Notes Toward | Judson Commons

The Notes Towards Van Lier Fellowship will support two NYC-based BIPOC artists, aged 18-30, in their artistic development and career growth with rigorous, artistic learning from 2026 to 2027.

The application opens February 23 at 10:00 AM ET and will close March 25 at 12:05 AM ET.

The Notes Towards Fellowship program is supported by New York Community Trust through the Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund.

A LIVE PERFORMANCE SERIES FOR BIPOC PRACTICES

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What are the Resources?

A 10-month Fellowship
An unrestricted $11,000 cash stipend
15 hours monthly (150 hours total) of free space use at the Judson Church
A $500 Professional Development stipend
Participation in peer learning groups with current and former Black Aesthetics/{Notes Towards} artists
Workshops in proposal development, grant writing, budget planning, and sustainability sessions led by arts administrators, professors, artists, and organizers actively involved in their respective fields.
An opportunity to perform during a weekend show run, facilitate a public workshop, or lead a small series of activations at Judson Church, with access to lighting, tech, and limited yet mighty production support.
A mentor selected by the Fellow to support key development areas through regular meetings and “Studio visits.” Mentors also receive a stipend.

What do we Support?

Artists of color who are interested in creating radical, experimental, moving and subverted avant-garde experimental work within any performance-based artistic discipline
Rigorous, engaging artistic learning that encourages artists to critically consider how their work not only connects with audiences but also responds to, sustains, and builds pathways toward a more liberative, explorative, and uncorrupted future.

Who do we Support?

We invite you to apply regardless of your background or discipline. Whether you’re a performer, mover, sound artist, or choreographer, we welcome diverse artists. This includes (and is not limited to) Black trans individuals, Indigenous artists, Asian artists of color, Latine artists, newcomers of color in New York performance who haven’t exhibited work yet, or queer nightlife performance artists new to fellowship programs.
Artists involved in performance: performance artist, dancer, choreographer, theater artist, physical theater artist, experimental theater artist, performance poet, performance musician, sound artist, endurance-based performance artist, site-specific performance artist, multimedia performance artist, and social practice performance artist. Ritual/ceremonial performance artist
Additionally, you:
- Are between 18 and 30 years old
- Unaffiliated with degree-granting programs during the fellowship
- Demonstrate a serious commitment to a career in the arts.

What will be asked of you?

Participate in orientation meetings with the Judson Commons staff
Perform in a weekend show run or facilitate a public workshop/activity at the Judson Church
Participate in the peer learning groups and professional development workshops
Meet with your mentor
Share feedback during and after your fellowship period

What is the selection process?

A panel of the Judson Commons Program Manager, community leaders and peer artists will review applications and select fellows.
The Managing Director and Program Manager will interview finalists. The purpose of the interview is to build familiarity and confirm eligibility.
The selection criteria include:
- Artistic Merit: The artist engages experimental approaches and works across forms to explore their ideas. They create thoughtful experiences that challenge perception and encourage reflection on inherited stories and assumptions. Their work brings together emotional depth, critical thinking, and imagination in a cohesive way. Rather than offering simple answers, the artist allows complexity to remain present, inviting viewers to sit with questions, consider multiple perspectives, and reflect on their own relationship to the work.
- Opportunity for Growth: The artist has developed their practice through self-determination, collaboration, and resourcefulness, often without sustained institutional access. They demonstrate a clear desire for rigorous feedback, deeper theoretical engagement, and meaningful artistic dialogue. They are seeking mentorship and professional learning environments to refine their experimentation and strengthen their conceptual foundation. With the right support, they are ready to expand their work with greater clarity, sustainability, and care. Their curiosity, discipline, and openness to transformation signal a genuine readiness to grow.
- Community: The artist approaches art-making as a relational and collective practice rather than an isolated one. They utilize performance as a means of gathering and see creative work as a space where people can think, feel, and imagine together. Through shared artistic inquiry that is accessible, they explore alternative pasts, reimagined presents, and possible futures. Their engagement with community is shaped by accountability, care, and context, understanding that meaningful connection can take many forms and evolves over time.
- Progress not perfection: The artist’s application reflects effort, authenticity, and determination toward their craft. Although the application may not be grammatically flawless or highly refined, the artist’s desire and exertion are perceptible.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will decisions be announced?
- We’re hoping to inform selected artists early May. We also plan to inform candidates that were not selected.
If I am graduating in May, can I still apply?
- If you are graduating in May 2026, you are able to apply as long as you are not a full or part-time student during the entirety of the fellowship period.
Do you have to be a resident of NYC by the application date or by the start of fellowship?
- By the start of the fellowship.
If I am traveling out of state for a month or so, can my application still be considered?
- If you are in New York the majority of the fellowship period (June-March 2027), and you qualify for the other eligibility requirements, then yes, your application will be considered.
I’m 17 or 31, can you please make an exception?
- Unfortunately, the age requirement is stipulated by the funder and we are unable to make exceptions.
Will my application be considered differently if I don’t include a resume or CV?
- No, it will not. We strongly believe that access to this Fellowship should not be restricted by previous “professional” experience or even based on whether someone knows what to include in a resume/CV.
The application includes space for five work samples, I only have enough recorded material for two, will my application be considered differently?
- No, it will not. The other three work samples are optional. We understand there are a myriad of reasons why someone may not have documentation of their work.
Is the review panel different depending on the discipline?
- No, it is not. The review panel is composed of artists experienced in community work, performance, sculpture, sound and other performance disciplines.