Supporting Emerging Artists

As part of our mission, we support and host visual and literary artists and scholars of all kinds who are influenced by a sense of place, including the natural world and humankind’s place in it. Our art-related programming continues the Mellons’ long history of generous support at the intersection of the arts and the environment.

Emerging artists engage with Oak Spring through either a residency or fellowship program, as detailed below. Scholars interested in the Oak Spring Garden Library are welcome to apply for residency and a fellowship on our Scholars Page.

Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence

OSGF awards one Fellow annually for the Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence. The selected Eliza Moore Fellow is awarded $10,000 and a two-week residency at Oak Spring.

Artist in Residence

The Artist in Residence (AiR) Program provides the opportunity for artists and writers to pursue and accomplish their own creative endeavors in a beautiful rural environment. Our hope is for artists to be inspired by each other, our 700-acre landscape, our historic gardens, and the Library's collection of rare books on plants, landscape and gardens.

All artist residents are provided a stipend, housing accommodation, and 24-hour access to studio space on the Oak Spring estate in Upperville, Virginia (see slideshow; additional images forthcoming).

To Apply:

Beginning this year, we will accept applications to our Artist in Residence Program along with our Eliza Moore Fellowship. The open call for applicants will be held in conjunction with a nomination process that intentionally seeks out mission-aligned artists. Finalists will be given the opportunity to join our AiR and the top applicant will be awarded the Eliza Moore Fellowship. For the 2020 program, the application period will run from March 2019 to August 2019. Please check our Opportunities Page and sign up for our E-newsletter to stay up-to-date.

How do we define an emerging artist?

Our support to artists–in both our residencies and fellowships–prioritizes emerging artists who show significant potential, but are under-recognized. We define an “emerging artist” as an artist who is early career, self-directed, and pre-professional. An emerging artist can be of any age and of any technical background (we consider both academically trained and non-academically trained artists) and are no longer enrolled in a degree-related program.

To help us recognize an emerging artist, we look for some evidence of professional achievement and recognition, but do not expect a substantial record of accomplishment. Examples of recognition include exhibitions, critical reviews, commissions, performances, grant awards, residencies, fellowships, publications, and productions. Our selection committee considers not only the number of these acknowledgments, but also timing, size, characteristics, geographic context, and significance.

 All emerging artists who are invited to work at Oak Spring have the necessary equipment and skills to work independently, but may require support in the form of time, space, financial assistance, and community.

OSGF is an emerging member of the Alliance of Artists Communities.