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What is MacDowell?
MacDowell is a leading American contemporary arts organization and the nation's first artist residency program. It provides Fellowships that bring emerging and established artists across seven disciplines to its historic campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire, so they can pursue creative work in a setting the organization describes as a sanctuary. Art and artists, in its framing, "are made" there—the emphasis is on time, space and exchange among a multidisciplinary community rather than on exhibitions or sales.
What the residency involves
- Disciplines: Artists working across seven disciplines are eligible; the site's fellowship announcements and artist features show the range is genuinely multidisciplinary.
- Setting: A historic campus in southern New Hampshire, described in the organization's own material as a place where artists "come, work, connect, and feel supported."
- Community: The stated aim is to bring diverse talent together to exchange ideas—so expect a cohort experience, not an isolated retreat. A feature on Head Chef Erik Johansen, for instance, describes how arrival and shared meals are handled to ease the transition into focused work.
- Duration and terms: Not specified in the supplied material; check the Apply section for the current residency structure.
Who it suits
Practicing artists at any career stage—the program explicitly serves both emerging and established figures—who need uninterrupted time and are open to a communal, cross-disciplinary environment. It is less suited to someone seeking a studio-for-hire arrangement or a program built around a public exhibition outcome.
Applying
The application is currently closed. The next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027–Winter 2028 residency season, with the application opening in mid-January. A practical next step: use the gap before mid-January to draft your project description and prepare work samples, then confirm discipline-specific requirements on the Apply page at MacDowell when the portal reopens.
For context on how this compares with other residency models, the Alliance of Artists Communities at Alliance of Artists Communities maintains a directory of programs with differing structures and support levels.
How do I apply for a MacDowell Fellowship and what is the application timeline?
Apply through MacDowell's own site: the application opens in mid-January, and the next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027–Winter 2028 residency season. The page states the application is currently closed, so there is nothing to submit right now—use the time before mid-January to prepare.
What to do now
- Check eligibility and discipline. MacDowell awards Fellowships across seven disciplines; confirm yours is covered and read the current guidelines on MacDowell before drafting.
- Prepare your work sample. Residency panels weigh the quality and readiness of recent work heavily, so select and label samples early.
- Draft a concise project description. Explain what you would work on during a residency and why uninterrupted time at MacDowell matters at this stage of the project.
- Line up references if the application requests them, and give referees advance notice.
- Submit well before February 10. Portals get busy near deadlines; aim to file at least several days early.
Timeline at a glance
| Stage | Timing |
|---|---|
| Application opens | Mid-January |
| Deadline | February 10 |
| Residency season applied for | Fall 2027 – Winter 2028 |
A practical next step: open the Apply page on MacDowell now and save or print the guidelines so your materials match the current form when the portal opens. If you work across disciplines, decide which one to apply under before you start writing—the project statement should read as a single, focused proposal rather than a survey of everything you do.
What disciplines and types of artists does MacDowell support through its residency program?
MacDowell supports artists across seven disciplines through its residency program, bringing together emerging and established artists to pursue creative work on its campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The site describes its Fellowships as going to "visionary artists working across seven disciplines," and frames the residency as a sanctuary where artists "come, work, connect, and feel supported."
What the page evidence shows
- Multidisciplinary scope: MacDowell describes itself as an organization that convenes "diverse, multidisciplinary talent to exchange ideas," so the program is not limited to a single art form.
- Career stages: It explicitly supports both "emerging and established artists," meaning applicants need not have an extensive track record.
- Named examples: The page references a visual artist (Philemona Williamson, shown in Alexander Studio) and a writer (Hernan Diaz, a MacDowell Fellow and now Board Chair), indicating that painters and literary writers are among those supported.
- Cohort structure: Fellows arrive in defined seasons—the recent announcement covers artists arriving between September 2026 and February 2027—suggesting residencies are organized in group cohorts rather than as open-ended stays.
Practical next step
The page does not list all seven disciplines by name, so confirm the exact categories before applying. The application is currently closed; the next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027–Winter 2028 season, with the application opening in mid-January. Use that window to check the discipline list and prepare work samples. If your practice sits between categories—say, performance that is also installation—look at how previous Fellows in adjacent disciplines have framed their applications, since multidisciplinary work is central to the program's identity.
For broader context on artist residencies and how they vary by discipline and duration, Alliance of Artists Communities is a useful reference.
What does a residency at MacDowell's Peterborough, New Hampshire campus include for fellows?
MacDowell's Peterborough, New Hampshire campus is a working retreat: fellows receive a private studio, room and board, and time away from their usual obligations to focus on their own projects. The organization describes itself as the first artist residency program in the United States and supports artists across seven disciplines, bringing together emerging and established practitioners so they can exchange ideas while pursuing creative work. In practical terms, a residency means a stretch of protected work time on a wooded campus in southern New Hampshire, with the logistics of daily living handled so artists can concentrate on making.
