Financial Assistance

The MacDowell Colony believes that all talented artists should have the opportunity a MacDowell Fellowship provides. There is no cost for a Fellowship; in order to open the residency experience to a wider, more diverse community of artists, however, MacDowell offers two financial assistance programs to those who have been awarded a Fellowship.

Stipends
Through the generosity of several foundations and individuals — including The Leon Levy Foundation, The Lesher Fund for Composers, The Marsyas Fund, and The Rona Jaffe Foundation — need-based stipends are available to artists who would not otherwise be able to afford the time away that a Fellowship requires. Stipends may be used to cover rent, utilities, childcare, and other expenses that accrue during a residency. They may also be directed toward equipment costs and to replace lost income.

Travel Grants
Thanks to the support of two foundations, travel reimbursement grants are available to defray the cost of domestic and international travel to and from New Hampshire. Domestic travel grants are provided by The MacArthur Transportation Fund; international travel grants are provided by The David and Rosamond Putnam Transportation Fund. Artists apply for travel grants by filling out a brief form itemizing travel costs and attaching all receipts.

Artists may apply for these stipends and travel grants only if they are awarded a MacDowell Fellowship. Applications for assistance, which are included in the package confirming acceptance to MacDowell, are kept confidential. Financial assistance funds are disbursed during or shortly after a residency. Artists of all disciplines are eligible.