Fellowship Application

Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship 2021 Application

Deadline Extended To October 30, 2020

Since 1999, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has focused on the artists and field of contemporary Native American and First Nations art through the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship. The Eiteljorg and the Fellowship have played a unique and critical role in increasing national and international awareness and appreciation for Native Contemporary Art.

Through generous support of the Lilly Endowment Inc., the museum awards five artists an unrestricted sum of $25,000 U.S. dollars. The works of these artists comprise of various mediums including painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and installation.

One of the five artists is invited to be part of the Fellowship based on their distinguished contribution to the field and their overall body of work. An independent jury selects all five artists with the Fellowship advisory committee (who nominate the Selectors) and the Eiteljorg weighs in on the invited artist.

Since the program’s inception, the Eiteljorg has awarded more than $2,500,000 in cash awards and purchases to Native contemporary artists; currently, the museum possesses over 500 iconic works in the permanent collection.

Art Fellowship is a partnership between the museum and the artists. For the 2021 Fellowship the museum will:

• Provide the artist with a $25,000.00 unrestricted award
• Purchase work from the artist for the permanent collection.
• Feature the artist’s work in a group exhibition at the Eiteljorg Museum.
• Publish a catalog featuring the five artists and their work.
• Arrange and pay for shipping the artist’s work to and from the museum.
• Promote and advertise the Fellowship and the artists’ work through local, national, and international media.
• Honor the artists at a special opening event.
• Cover the expense of artist travel and accommodations booked through the Museum’s travel agent.

In cooperation with the Eiteljorg,  the selected fellows agree to:

• Provide requested materials such as images, resume/CV, and additional information in a timely manner (within 2 weeks of request).
• Work with the registrar to arrange the shipment of their work to/from the Eiteljorg.
• Provide an email address and/or telephone number that they check regularly to insure the artist is able to respond to museum communication within a reasonable time (1 week).
• Make themselves available to travel to Indianapolis for all Fellowship opening activities.
• Grant permission for the museum to use images of their work for promotional or educational publications.
• Agree to a filmed interview.
• Present their work to the public through tours and/or other presentations.

For specific questions regarding the application and selection process, please contact:

Dorene Red Cloud, Assistant Curator of Native American Art dredcloud@eiteljorg.com or 317-275-1352.