Ox-Bow Summer Fellowship
What changes occur in your practice when you create, think deeply, and experiment alongside a community of artists rooted in over a century of creative gatherings?
The Ox-Bow Summer Fellowship offers thirteen weeks to slow down and deepen your practice within a creative community. Fellows play a central role in how the campus operates—contributing time and skills to kitchens, studios, grounds, and administrative tasks in Ox-Bow’s live, work, and create model. While remaining at the core of campus life, a rotating group of students, visiting artists, and faculty bring fresh perspectives and conversations every week. Together, they form a rare, vibrant artistic community.
We believe artists at every stage of their journey should learn together. When hierarchies dissolve and everyone is equally committed to their work, mentorship flows in all directions across disciplines, experience levels, and generations. With conversations happening beyond the studios the sharing of knowledge, research, and material exploration, creates and exchange, and truly transforms a practice.
Often, long after leaving campus, artists realize how the work made during the fellowship has developed in unexpected ways. Beyond Ox-Bow, alumni continue discovering collaborators, mentors, and friends who influence their practice long after summer ends. Fellows become part of something larger—a lineage of artists who have gathered on this historic campus, each leaving their mark and shaping the community at Ox-Bow and beyond.
2027 Fellowship Cycle
Applications open October 1, 2026 and close January 3, 2027
Program runs June 3 - August 28, 2027
Scroll down to see more details about the program, what is new in 2027, who is eligible, and FAQs. But first, hear what others have to say about the fellowship program with a video made by 2025 Summer Fellow, Nolan Zunk.
What is new in 2027
The Fellowship will expand to welcome more artists and new pathways into the Ox-Bow experience. The program will grow to 18 fellows and broaden eligibility beyond traditional academic backgrounds to include artists with equivalent professional experience. New opportunities for peer mentorship, professional development, exhibitions, and campus stewardship will reflect Ox-Bow’s longstanding tradition: fostering a community where artists at all levels make, learn, and grow together.
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The cohort is intentionally structured to pair artists at different stages of their practice. The relationship is deliberately informal — a shared lunch, a studio visit, a conversation after a talk. Mentor fellows help orient emerging fellows to campus rhythms and share what they know about graduate school, professional development, and life as a working artist. It's the kind of exchange that has always happened naturally at Ox-Bow. Now it has a little more intention behind it. Mentor fellows receive dedicated training before the pairing begins.
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Timed for the moment you leave Ox-Bow, the week-long professional practice intensive is a concentrated gathering of critics, curators, gallerists, arts administrators, and entrepreneurs designed to prepare and enhance your career as an artist.
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In the year following the fellowship, fellows can exhibit work in a group show at a partner gallery in Chicago or Detroit. The exhibition extends the community beyond campus and places fellows' work in conversation with the broader contemporary art world.
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Each cohort now participates in a campus beautification week, joining a century of artists who have shaped this campus. This shared, hands-on contribution to the physical grounds of Ox-Bow’s campus offers skill-building, stewardship, and the chance to leave a mark on an historic artist-built campus for the next group of artists to inherit.
Who should apply
The Fellowship is open to senior BFA students, MFA students, postgraduates, and artists with comparable professional experience. We seek artists committed to their practice, prepared for intensive studio work, and eager to join a collaborative creative community. We evaluate applications based on the strength of your practice and your readiness for this unique experience.
After successfully completing one Fellowship summer, alumni may reapply for a second summer. In 2027, Fellowship alumni from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts are welcome to apply during this application cycle.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications open October 1, 2026 and will close January 3, 2027. Applicants are evaluated based on the strength of their portfolio, their readiness for the program, and an interview with Ox-Bow leadership.
““There are 50 to 100 artists at any given time, and you have a chance to sit and have a meal with them day after day. You get to meet so many people and have the most interesting conversations. Talking about art and seeing how different artists think [is a] beautiful thing outside of the classroom that you could really only experience in an immersive setting like this.”
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2026 Fellow, Bailey Scieszka in the studio. photo by Mak Smith
On campus participants and staff viewing work in The Betsy gallery. photo by Dominique Muñoz, 2024 Summer Fellow
WHAT Fellows RECEIVE
Private studio and room on campus
All meals prepared by Ox-Bow's culinary team
A $300 weekly stipend
24-hour studio access
Regular studio visits and critiques with visiting artists
Teaching assistant opportunities
Summer exhibition opportunities (on-campus at the Betsy Gallery, off-campus at Ox-Bow House)
Opportunities to create on-campus programs and engage with art collectors, patrons, and the broader Saugatuck/Douglas community during public events on campus
Mentorship pairing with another fellow (new 2027)
Week-long professional practices intensive (new 2027)
Group exhibition at a partner gallery in Chicago or Detroit the following year (through September through May) (new 2027)
Campus Beautification Project (new 2027)
““It was my first time ever actually being exposed to craft and I just kind of stumbled into the glass studio, and now three years later, glass is like a central part of my practice. … Being here is where [it] all started - being inspired and challenged by the environment, it just shaped my practice as a whole.””
