How to Apply to MacDowell and When the Application Opens

MacDowell's application is currently closed. According to the organization's homepage, the next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027 Winter 2028 residency season, and the application will open in mid-January. If you want to apply, plan to submit between mid-January and February 10, and use the Apply section of macdowell.org as your starting point.

What the timeline means for you

The homepage states the current status directly: "Our application is currently closed. The next application deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027 Winter 2028 residency season. The application will open in mid-January."

That gives you a working window of roughly three to four weeks. Two practical implications:

• Don't wait for the deadline to start. Materials you may need — work samples, a project description, references — take time to prepare, and the window is short.
• Check back in mid-January. The site does not list exact opening dates beyond "mid-January," so confirm the application is live before you plan to submit.

Step-by-step: preparing to apply

1. Go to the Apply section. The site's main navigation includes an Apply link alongside About, Artists, Events, and Give. This is where the application and its requirements will live once the window opens.
2. Confirm the window is open. The homepage currently shows the closed status and the February 10 deadline. When the application opens in mid-January, that message should change — verify before starting.
3. Prepare your materials in advance. The site describes MacDowell as supporting artists across seven disciplines, so expect to describe your discipline and project. Specific application requirements are not detailed on the homepage; read them in the Apply section once available.
4. Submit before February 10. The deadline applies to the Fall 2027 Winter 2028 residency season.

Expected result: a submitted application considered for that residency season. Common snag: arriving at the Apply page before mid-January and finding nothing to submit — this is expected, not an error.

What you are applying for

MacDowell describes itself as the nation's first artist residency program and provides Fellowships to artists working across seven disciplines. Accepted artists arrive at its campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Recent news on the site notes that Fall 2026 Winter 2027 Fellows will arrive between September 2026 and February 2027 — a useful signal of how far ahead residency seasons are scheduled, and why the February 10 deadline targets a season more than a year out.

For artists, the site frames the residency as "sanctuary" — a place to work, connect, and feel supported. If you are new to the organization, the About and Artists sections give context on the program and past Fellows before you apply.

Key dates at a glance

If you miss this cycle

The site does not publish a full calendar of future deadlines on the homepage. The reliable approach is to revisit the Apply section after February 10 and watch for the next announced window. Because seasons are scheduled well in advance, missing one deadline means planning for a later residency season rather than a nearby one.