2025 Aminah Robinson Fellowship

The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) in partnership with the Columbus Museum of Art (CMA), offers a 90-day artist fellowship and unrestricted $15,000 award for a professional African American visual artist residing in Franklin County. The fellowship is intended to give the gift of time and monetary support to allow an artist to focus on art making.

The artist will be permitted to use Aminah Robinson’s home studio daily. The artist will be expected to participate in community outreach opportunities (workshops, demonstrations, lectures, etc.) as directed by the Columbus Museum of Art.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants to the Aminah Fellowship must:

• Identify as African American
• Be a resident of Franklin County
• Be a working visual artist (age 18 and older)
  • Description:
    • The artist sells their artwork, or shares their body of work with the general public.
    • The artist is focused on expressing their own creative or aesthetic ideas, rather than on documentation or journalism.
  • Collaborative applications are NOT accepted. Each artist must apply individually.
• Produce work in any of the following media:
  • Visual arts (painting, 3D and 2D, wood carving, sculpture and fiber – with a focus on found objects, natural and synthetic materials). Video, Film and Digital Installations are not eligible.
• Produce works deeply rooted in storytelling; cultural traditions and heritage; and the centrality of African American women
• Are NOT enrolled as degree-seeking undergraduate students

What is the application fee?

There is no application fee for the Aminah Fellowship.

How often can I apply?

An artist may be selected for the fellowship only once. If an artist applies and is not selected, they may apply again in the following year.

What are the application questions?

• Why are you interested in the Aminah Robinson Fellowship?
• Why should you be selected for this fellowship? How does your work, philosophy or technique align with Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson’s principles or style?
• What would you hope to discover, share, or produce during the fellowship?

What are the required Supplemental Materials (uploads)?

All support materials must be uploaded digitally to the application portal

• Artistic bio or resume (PDF only)
• 3-5 work samples, including title, size, date & medium
• Link to website, if available

Review, evaluation and selection

Aminah Fellowship applications are reviewed by a selection jury that will include representatives from the Shepard or Poindexter neighborhoods where Aminah lived, the Columbus Museum of Art, GCAC, and renowned Ohio artists, curators, and/or arts educators familiar with Aminah’s work, aesthetic and history.

The selection jury will review the applicants’ artistic excellence and technical proficiency, innovative use of media, and use of storytelling and connection to cultural traditions and heritage. The selection jury will also consider the applicants’ connection to or reflection of the aesthetic and spirit of Aminah Robinson.

Grant Agreement

Following the selection and notification as the recipient of the Aminah Fellowship, a grant agreement specifying the terms of the fellowship will be available in the application portal under “Contracts to Complete”.  To accept the award, review the grant agreement and digitally sign by the date indicated. There will be no changes in the terms or residency timeline without prior written approval from GCAC and the Columbus Museum of Art, jointly.

Fellowship Expectations

The Aminah Robinson Fellowship awardee should be actively creating artwork during their 90 days and will have the opportunity for an exhibition, a public presentation or a community outreach activity, coordinated with Columbus Museum of Art staff. The fellowship participant will have daily access to Aminah’s home studio and will agree to terms, assuring the respectful use of the space.  The artist is permitted to use the space for personal art making only.

Publicity/Donor Acknowledgement

Once you are awarded, say “Thanks!” in a public way. GCAC and CMA require that all artists receiving funding demonstrate the public value of the arts by making others aware of awards received and acknowledging public funders. Refer to the Publicity/Donor Acknowledgement pages at the end of this document for details of the contractual publicity requirements.

Payment

The Aminah Robinson Fellowship awardee will receive 75% of their award upon receipt of the digitally signed grant agreement and balance of the award following submission of the final report, after the fellowship is complete.

Final Report

Final Reports are used to collect feedback on your experience and are due 30 days after the completion of the fellowship term. To complete your Final Report, login to the application portal and you will see “Reports to Complete” on your dashboard.

GCAC and CMA request that all artists receiving funding demonstrate the public value of the arts by acknowledging support from the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Museum of Art. Failure to credit GCAC for awards may jeopardize future partnerships.

General Guidelines

Fellowship Awardees should use the public channels available to them, such as social media, newsletters and press releases to recognize support from GCAC and CMA. Additionally, fellowship awardees should credit GCAC and CMA for all events associated with the fellowship activities utilizing website pages, social media posts and events, print materials, artist talks, e-newsletters and on-site signage.

Social Media

All awardees should acknowledge their award via social media channels at the time of award notification. Like and tag the Greater Columbus Arts Council and Columbus Makes Art pages on Facebook, use @GCAC_Cbus on X and/or include hashtags #gcacgrants and #artmakescbus on Instagram. Like and tag Columbus Museum of Art on Instagram, Facebook and X using @columbusmuseum and hashtag #mycma. Facebook events should also contain recognition.

Visual Acknowledgement

When appropriate, please use GCAC and CMA complete logos on signage wherever possible. GCAC logo includes the graphic representation of GCAC AND the words “Greater Columbus Arts Council.” Both elements are required anywhere the logo is included. At minimum, include a text reference to “Greater Columbus Arts Council” and “Columbus Museum of Art” on signage.

Download logos online at https://www.gcac.org/about/gcac-logos/.  To request a copy of the Columbus Museum of Art logo, please email amber.wacker@cmaohio.org.

• Include GCAC and CMA website links: gcac.org and www.columbusmuseum.org on your website or event page.

Thank Public Officials

Thanking public officials for their support is important for the future vitality of arts and culture in Columbus. Send letters/emails to City of Columbus officials and Franklin County Commissioners thanking them for their support of the arts in Columbus, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and for the award you received. Consider including a story about the impact of this support on you and/or the community. Include copies of these letters/emails with your final report.

Mail for the Mayor and Columbus City Council members can be sent to: City Hall, 90 W. Broad St, Columbus OH 43215.

• Mayor Andrew J. Ginther
• Councilmember Shannon G. Hardin, president
• Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla
• Councilmember Rob Dorans
• Councilmember Shayla Favor
• Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy
• Councilmember Mitchell J. Brown
• Councilmember Nicholas J. Bankston
• Councilmember Nancy Day-Achauer
• Councilmember Melissa Green
• Councilmember Chris Wyche

Mail for the Franklin County Commissioners can be sent to: 373 S. High St., 26th Floor, Columbus OH 43215.

• Commissioner John O’Grady, president
• Commissioner Kevin Boyce
• Commissioner Erica C. Crawley

Questions?

Contacts for publicity items, Jami Goldstein jgoldstein@gcac.org or Lydia Simon Lydia.Simon@cmaohio.org