Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) Visual Arts Fellowships

Name: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) Visual Arts Fellowships

Award Amount: Varies (awards can be up to $8,000 depending on category)

Information And Eligibility:
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) Visual Arts Fellowships are competitive funding awards that support Virginia artists and students in the visual arts and art history. These fellowships are designed to provide meaningful financial support at key stages of artistic development, whether you are an emerging student building a portfolio, a graduate student deepening research and studio practice, or a professional artist producing new work outside a degree program. Rather than operating as a single one-size-fits-all scholarship, the program includes multiple fellowship categories so applicants can apply in the track that matches their status during the fellowship period.

Applicants apply by category, and eligibility is tied to Virginia residency and citizenship or permanent residency status in the United States. Applicants must be legal residents of Virginia and typically must have maintained residency for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the application deadline. Student applicants can include college-bound high school seniors, full-time undergraduates, and first- or second-year graduate students. Professional categories are intended for artists who are not applying as degree-seeking students and who are pursuing their work as practicing artists.

A notable advantage of this program is that student applicants do not necessarily need to major in an arts-related field, as long as they are enrolled full time in a degree-seeking program at an accredited institution and meet the program’s category requirements. This structure supports students who are serious about their artistic practice while pursuing broader academic pathways.

The application process is portfolio-driven, meaning that work samples and how you present your artistic voice play a central role. Applicants should prepare a strong artist statement and submit well-curated, clearly labeled work samples that represent current ability and direction. Student applicants should also be prepared to provide an unofficial transcript, along with a resume or CV that highlights exhibitions, awards, training, leadership, volunteer work, and relevant experience. Submitting clean, organized materials that follow formatting and naming guidelines is critical, since review committees evaluate applications across many disciplines and categories.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Must be a legal resident of Virginia and typically have lived in Virginia for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the deadline.
• Must apply in the correct category based on status during the fellowship period.
• Eligible applicant types may include college-bound high school seniors, full-time undergraduate students, first- or second-year graduate students, and professional artists (non-degree seeking, professional category only).
• Undergraduate and graduate applicants must be enrolled full time in a degree-seeking program at an accredited institution.

Application Requirements:

• Completed online application submitted through the VMFA fellowship application system.
• Resume or CV.
• Artist statement.
• Work samples and required details for each submitted sample.
• Unofficial transcript for student fellowship applicants.
• All documents organized and titled according to the published VMFA guidelines.

Deadline: November

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