Westchester Community Fellow

The Westchester Community Foundation’s Emily and Harold E. Valentine and Evelyn Gable Clark Scholarship Fund supports fellowships for emerging artists. The fund seeks artists who are seriously dedicated to their crafts, in cultural and artistic facilities as a means of launching their career. The Westchester Community Fellowship at Clay Art Center is intended as an in-depth mentorship, in which early career ceramic artists can develop their own artwork, establish themselves as educators in the field, and gain experience in outreach arts education programming.

Preference will be given to culturally diverse artists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in ceramics. Recipients generally should be current or past Westchester residents, have a strong tie to Westchester, or an interest in serving the Westchester community, age 30 or younger, with demonstrated financial need. 

Read more about our current Westchester Community Fellow.

Applications for the Westchester Community Fellowship for the 2025-2026 cycle are due on April 1, 2025 by 5pm ET.

Reach out to ed@clayartcenter.org with any questions.

Benefits

The recipient will receive a prestigious one-year Fellowship at the Clay Art Center, which provides the following: 

  • Private 10’x10’ studio space and access to glazes, equipment, and kilns.

  • Free firing

  • Payment for studio assistance $19/hour for 9 hours work weekly (approximately $684/month)

  • Attendance at visiting artist workshops and lectures held at Clay Art Center 

  • Regular critiques with fellow Artist in Residence and Clay Art Center staff

  • Registration at the NCECA Conference (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts). Includes travel and housing accommodations. 

  • Paid teaching opportunities focused on community arts and youth programming. The resident will spend an average of 6-8 hours a week teaching in the Westchester and Port Chester community, including family workshops, K-12 residencies, after school classes, mosaic programs, and programs for those with special needs.

  • Access to professional development opportunities

Responsibilities

  • One year commitment beginning September 2, 2025

  • 9 hours of studio responsibilities on a weekly basis, including, but not limited to, the firing of all community arts related artwork, participation in mosaic installations, managing high school community arts interns, and offsite promotional events.

  • During the end of the residency, we ask that the residents work together to create approximately 200 small artworks for our annual fundraiser in October

Requirements

  • A strong foundational base in the medium of ceramics, as well as a clear direction in their own artwork.

  • Interest in community arts and youth education programming.

  • Preference will be given to culturally diverse artists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in ceramics. Recipients generally should be current or past Westchester residents, have a strong tie to Westchester, or an interest in serving the Westchester community, age 30 or younger, with demonstrated financial need. 

  • All applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents.

Timeline

  • Overview: Fellowship begins September 2, 2025 - ends August 18, 2026

  • April 1, 2025 by 5pm ET: Applications Due

  • May 2025: Notifications

  • Incoming Fellow:

    • August 26, 2025: New Fellow can access their space

    • September 2, 2025: Fellowship welcome and orientation

    • August 18, 2026: Fellowship ends (for single year residents only)

Submit your application to become a Westchester Community Fellow

Applications due on April 1, 2025 by 5pm ET and will include the following:

  • Statement of Interest: Address what you hope to achieve in your fellowship at Clay Art Center. Please include your goals related to artmaking, teaching, and supporting our community arts programming. 

  • Artist Statement

  • Resume

  • 2 professional references with name, contact information, title, and your relationship to both

  • 10 digital images of finished work completed during the last 2 years

  • Image List with Title, material, process, date, and dimensions

Please label and format all documents as follows:

  • Written documents must be submitted as PDFs and should include your name at the top of each page

  • Images must be submitted as JPGs or PNGs

  • Format all file names as LastNameFirstNameDocument.pdf and all images as LastNameFirstNameImageNumber.jpg (i.e.: ChoyKatherineResume.pdf and ChoyKatherineImage1.jpg)

For questions, email ED@clayartcenter.org.

Selection Process

Candidates are reviewed by our Fellowship Committee.

Living space is not provided.

Clay Art Center encourages applications from historically underrepresented communities in the ceramic arts. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Clay Art Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Westchester Community Fellows, 2011-2025:

2011-2012 Catie Newman
2012-2013 Kelly O'Sullivan
2013-2014 Gabby Sia
2014-2015 Lindsey Francis
2015-2016 Jose Tlaczani
2016-2017 Teddy Poneman
2017-2018 Dana Reifer
2018-2019 Luke Wilde
2019-2020 Nicole Peters
2020-2021 Breana Hendricks
2021-2022 Breana Hendricks
2022-2023 Jess Levin
2023-2024 Steph Perez
2024-2025 Steph Perez