Hello, World!
WHAT Fellows CONTRIBUTE
Fellows contribute 20 hours per week to Ox-Bow's operations—working in the kitchen, studios, grounds, archives, and across communications and events. As part of Ox-Bow's live-work model, it’s how fellows become integrated into daily life here, learn the labor behind a creative community, and gain practical experience managing an historic, artist-led organization. Fellows much like staff are expected to adhere to Ox-Bow’s values of hospitality, brave conversations, and a good neighbor philosophy. Fellows select their preferred area of interest when applying, and assignments are made based on their skills and interests.
Fields of Study Descriptions
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This Fellow serves as an essential on-campus host, focusing on providing a warm welcome for artists on arrival days, and hosting weekly faculty artist talks and visiting artist activations. Additional administrative support includes presence at the front desk each week and collecting participant evaluations. This position is well suited for a socially engaged individual who is comfortable with public speaking, enjoys sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge of Ox-Bow, and can adapt easily to the evolving rhythms and interests of a creative community. No prior administrative or arts experience is required—curiosity, warmth, and flexibility are key.
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This Fellow plays a welcoming, public-facing role at Ox-Bow, supporting operations in the on-campus art store, the Tuck Shop. Responsibilities include offering art supplies, pulling espresso, and engaging in friendly conversation with the community—helping make the Tuck Shop a lively hub for connection and creativity. Barista experience is appreciated but not required. Beyond retail support, this Fellow collaborates across departments, working with the Events team to support logistical needs as they arise, and with Campus Office staff via presence at the front desk each week. The fellow will also help welcome the public to campus by selling beverages during our lively Friday Night Open Studio events. This position is well suited for a personable, organized Fellow who enjoys bridging multiple teams and engaging with people in a variety of contexts. It offers valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of an arts non-profit, from earned revenue and fundraising to community-building and donor engagement. No prior non-profit experience is required.
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This Fellow supports the successful day-to-day operation of the Ceramics Studio during their time on campus, with a primary focus on maintaining the physical upkeep and functionality of the space. Responsibilities include reconstituting clay, cleaning and maintaining equipment, and ensuring shared work areas remain safe and well organized. This Fellow will also gain hands-on teaching and technical experience by supporting faculty and participants throughout the learning process in the Krehbiel Ceramics Studio. This role is well suited for someone interested in deepening their technical knowledge of ceramics while contributing to a communal studio environment. Previous experience with ceramics processes is required.
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This Fellow supports the daily operation of Ox-Bow’s kitchen, a central hub of campus life that serves hundreds of guests each summer. Working as part of an energetic kitchen team, this Fellow contributes to the preparation and service of three meals a day, assists with basic food prep and cleaning processes, and helps uphold a culture of care and hospitality for the community. In addition to daily kitchen support, this Fellow serves as a liaison between faculty and the kitchen for food-based classroom programming and special events, often including communal dinners and celebratory meals. Responsibilities may include sourcing ingredients through Ox-Bow’s food delivery systems, local grocers, and farmers markets; assisting with menu planning; and providing basic accounting support for these activations. This role is well suited for someone interested in collaborative, creative food work within an arts environment. No prior professional kitchen experience is required, though enthusiasm for food, teamwork, and hospitality is essential.
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This Fellow plays a vital role as a Hot Shop Assistant during their time on campus, supporting the daily operation of the Burke Glass Studio. Working closely with the Glass Studio Manager and Technicians, this Fellow helps maintain a safe, functional, and well-organized hot shop while supporting classes and studio activities. In this role, this Fellow will gain both technical and teaching experience by assisting faculty and participants during demonstrations, work sessions, and critiques. Responsibilities may include preparing materials, maintaining equipment, hosting evening blow slots, and supporting studio workflows throughout the session. This position is well suited for someone with a strong interest in glass education and collaborative studio environments. Previous experience in glass working processes is required.
