CEC ArtsLink welcomes applications from contemporary artists, curators, and arts leaders whose work is shaped by community engagement and social practice strategies, and informed by our most urgent local and global issues. We welcome applications from artists of any generation and invite those with both traditional and non-traditional artistic backgrounds. Applicants must be citizens of one of our network countries. If you are living outside the region, please indicate where you are currently based. Please note that an ability to communicate both verbally and in written English will be essential for success in the program.

Undergraduate students and research scholars are not eligible. Arts leaders/curators must be affiliated with an arts organization in the non-commercial sector or work as individual independent arts professionals. Artists seeking placement in commercial firms are ineligible. ArtsLink International Fellows from prior years are not eligible to reapply.

All ArtsLink International Fellowship applications will be evaluated by an independent review panel comprised of arts professionals based on the following criteria: 

• Artistic or professional rigor of the applicant’s work 
• Demonstration of experience and an active commitment to community engagement and dialogue
• Potential for the applicant to interact with the host communities in the practice or development of their work
• Benefit to the applicant, at this time in their career, from interaction with US artists, arts institutions, and the US host community
• Applicant’s plans for sharing the benefits of the exchange with artists and institutions in their home country
• Applicant’s ability to meet cross-cultural challenges successfully

Preference will be given to those applicants for whom this will be a first-time opportunity for in-depth research/creative work in the US. The program prioritizes applicants whose practices seek to actively engage communities on issues related to the current climate emergency and human rights.

Phase 1: ONLINE Research and networking
Fellows lead a 6-week online research and networking residency facilitated by their US host institution in June – July 2026.

Phase 2:  IN PERSON Immersive residency
Fellows travel in early October to mid-November 2026 for six-week residencies with their US host organization to continue in person research or develop a specific project in partnership with local collaborators. In mid-November, all Fellows travel to New York City (or other appropriate US cities) to share their practices, experiences and to network with Fellows, CEC ArtsLink staff and other colleagues.

Phase 3 (Optional):  PROJECT in home country
Fellows expand collaboration with US organization(s) and individual artist(s) with  a follow-up project in their home country, with CEC ArtsLink as a co-producing partner.

Applicants who have been selected by the review panel are matched by CEC ArtsLink with relevant arts organizations across the US that can provide a research residency experience appropriate to each candidate’s professional skills and goals. The candidate’s professional interests and contacts are carefully evaluated to ensure the best available opportunity for each ArtsLink International Fellow. While we take geographical and organizational preferences into consideration, Fellows should be prepared to fulfill their Fellowship in any of the fifty US states and US territories. In order to provide each group of Fellows with exposure to the geographic and cultural diversity of the US, we seek as broad a range of host sites as possible.

CEC ArtsLink offers a stipend for the online residency and fully covers all the costs associated with the in person residency in the US. A detailed budget is developed in dialogue with Fellow and Host.

At the conclusion of the Fellowship in order to complete the program, each Fellow and Host must submit a feedback form that discusses the experience, research, and project activities and their impact on his or her professional development together with selected images and video documentation as appropriate.