Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence 2026 ($10,000 grant) – Applications Now Open

Deadline: May 31, 2025

The Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence 2026 is now accepting applications. This prestigious fellowship is awarded annually to an exceptional early-career artist whose work explores themes related to plants, gardens, or landscapes in a broad sense.

The selected artist will receive a $10,000 grant and spend 2 to 5 weeks at Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF), where they will have the opportunity to engage with staff, explore the 700-acre landscape and sustainable land management practices, and access OSGF’s rare book library, which houses over 19,000 objects, including botanical artworks.

Fellowship Overview

This fellowship is designed to support an artist whose work demonstrates significant potential to enhance our understanding of the natural world and humanity’s relationship with it. The Fellow will be in residence at a time when other Interdisciplinary Residents and Fellows are also present, fostering collaboration and engagement.

Award Benefits

• $10,000 grant, which may be used for travel expenses, art supplies, and other work-related costs before or after the residency.
• Round-trip ground transportation from Dulles International Airport to Oak Spring.
• Accommodation in a well-appointed shared residence, including a private bedroom and bathroom and access to a shared kitchen and living space with up to three other residents or fellows.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to early-career artists who are not enrolled in an undergraduate program in 2026.
• Applicants should have some professional recognition, such as exhibitions, commissions, performances, grant awards, residencies, fellowships, or publications.
• Artists with an extensive number of solo exhibitions or multiple published books are considered established or late-career and are not eligible. Those who do not qualify may apply for the Interdisciplinary Residency instead.
• The selected Fellow should be self-directed, capable of working independently, and have a strong artistic connection to the natural world.
• Strong communication skills and a commitment to their artistic practice are essential.

Application Process

The application deadline is May 31, 2025. Applicants will need to complete a single application for all 2026 Residency and Fellowship programs and indicate which programs they wish to be considered for.

Applicants must submit:

• A resume/CV (maximum two pages)
• A 200–300-word statement about their artistic practice
• A 200–300-word statement explaining how their work aligns with OSGF’s mission to preserve and promote the legacy of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon and foster scholarship on plants, gardens, and landscapes
• Work samples showcasing their artistic portfolio

Click here to apply

For further details, visit the Eliza Moore Fellowship webpage.