Fellowships

Cultural entrepreneurs and creative producers are crucial elements in the artistic ecosystem. Cultural entrepreneurs bridge the gap between creative ideas and viable business models while creative producers are the nimble, force amplifiers that help connect artists to audiences.  These are the doers who are making art happen in the public sphere via start ups, productions, convenings and/or system-changing endeavors. Each year, the FreshGrass Institute will identify a handful of these essential folks and invite them to become our fellows.

Our 2025 cohort will be announced this summer!

The FreshGrass Institute will provide Fellows with the following tools and support to pursue their creative endeavors

  • Each Fellow will receive a stipend of $20,000

  • Each Fellow will be invited for a two-week, fully paid residency at the FreshGrass Institute to hone their project or business idea

  • Quarterly professional development sessions with Assets for Artists to build and grow leadership skills and business strategies

  • The FreshGrass Institute team facilitates the Fellow experience and connects these leaders to experts and opportunities according to their needs

  • Twice-per-year mentorship convening with master cultural entrepreneurs and artists

  • As our cohort of Fellows grows, we will facilitate gatherings to connect Fellows within and across classes, regions, and communities to build strong ties among Fellows over their entrepreneurial journey

Our criteria for picking Fellows will be based on the following core elements

Interior of a wooden auditorium with curved ceiling, rows of wooden chairs arranged facing a stage with a piano and a large screen displaying "Studio 9".

  • We are looking for projects or business ideas that will have a tangible impact on the cultural and artistic landscape and we will prioritize those which may be overlooked by traditional investment 

  • We are seeking doers who will become transformational leaders challenging the status quo, and who will bring deep knowledge and passion to their project or business. We look beyond traditional benchmarks to identify lifelong leaders

  • We will prioritize ideas that are formed but at an early stage where our fellowship program will have a material impact to make the project or business successful

  • We are seeking ideas where our resources will allow a project or business to take shape immediately and be able to grow organically moving forward