Westchester Community Fellow

We are no longer accepting applications for the Westchester Community Fellowship in the 2024-2025 cycle.

The Westchester Community Foundation’s Emily and Harold E. Valentine and Evelyn Gable Clark Scholarship Fund supports fellowships for emerging artists. The fund seeks artists who are seriously dedicated to their crafts, in cultural and artistic facilities as a means of launching their career. The Westchester Community Fellowship at Clay Art Center is intended as an in-depth mentorship in which early career ceramic artists can develop their own artwork, establish themselves as educators in the field, and gain experience in outreach arts education programming.

Preference will be given to culturally diverse artists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in ceramics. Recipients generally should be current or past Westchester residents, have a strong tie to Westchester, or an interest in serving the Westchester community, age 30 or younger, with demonstrated financial need. 

Read more about our current Westchester Community Fellow.

The Westchester Community Fellowship runs from September - August.

Benefits

The recipient will receive a prestigious one-year Fellowship at the Clay Art Center, which provides the following: 

  • A 10’x10’ studio space and access to glazes, equipment, and kilns.

  • Attendance at visiting artist workshops and lectures held at Clay Art Center. 

  • Registration at the NCECA Conference (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts). Includes travel and housing accommodations. 

  • Monthly $500 materials stipend.

  • Paid teaching opportunities focused on community arts and youth programming. The resident will spend an average of 6-8 hours a week teaching in the Westchester and Port Chester community, including family workshops, K-12 residencies, after school classes, mosaic programs, and programs for those with special needs.

Responsibilities

  • One year commitment beginning September 1

  • 10 hours of studio responsibilities on a weekly basis, including but not limited to the firing of all community arts related artwork, participation in mosaic installations, managing high school community arts interns, and offsite promotional events.

Requirements

  • A strong foundational base in the medium of ceramics as well as a clear direction in their own artwork.

  • Interest in community arts and youth education programming.

  • Preference will be given to culturally diverse artists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in ceramics. Recipients generally should be current or past Westchester residents, have a strong tie to Westchester, or an interest in serving the Westchester community, age 30 or younger, with demonstrated financial need. 

  • All applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents

Selection Process

Candidates are reviewed by our Fellowship Committee.

The residency will begin on September 1st.

Living space is not provided.

Clay Art Center encourages applications from diverse candidates. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Clay Art Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

2011-2012 Catie Newman
2012-2013 Kelly O'Sullivan
2013-2014 Gabby Sia
2014-2015 Lindsey Francis
2015-2016 Jose Tlaczani
2016-2017 Teddy Poneman
2017-2018 Dana Reifer
2018-2019 Luke Wilde
2019-2020 Nicole Peters
2020-2021 Breana Hendricks
2021-2022 Breana Hendricks
2022-2023 Jess Levin
2023-2024 Steph Perez