The Summer Fellowship Program

Each summer, Ox-Bow offers fellowship students from competitive schools all over the nation a fully funded opportunity to focus on their work, meet with renowned artists, and grow as members of this unique community. The fellows experience the entire Ox-Bow summer session and live on campus for 13 weeks where, in addition to providing support labor to an arts non-profit, will participate in all areas of campus life. By working closely with staff, fellows develop relationships with others who have also made artmaking their lives.

Fellows are selected based on the merit of their work, their commitment to making inspired and innovative art, and their stated growth potential at Ox-Bow. The fellowship program is a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate within an engaging artist-run community.

2024 Fellowship dates: May 23 - August 26

Fellowship recipients receive:

• A studio space with 24 hour access

• Bi-weekly stipend for on campus labor

• Housing and 3 meals per day

• Weekly studio visits with visiting artists

• Opportunity to exhibit their work

• Opportunity to TA a class

Juniors, seniors, or graduate students from any degree-seeking institution are eligible for the Fellowship. In 2024, two fellowship positions will be awarded to students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Ox-Bow works with partner schools to bring in fellows from across the country. In 2024, Ox-Bow’s active partner schools include Herron School of Art & Design, Northwestern University, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin, and Tufts University.

Eligibility- Applicants must:

• Be undergraduate students in their junior/senior year or graduate students.

• Have a graduation date of December 2023 or later

• Be at least 21 years old at the start of the fellowship

• Have the ability to work in the United States or have a work visa

Who is a good fit for the Fellowship at Ox-Bow? Successful candidates are eager to join a community centered arts-organization, gain experience in the operations of a historic non-profit from the inside, and take pride in the labor that keeps it running. All Fellows will participate in 20 hours of work per week, alongside Ox-Bow staff, and will receive a $300 weekly stipend.

Fellowship Work Study
The work study component to the Summer Fellowship Program at Ox-Bow is essential to the health and growth of our arts organization. By working in one of the areas described below Fellows allow for growth in focused fields essential to Ox-Bow culture and gain experience in the many types of labor that are integral to the function of a community-centered arts organization. Candidates may indicate on their application their work study interests, and assignments will be given before they arrive at Ox-Bow.

Artist Liaison & Administration - Ox-Bow’s Administrative Team is made up of full and part time regular staff members who do the daily behind-the-scenes work necessary to make our art non-profit run. Fellows interested in gaining professional experience in the Administrative field may join the fold at Ox-Bow and work in tandem with Academic Program Director, Maddie Reyna on administrative projects including welcoming and assisting the visiting artists, hosting evening lectures and other programming at the Ox-Bow House in downtown Douglas. Fellows interested in this role should have their own method of transportation.

Culinary Arts - The kitchen is the heart of Ox-Bow and serves hundreds of guests each summer. In addition to attending to a variety of dietary requests, three meals, platforming locally sourced ingredients, are served each day. Ox-Bow’s kitchen has also been known to serve up a special batch of midnight snacks for a pop-up event or party. The Culinary Arts Fellow has the opportunity to join this team and contribute to both the daily mission of serving meals and hospitality of the kitchen and also expand their own creative energies into projects, artworks, or pop-up events during their time on campus. This Fellow will be encouraged to propose and support the food collaborations that organically materialize on campus.

Glass - The Glass Fellow holds a vital role as Hot Shop Assistant during their stay on campus. Joining the team with the Glass Studio Manager and Technicians, the Glass Fellow will garner both teaching and technical experience as they support the learning process of faculty and students within our Burke Glass Studio. Glass Fellow candidates must have previous experience in glass working processes.

Grounds & Maintenance -  Ox-Bow is located on 115 acres of wooded dunes, nestled near a lagoon fed by Lake Michigan.   This unique and rich environment is a source of inspiration for all artists that come to Ox-Bow. Under the direction of our Facilities team manager, John Rossi, this Fellow will support the maintenance and operations of Ox-Bow’s campus as they engage in the daily tasks that enhance the functionality and beauty of the grounds and buildings at Ox-Bow.

Historic Preservation & Archiving - Since 1910, Ox-Bow has been welcoming artists, students, and educators to gather together each summer. As an organization, we are in the process of organizing, digitizing, and collecting documentation and ephemera from our history as well as developing preservation plans for our historic built environment. This long-term work is an ideal opportunity for students of historic preservation, arts administration, or art history to put their training into practice. In addition to direct mentorship from Ox-Bow’s Executive Director, Shannon Stratton, the Fellow is encouraged to propose a research project, system of organization, or other creative project as it relates to their interests within Ox-Bow’s history.

Housekeeping - One of the most essential elements that contributes to the magic of Ox-Bow is that faculty, students, staff, and visiting artists reside on campus together either in historic, dorm-style buildings, rustic cabins, or more contemporary accommodations. Working alongside the Housekeeping team, Fellows will be essential in maintaining high levels of hospitality and comfort on campus and will participate in the daily cleaning tasks necessary to keep campus clean and welcoming – adding their own creative touches along the way

Photography & Communications - Taking inspiration from the beauty and bustle on campus during the summer, the Photography & Communications Fellow will be the lead documentarian during their residence. Working in conjunction with Ox-Bow’s Communications Department, the Fellow will develop professional experience through a range of documentation efforts, including capturing the perfect fire pit sunset or gathering quotes from out of breath canoers for use in Ox-Bow publications. Applicants with experience in videography and/or graphic design are encouraged to discuss this experience in their application. This Fellow is encouraged to develop a creative project which responds to their interests and can be shared with the Ox-Bow community.

Previous Fellows