanish verbal fluency is a plus.