Fiction
➔ Fiction
The 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship cycle is now closed.
Applicants will be notified in Summer 2024.
GRANT TIMELINE
Application Opens: Tuesday, October 3, 2023 10:00AM ET
Application Closes: Wednesday December 13, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET*
Applicants Notified: Summer 2024
*Please note that the application form on Submittable will automatically close & stop accepting applications at this time.
Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted and no exceptions will be made. We strongly recommend that applicants complete their applications in advance of the deadline to allow time for work samples to upload and to avoid potential technical problems.
Applicants will receive an automatic response from Submittable once their application has been successfully received
DISCIPLINE DESCRIPTION
The Fiction category accepts work in all varieties and genres of prose fiction, including novels, short stories, and experimental forms. Work in graphic or “comic book” fiction is also accepted in this category.
APPLICATION CONTENTS
Applicants may submit the following items:
Work Samples
Manscript
- 1 manuscript up to 20 pages in maximum length
Formats Accepted
PDF Document
- PDF Only
- Language: English Only
- Spacing and page formatting at the discretion of the artist
- One page title page with the title of the work(s), and year(s) of completion, but not the name of the author/applicant.
Written Statements
- Artist Statement (400-Words), Required
- Cultural Statement (250-Words), Optional
- Synopsis (400-words), Required
- Character Sheet (250-Words), Optional
**Do not label your work samples with your name.**
WORK SAMPLES
Work samples are a representation of your artistic work created within the last five years (recommended). This is the most important part of your application, as it will be the primary point of review.
Keep in mind the panel reviews a large volume of material in quick succession; therefore, it is very important that you present your work clearly.
This is not a project grant; therefore you should be submitting work that is completed in part.
TIP: Panelists generally view more recent work (work created within the last five years) more favorably. However, you are also encouraged to submit work that falls outside the recommended five-year timeline.
WORK SAMPLES: MANUSCRIPT
Applicants can submit up to 20 pages from a manuscript that best represents their practice. Please also include a 1 page title page in your PDF in addition to the 20 page manuscript (21 pages in total).
- Your manuscript can consist of a singular body of work or multiple bodies of work.
- The title page should include the title of the piece and the date of completion, but not the name of the author.
- If your work sample includes a combination of excerpts from larger works, you are strongly advised to include substantial portions from each larger work, rather than small fragments.
- Do not include publication and/or production information anywhere on your manuscript.
- Do not include your artistic résumé in your PDF. Materials can be previously published or not.
- If published, scanned excerpts from books or periodicals, in published form, will be ineligible.
- Manuscripts must be in English, or can be translated into English by someone other than the artist.
Note: Panelists are instructed not to review any materials beyond the maximum number of pages allowed (21 pages).
Before you upload the .pdf file to your application, you will need to name your file. Do not label your work sample with your name. Instead, label it with the title of your work.
Metadata Section in Application: A metadata section will appear on your application form after your work sample has been uploaded. In this section, you will be able to provide the following information:
- Title(s)
- Date of completion(s)
SUPPORT STATEMENTS
Written statements are to be submitted directly to the application form in the corresponding textboxes. We recommend writing your statements in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and pasting them to Submittable. Document uploads for written statements will not be accepted.
(Required, 400-Words Max.): A concise statement giving an overview of your artistic practice.
- This statement should give a brief introduction to ideas, themes, and methods in your practice (i.e. how you make what you make, and/or why you make what you make).
- This statement should also specifically reflect the ideas and inspiration relevant to your submitted work samples.
- Use this statement to highlight your role in creating/executing the work, as well as describing the key technical aspects of the work.
- You can also describe the circumstances in which the viewer/audience should experience the work.
- Please include instructions on how to navigate your work if it’s interactive.
- This is not an Artist Bio.
(Required, 400-Words Max.): Provide a synopsis for your work sample.
- This supplemental statement should explain the context, concept, and execution of your work sample(s).
- This statement can also explain how the excerpted work sample(s) relate to the entire original piece.
- Within the Synopsis, you can itemize each submitted Work Sample and talk about them individually.
(Optional, 250-Words Max.): A supplemental description of relevant character’s personalities, as they relate to the Work Sample.
- Include their role, appearance, motivations, conflicts, relationships, and significance to the story.
- Aim to capture the essence of each character in a few lines.
(Optional, 250-Words Max.): A supplemental statement that describes how your work is related to and/or rooted in a specific cultural practice, tradition, or community. This statement can also offer an opportunity to describe how your artistic work relates to or stems from your culturally-specific lived experience(s).
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be submitted via the online application platform Submittable at https://apply.nyfa.org/. NYFA does not accept any physical copies of applications.
- Applicants must have a Submittable account in order to access the application form and upload supporting materials.
- To create an account, click on the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship: DISCIPLINE 2024 application, enter your details, and click Create Account and Continue.
- A verification email will be sent to your email address. Check your inbox and click on the link provided in the email to verify your account.
- If you already have an account, sign in and begin the application.
TIP: We recommend creating an account directly on Submittable instead of signing in via your Google or Facebook account. If you do not receive an email from Submittable in your inbox, be sure to check your spam inbox!
Saving your progress on Submittable: To save your working application as a draft, scroll to the bottom of the form and select SAVE DRAFT. Applications are not considered complete until you hit SUBMIT. Sign in here to access your draft application.
Locating your Submitted Application: Click here to review your Submitted application
Notifications: Applicants will be notified of their application results via Submittable. We recommend using an email address that is regularly active to ensure that you are receiving updates.
HOW APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED
Applications are reviewed over the course of 3 elimination rounds. All applications are reviewed anonymously in Round 1.
Rounds 1 & 2: The panel will have access to each applicants’ Work Samples and Written Statements. Applications are assigned a number and reviewed anonymously. In this round, panelists are directed to review and score applications independently.
Round 3: The panel will meet as a group and collectively discuss the applications that have made it into this round, and conclude by selecting the Fellowship Recipients.
Please note: Panelists will not look at websites of any kind during the application review process.
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE
To request an accommodation or if you need assistance in applying online, please email [email protected] or call (212) 366-6900 ext. 166 on Tuesdays-Thursdays between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM ET (NYFA is currently working on a hybrid schedule).
We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible, and no later than Wednesday, November 29 to allow adequate time for staff to support you in submitting an application before the deadline.
