Program Overview
ABOUT NXTHVN
NXTHVN is a groundbreaking institution that combines the best of arts and entrepreneurship. Through access, education, programming and impact investing, NXTHVN launches the careers of artists and curators and strengthens the livelihood of its local community. Located in the historically African-American Dixwell neighborhood of New Haven, CT, the expansive adapted-reuse campus houses gallery, studio, office, performance and living spaces. Co-founded in 2018 by acclaimed visual artist Titus Kaphar and private equity investor Jason Price—both longtime residents of New Haven—NXTHVN represents a new national arts model for developing an equitable society.
FELLOWSHIP
Each year NXTHVN welcomes up to seven artists and two curators to participate in its paid 10-month intensive Fellowship Program. The application is open until March 3, 2025. Each Fellow will receive studio or office space, a stipend, and subsidized housing. Selected from an international pool of applicants, Fellows relocate to New Haven to participate in NXTHVN’s mentorship-driven curriculum which includes professional development sessions led by visiting artists, curators, scholars, and practitioners. Selected Fellows are also matched with a high school Apprentice, for focused one-on-one mutual learning, which gives the next local generation a chance to grow and excel in creative fields. The Fellowship year culminates with an annual group show at a prominent gallery space.
APPRENTICESHIP
Leveraging the professional Studio and Curatorial Fellows in residence at NXTHVN and, through one-on-one mentorship, the Apprenticeship program introduces high school students to creative professions and portfolio development. The Apprenticeship program’s one-on-one mentorship prioritizes empowerment, innovation, and technical learning. Under the leadership of our Student Programs Manager, apprentices work directly with the NXTHVN fellows and staff to build technical and professional skills supported by activities that are scaffolded to support the program’s core values of: Creativity, Connection, Purpose, and Power. Apprentices are local high school students who exhibit a strong interest in the arts, possess a desire to learn new professional skills, and are ready for the responsibilities of a paid commitment. Apprentices work up to 25 hours a month side by side with NXTHVN Fellows and staff, as well as a collective group on supplemental projects and activities.
Founded by Titus Kaphar and Jason Price in 2018, NXTHVN was designed with a core aim to build an alternative model of arts mentorship and career acceleration through a specially designed curriculum. Each year NXTHVN welcomes up to seven artists and two curators to participate in its paid 10-month intensive Fellowship Program. The application is open until February 26, 2024.
Each Fellow will receive studio or office space, a stipend, and subsidized housing. Selected from an international pool of applicants, Fellows relocate to New Haven to participate in NXTHVN’s mentorship-driven curriculum which includes professional development sessions led by visiting artists, curators, scholars, and practitioners. Selected Fellows are also matched with a high school Apprentice, for focused one-on-one mutual learning, which gives the next local generation a chance to grow and excel in creative fields. The Fellowship year culminates with an annual group show at a prominent gallery space.
Through active participation in NXTHVN’s year-long programs, early-career artists and curators make personal strides and interpersonal connections that advance their careers. NXTHVN provides the groundwork for artists and curators to emerge from the fellowship program as active professionals geared toward making significant contributions in art and culture through their creative work.
NXTHVN encourages and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply for the fellowships. We do not discriminate based on age, race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital status, or nation of origin in our admissions policies.
In 2025, NXTHVN will welcome its seventh cohort of Fellows from August 2025-May 2026. The Fellowship Application is available online at nxthvn.com/apply. All application materials must be submitted online through Submittable. Selected applicants will be notified in April/May 2025. Please direct any application questions to hello@nxthvn.com
We look forward to welcoming Cohort 07 in 2025!
NXTHVN’s 10-month fellowships provide:
- Curatorial Fellows will each receive a $45,000 stipend disbursed quarterly throughout the Fellowship year.
- Studio Fellows will each receive a $35,000 stipend disbursed quarterly throughout the Fellowship year.
- Optional, subsidized housing in the Dixwell Neighborhood of New Haven
- Dedicated work and/or studio space with 24-hour access
- Monthly professional development sessions
- Access to NXTHVN’s professional network of field experts and guest speakers
- Culminating exhibitions for Curatorial Fellows and Studio Fellows
- An annual publication featuring writing and work by the Fellows and Apprentices
- Opportunity to design and participate in artist-led projects and public programming
- Vocabulary and skills for navigating the art market
Requirements include:
- Completing the entire 10-month residency program
- Attendance at all professional development and advising sessions
- Relocation to New Haven
- Authorship and creation for most works completed onsite at NXTHVN
- Spending 13 hours per month mentoring a high school Apprentice
- Proof of Covid vaccination is required. NXTHVN reserves the right to require additional Covid vaccines and safety protocols during the fellowship.
International applicants:
Prior to the Fellowship commencing, International Fellow candidates are responsible for obtaining the requisite U.S. work authorization. Unless already in possession of general U.S. work authorization, a nonimmigrant work visa, including but not limited to an O-1B, J-1 or P-3 visa, must be obtained at the expense of the International Fellow prior to the specified start date of the Fellowship.