Application Guidelines

The deadline for our 2023 award program was Friday, February 24th at noon PT/3pm ET.
We are no longer accepting applications for our 2023 awards.


Awards

This year, we will make awards of $5,000 each to twenty artists and writers with children. Additionally, we will name twenty finalists.

Our awards offer unrestricted cash, which recipients can use as they like.

Our selection process is focused almost entirely on the strength of the submitted portfolio.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the applicant must have at least one child under the age of 18. Parents of older children with a disability or special needs may also be eligible.

Who Should Apply

Artists and writers with at least one child under the age of 18 and a strong portfolio are welcome to apply.

We are inspired by anyone making creative work while raising a family. Given the intense demand for these awards (we typically receive 2,000-3,000 applications), and the fact that the awards are based on demonstrated excellence in your discipline, we don’t recommend that artists or writers just beginning their creative careers apply to this program.

While we don’t require that applicants have published or exhibited their work, the rigor and critique involved in that process can certainly benefit the portfolio. Portfolios of writing or artwork created in a more personal vein for sharing with friends and family are not suitable.

We invite you to view our list of previous awardees and follow the links to their work to get a feel for their level of craft.

Racial Equity

As of Fall 2016, we make at least half our awards to applicants of color. You can read more about this decision on our website.

Disciplines

Writers may apply in one of the following categories:
  • Creative Nonfiction
  • Early and Middle Grade Readers
  • Fiction
  • Graphic Novel/Graphic Memoir
  • Illustrated Children's Books
  • Illustrated Children's Books (Text Only)
  • Poetry
  • Young Adult Fiction

Visual artists may apply in one of the following categories:

  • Book Arts
  • Ceramics
  • Drawing
  • Fiber Arts and Textiles
  • Illustration
  • Installation
  • Jewelry
  • Mixed Media
  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Printmaking
  • Sculpture
  • Wearable Textiles

Please see our FAQ for more information about disciplines.

We do not accept writing or visual arts portfolios of:

  • academic writing
  • blog posts
  • cookbooks
  • film/video/tv
  • motivational writing
  • music/composition
  • newspaper articles
  • performing arts
  • plays/screenplays
  • reviews (of art exhibitions, films, books, etc.)
  • self-help books
  • travel and/or other kinds of guidebooks

Please see our Residency Partners page for information on the organizations we support that accept artists and writers working in these fields.

Criteria

We are looking for excellent work created by parents. The portfolio is the primary factor we consider in evaluating each application.

The application consists of 3 parts: personal information, artist statement, and portfolio. You may download a PDF overview of our application in case it's helpful to prepare your submission offline, but please note that our application must be completed online through this website.

Personal Information

We need your contact information so we can keep you posted on the status of your application. This will be kept separate from your artist statement and portfolio; our reviewers will not see it.

Artist Statement

Please give us a concise statement of your work and goals as an artist. This should not be a CV or list of accomplishments, but a description of what compels and informs your work.

While your artist statement should reflect your practice and your voice, we can offer some sample artist statements.

Written version
Your written statement should not include your name or other identifying information. Do not exceed 500 words.

Recorded version (** New for 2023 **)
You may provide a recorded version of your statement by providing a link to a video or audio version of your statement in the box below. Common sites for hosting an artist statement are Vimeo and YouTube. Your link should stay active until the end of our review period on May 12, 2023. Be sure to provide any necessary password to access your recording. We understand that a recorded statement may identify you, but please do not introduce yourself by name. Do not exceed 3 minutes.

Your statement, whether written or recorded, must be in English.

Please provide EITHER a written version or a link to a video/audio version. Do not provide both.

Portfolio

All submitted work must have been created since becoming a parent, and within the last 5 years.

Please view our portfolio requirements page for specific details about portfolio requirements for all disciplines.

Application Fee

During the first week of our application period, the fee is waived.

From February 3rd (noon PT, 3pm ET) until the deadline on February 24th, the application fee is $20. 100% of this fee goes to our reviewers, who are all parent artists and writers themselves. This fee ensures that at least two reviewers will read each application and be compensated for their work.

Our fee is modest, but we’re aware that you may be applying for many opportunities and these costs can add up. Please contact us if you need assistance with the fee, or if you would like to contribute to a fund to cover other applicants’ fees. Due to the volume of applications, we cannot accommodate requests for fee assistance within 48 hours of our deadline.