What the residency is built around
- A private studio for each fellow. The page shows a fellow working in a named studio, which reflects the program's core offer: dedicated space to work.
- Room and board on campus. MacDowell's own account of its head chef describes arrival as disorienting before it becomes focused, and explains that meals are planned to ease that transition. Food and community life are treated as part of the residency, not an afterthought.
- A multidisciplinary cohort. Fellows come from seven disciplines and from a range of career stages, so the value includes informal exchange with artists working in different media.
- Fellowship awards by season. Residencies are organized into seasons—the site references Fall 2026 Winter 2027 fellowships—so applicants should think in terms of a specific residency period rather than an open-ended stay.
Who it suits, and what to plan for
This model fits artists with a defined project that benefits from uninterrupted time and separation from home routines: a writer finishing a manuscript, a composer working through a large piece, a visual artist producing a body of work. It is less suited to someone who needs daily access to collaborators, performers, or specialized equipment outside the studio, since the setting is deliberately removed.
The main practical constraint is timing. As of the site's current notice, the application is closed; the next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027 Winter 2028 season, with the application opening in mid-January. If you are considering applying, the useful next step is to draft a concrete project description and work plan now, then check the Apply section in mid-January for discipline-specific requirements and deadline details.
How can I support MacDowell as a donor or attend events like the National Benefit and Medal Day?
You can support MacDowell either by giving or by showing up: donations sustain the residency and campus operations, while events like the National Benefit and Medal Day let supporters engage with the organization and its Fellows in person.
Giving
Use the Donate option on the site to contribute. The page frames donations as what keeps the residency a working "sanctuary" where artists "come, work, connect, and feel supported," so gifts are tied to maintaining space and time for creative work rather than to a specific program. If you want your support to be tied to a particular outcome, decide first whether you care most about the residency experience itself, the broader fellowship pipeline, or public programming, then ask MacDowell which fund matches that intent.
Attending events
Two named events appear on the page:
- MacDowell National Benefit — Monday, October 19 at Gotham Hall, described as an annual celebration with dinner, drinks, a paddle raise, and performances and testimonials from MacDowell Fellows. Honorees listed are Sade Lythcott, CEO of National Black Theatre, and Tina Roth Eisenberg, founder and CEO of CreativeMornings, with remarks by Amy Sherald and Ruth Ann Harnisch.
- Medal Day 2026 — Sunday, June 28.
The Benefit suits donors who want a formal evening and a fundraising moment (the paddle raise); Medal Day reads as a more ceremonial occasion. Check the Events section for current details, ticketing, and any changes before planning travel.
A practical next step
If you are deciding between the two, choose the Benefit when you want to give and socialize in one evening, and Medal Day when you want to see the organization's honors tradition. Before either, confirm dates and access details on MacDowell and consider a direct donation if you cannot attend.
Who are notable MacDowell Fellows and leaders such as Hernan Diaz, and what does the fellowship selection process involve?
Hernan Diaz, the Pulitzer-winning novelist, is a MacDowell Fellow and now Chair of MacDowell's Board of Directors, succeeding Nell Painter, who held the role from 2020. The page also names other figures in its orbit: painter Philemona Williamson (class of '26), honorees Sade Lythcott of National Black Theatre and Tina Roth Eisenberg of CreativeMornings at the 2026 National Benefit, and speakers Amy Sherald and Ruth Ann Harnisch. Beyond these, the site points to a broader roster of Fellows working across seven disciplines, awarded each season — the Fall 2026/Winter 2027 cohort was announced on the homepage.
What the page says about selection
The homepage confirms the shape of the process rather than its internal criteria. Applications run on a seasonal cycle: the current window is closed, the next deadline is February 10 for the Fall 2027/Winter 2028 residency season, and the application opens in mid-January. Residencies take place on the historic campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and Fellows arrive in staggered periods — the Fall 2026/Winter 2027 group between September 2026 and February 2027. Discipline spread (seven fields) and the mix of "emerging and established" artists are stated aims, but the page does not detail jury composition, review rounds, or acceptance rates.
Practical reading for an applicant
If you are considering applying, treat the deadline as the binding constraint and work backward: a mid-January opening leaves roughly four weeks to prepare, so draft your project description and work samples in the autumn. The stated emphasis on multidisciplinary exchange suggests a proposal that explains how time in residence — not just money — would change your work will read better than a generic statement of need. For a sense of the cohort's range, browse the Fellows listed under "Artists" on MacDowell before writing.
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