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This Fellow supports the care, functionality, and daily operations of Ox-Bow’s 115-acre campus of wooded dunes and lagoon landscapes, an environment that inspires all who study and work here. This Fellow assists with hands-on tasks that maintain and enhance the beauty and usability of the grounds and buildings. Tasks may include raking, trash and recycling removal, basic painting, light repairs, and general upkeep across campus. This position is well suited for someone who enjoys physical, outdoor work, takes pride in maintaining shared spaces, and values contributing to the behind-the-scenes care of a creative community. No previous facilities or maintenance experience is required; a strong work ethic and willingness to learn are essential.
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This Fellow supports Ox-Bow’s ongoing efforts to organize, document, and preserve its rich history as an artists’ school founded in 1910. Working with archival materials, ephemera, and documentation related to Ox-Bow’s programs and historic campus, this Fellow contributes to long-term projects focused on cataloging, digitization, and preservation planning for both collections and the built environment. Support tasks will include assisting with archival research, cataloging materials, supporting documentation of historic structures, helping develop systems for long-term stewardship, and a presence at the front desk each week. Each summer will include one special project that engages Ox-Bow’s history and/or collection, and may include: researching and writing didactics, identifying and acquiring materials for the collection, or collaborating on preservation projects. This role is especially well suited for students interested in historic preservation, arts administration, or art history who are eager to apply their academic training in a real-world context. Fellows are encouraged to propose research projects, organizational frameworks, or creative initiatives during their residency that support Ox-Bow’s long-term archive and preservation goals. Prior experience is helpful but not required; curiosity, care, and strong organizational skills are essential.
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This Fellow plays a vital role in sustaining the welcoming, communal atmosphere that defines life at Ox-Bow. Working alongside the Housekeeping team, this Fellow supports the care and upkeep of campus accommodations, which include historic dorm-style buildings, rustic cabins, and contemporary lodging where faculty, participants, staff, and visiting artists live together throughout the session. Additional support tasks include participating in daily cleaning routines of common spaces including bathrooms, preparing rooms for arrivals and departures, and helping maintain shared spaces to ensure comfort, cleanliness, and hospitality across campus. This role is well suited for someone who takes pride in creating warm, functional environments, enjoys collaborative work, and brings care and attention to detail to everyday tasks. No prior housekeeping experience is required—this Fellow will receive training on site and is encouraged to contribute their own thoughtful, creative touches to the spaces they help maintain.
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This Fellow supports management of on-campus collections of art, books, and other ephemera that Ox-Bow maintains for the use of its community and to tell its story on site. This position is an opportunity to do research on artwork in Ox-Bow’s possession, tell the organization’s history through objects, care for and manage the display and storage of artwork, and continue to build our library and zine archive. The Fellow will be invited to utilize the collections for campus-wide programs that enrich the experience of our community. This role is a good fit for artists whose practices intersect with collection and research, who are interested in art history and interpretation, and have a passion for building and maintaining unique resources for a temporary community. Each year the Fellow will be assigned a specific research project alongside larger regular management tasks that keep these resources vital.
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This Fellow serves as the lead documentarian of Ox-Bow’s summer sessions, capturing the energy, creativity, and daily life of the campus. This Fellow gains professional experience through a range of documentation efforts, from photographing studios, landscapes, and communal gatherings for use across Ox-Bow publications and platforms. Additional support tasks include organizing and delivering visual assets, being an active collaborator in team meetings, and assisting with communications needs as they arise throughout the summer. This Fellow is also encouraged to propose and develop a self-directed creative project that reflects their interests and can be shared with the Ox-Bow community (including video recaps, highlight reels, small publications, story writing, etc.). This role is ideal for a visually driven, observant Fellow who is personable and comfortable engaging directly with community members to create dynamic, authentic documentation, who enjoys working both independently and collaboratively, and who is excited by translating lived experiences into compelling images and narratives. Experience in photography is required; applicants should demonstrate both their artistic practice and documentation/commercial experience (such as event photography, editorial work, or content creation) in their portfolio. Applicants with additional experience in videography, writing, or communications are encouraged to highlight those skills in their application.
“When I came here as a fellow, it was one of the first times I felt like I was really working in a community to care for this place and for each other. That was so inspiring, and I think set the groundwork for the shape of my life.””
Group photos of Fellowship Cohorts from 2023-2026. Each photo was taking by a Photo & Communications Fellow, Ian Solomon (2023), Dominique Muñoz (2024), Nolan Zunk (2025), and Mak Smith (2026).
““Ox-Bow feels more real than reality, and that’s why it’s magical. My life in Chicago is fast-paced and I feel detached from my mode of living. Ox-Bow has always felt more grounded.”
MORE INFORMATION
For more details see our FAQs. To learn more about Ox-Bow's historic campus and environment, visit The Campus. For questions, reach out to the Ox-Bow programming team at oxbow@ox-bow.org
