west bay view foundation fellowship 2026

Established in 2018, the West Bay View Foundation Fellowship is an immersive, full-time, six-month studio position for a visual artist with papermaking experience and a strong desire to use handmade paper as an art form. Fellows work alongside Dieu Donné master papermakers, gaining practical experience working in a professional papermaking studio that focuses on artistic collaboration.

This fellowship provides mentorship from our studio directors, Amy Jacobs and Tatiana Ginsberg, a stipend of $30,000 to support transportation and living expenses in NYC for the six months of the fellowship, and a week in the professional studio with one of the studio directors to realize a larger or more complex project than could be achieved alone.

The West Bay View Foundation Fellowship is open to artists with papermaking training and who possess an MFA degree. Applicants must be available to work in person at Dieu Donné, a busy and active studio with many projects going on simultaneously. The fellow must be able to engage in demanding physical work five days a week for six months and make the fellowship their primary focus while living in New York.

Criteria and Qualifications

• Commitment: Demonstrated commitment to papermaking as an art form, and a strong interest in using handmade paper as an integral part of the image-making process—not just as a substrate.

• Education and Background: An MFA, plus experience and training in papermaking, with proficiency in Western papermaking.

• Emphasis on Experimentation: Interest in experimentation and focus on problem-solving.

• Enthusiasm for Collaboration: Prior experience working communally in a shared space, and interest in the collaborative creation of fine art.

• Professionalism: A professional and positive demeanor, with an energetic and hardworking approach.

• Fellows must possess the right to live and work in the United States. Dieu Donné is unable to sponsor visas at this time.

Commitments

• The fellowship will start approximately at the end of September 2026 and run for six months thereafter.

• The fellow must be available 5 days/week for six months and maintain a flexible schedule that depends on Dieu Donné studio programming. The fellow may be asked to assist with artistic collaborations on days that they are not normally scheduled.

• The fellow will work onsite at least 3 days/week with our professional studio staff, learning about the process of collaborating with emerging and renowned artists. Outside of these days, the fellow can concentrate on their own work, visit museums and galleries, and make connections.

• The fellow must be able to engage in demanding physical tasks while in the studio and have the ability to lift at least 50 lbs.

• The fellowship must be his/her/their primary focus while living in New York.