2026 van lier fellowship

Located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, Wave Hill is a 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades with the mission to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts. Contemporary art exhibitions and programs are presented in Glyndor Gallery, Wave Hill House, and across the Wave Hill grounds. The organization’s art-incubator programs—the Sunroom Project Space and Winter Workspace Residency—support emerging and mid-career artists with unique opportunities to conduct research and develop projects at the intersection of nature, culture and site. Wave Hill’s year-round performances focus on creating a diverse and innovative series hosted in multiple locations both indoors and in the garden. 

The Van Lier Fellowship is a New York-based program that supports early-career artists in theater, music, and visual arts to advance their careers through financial stipends, mentorship, and professional development. The fellowship aims to help talented artists establish themselves in the professional arts community. Funding comes from the Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund through the New York Community Trust , which carries out the legacy of Edward and Sally Van Lier to support opportunities for young persons who aspire to a career in the arts.  

The 2026 Van Lier Fellowship opportunity at Wave Hill is a one-year program awarded to two New York City-based visual artists, who are aged 30 years or younger and are not enrolled in a degree-granting program. The fellowship provides emerging artists from historically underrepresented communities with a residency, exhibition, and mentorship opportunities with Wave Hill curatorial staff, working artists, and arts professionals over the course of the program January – December 2026. 

Fellowship Features: 

• Participate in 7-week Winter Workspace program (Feb 24 - April 12, 2026);  

• Research, develop and present a solo exhibition project in the Sunroom or Sun Porch as part of the Sunroom Project Space Program (August – September 2026); 

• Career mentorship; exhibition and professional development support; opportunity to observe the 2027 Van Lier Fellowship selection process; 

• Engage with the public through Winter Workspace programming and a Meet the Artist program as part of the Sunroom Project Space exhibition;