Established by the Rhode Island Foundation in 2003, The Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship Fund provides up to three $30,000 artist fellowships each year. Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) leads the selection process for these fellowships.

The awardees of this fellowship rotate among composers, writers and visual artists on a three-year cycle. In all three disciplines, the Fellowships will be awarded to emerging and mid-career Rhode Island artists whose work demonstrates exceptional creativity, rigorous dedication, and consistent artistic practice, and significant artistic merit.

The 2025 Fellowships will be awarded to visual artists, the 2026 Fellowships will be awarded to composers, and the 2027 Fellowships will be awarded to Writers. Three runners-up for the 2025 Visual Arts award will receive one month at an artist residency program. 

The MacColl Johnson Fellowships seek to advance the careers of artists who, through seriousness of purpose and active engagement, are committed to their artistic practice. The significant financial support provided by the Fellowships enables artists to concentrate time on the creative process, focus on personal and professional development, expand their body of work and explore new directions.

Although Fellowships are unrestricted, Fellows are expected to devote concentrated time to their work during the term of the Fellowship and engage in activities that further their artistic growth. Examples include the creation of new work, training in technologies or techniques, purchase of equipment or materials, travel, or research and development of artistic endeavors. Fellows will be required to submit a final report documenting activities supported by the Fellowship.
 

The 2024 Fellowships were awarded to Writers in Rhode Island.


More information about the 2025 Fellowships for Visual Artists can be found here.

Questions about this program? 

Application and selection are managed by ACA. You may email questions to grants [at] artistcommunities.org. 

Learn more about the Rhode Island Foundation's MacColl Johnson Fellowships and past Fellowship winners at rifoundation.org