About the Digital Evolution Artist Retention (DEAR) Fellowship

The DEAR (Digital Evolution/Artist Retention) Intensive Fellowship is designed to give participating artists and arts practitioners of African descent the opportunity to connect, reflect, and strategize in a community of peers committed to growth and adaptation against the backdrop of these unprecedented times. Offering the possibility of respite and revitalization, the DEAR Intensive Fellowship aims to tackle the challenges of the moment through a curated, online retreat experience that offers opportunities for skills-based and reflective learning which we hope will cultivate greater personal and professional resilience for participants. Understanding that the trying and transformative nature of the moment calls for renewed creativity, purpose, and vision, this retreat is designed for practice, planning, and networking which we hope will strengthen our community of artists and nurture new prospects for collaboration and individual artistic growth.

The DEAR Intensive Fellowship is organized as a community of peer learning, mentorship, and support which will explore a range of tools and practices that cut across disciplines and levels of experience, to further strengthen artists’ ability to create, teach, and promote their work in our present context and beyond. This virtual convening space will include facilitated learning and visioning circles, skills-based workshops, individual and small group reflection and practice space, self-paced professional development activities, one-to-one peer support, and networking opportunities. DEAR will bring together leaders in the field across disciplines and areas of practice.

Master workshops will include: 

• Artist/Project Narrative Development

• Social Media and Digital Strategy

• Grant Writing

• Intellectual Property Rights

• Virtual Presenting