Open call: Harvard Radcliffe 2027/2028 Creative Arts Fellowship

The fellowship runs from September 2027 to May 2028 and provides successful applicants with a $78 000 stipend, an additional $5 000 for project expenses, and access to Harvard University's academic resources and facilities.

Applications for the Creative Arts track close on 10 September 2026 at 5pm Eastern Time (ET).

Eligible disciplines

The fellowship is open to applicants in the following Creative Arts categories:

• Music composition
• Film and video
• Visual arts
• Fiction
• Poetry
• Playwriting

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements specific to their discipline.

Fellowship support

Selected fellows will receive:

• A US$78 000 stipend.
• An additional US$5 000 project expense fund.
• Office or studio space at Byerly Hall.
• A full-time appointment as a Harvard visiting fellow.
• Access to the Harvard Library and university athletic facilities.
• Professional development and networking opportunities.
• Participation in weekly talks, workshops and fellowship events.
• Potential relocation, housing, childcare and healthcare support, where applicable.

Residency requirements

The fellowship is residential, requiring participants to live in the Cambridge/Boston area for the duration of the programme, from September 2027 to May 2028. Fellows are expected to take part in the institute's academic and interdisciplinary community throughout the fellowship year.

Eligibility

Creative Arts applicants must demonstrate professional achievement in their respective fields. Examples of the discipline-specific requirements include:

• Film and video: A substantial body of independent work.
• Visual arts: At least five years of professional practice, several curated group exhibitions and a minimum of two professional solo exhibitions.
• Fiction: Published books, a book contract, or at least three published shorter works.
• Poetry: A published poetry collection or at least 20 poems published within the past five years, with a manuscript currently in progress.
• Playwriting: A significant body of independent work, typically including professionally produced or optioned plays.
• Music composition: Strong evidence of professional achievement, including recent public performances of original works.

About the fellowship

The Harvard Radcliffe Fellowship Programme supports artists, scholars, scientists, journalists and public intellectuals undertaking significant projects within an interdisciplinary academic environment. The programme encourages proposals that address contemporary social, scientific and cultural issues and those connected to women, gender, society, the Schlesinger Library, or the institute's current focus area on academic freedom and fostering dialogue across differences.

Applicants for the Creative Arts fellowship are expected to propose ambitious projects that will benefit from sustained development over the academic year and engagement with scholars and practitioners from different disciplines.

Successful applicants will be notified by email by the end of March 2027.

For more information and to apply, visit the Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s official fellowship application page.