Cohort XV
EAP is pleased to open applications for Cohort XV!
Cohort XV activates our project based model where fellows work together to develop research that activate EAP’s tools/practices and collaborate with a local organization/community outside of EAP. This Fellowship program intends to hold space for arts and culture workers to conduct research in our field, participate in hands-on learning, and develop a project that shares our learnings over the course of our time together!
It is our goal to offer opportunities for both professional and emotional development throughout the process, while supporting our fellows in conducting research in the arts & culture field to inform their project development that will be shared at Emergence. During the program fellows will meet on average twice per month in-person or on zoom and will spend one weekend in January on a community building camping trip.
EAP fellowship Cohort XV is comprised of incredibly dedicated and passionate arts and cultural workers. Their work crosses multiple disciplines including visual arts, performing arts, music, technology, literary, and media, and represents different points along possible career paths in the Bay Area.
Please check back in October to see our announcement of the 2025-26 fellowship cohort!
This Fellowship program intends to hold space for arts and culture workers to conduct research in our field, participate in hands-on learning, and develop a project that shares our learnings over the course of our time together! It is our goal to offer opportunities for both professional and emotional development throughout the process, while supporting our fellows in conducting research in the arts & culture field to inform their publication or tool to offer our network. During the program fellows will meet on average twice per month in-person or on zoom and will spend one weekend in January on a community building camping trip. This year’s fellowship activates one of our four affinity topics (Creative City, Cultural Equity, Arts & Capital, and Regenerative Practices):
Cultural Equity: No single racial or ethnic group forms a majority of California’s population, making the state a minority-majority state; with that dynamic in mind, consider how arts workers advance the conversation on cultural equity across the sector and beyond; how do we tackle institutional or systemic oppression or rethinking creative place keeping strategies? How do we re-center systemically marginalized experiences and decolonized practices?
We will welcome 12-16 fellows to join us for 9 months as we explore Cultural Equity and break into small groups to produce projects that activate EAP’s tools/practices and collaborate with a local organization/community outside of EAP. Fellows are expected to be physically and mentally present for all in-person and zoom programming on an average of two sessions per month.
Please review the dates and times below before applying, as attendance to all sessions is required. Unlike other fellowships, this opportunity comes at no cost to fellows. Throughout our shared time fellows will receive:
- Meals at all in-person events
- Connections to members of the community through guest speakers
- Two-day camping retreat
- Training and certification at end of program
In addition to the list above, fellows will receive a $100 travel stipend to support costs associated with in-person events throughout our time together. By filling out this application, you agree to sign a media release if you are selected to participate and you agree to being available to all of the times listed below. We understand things may come up, and fellows will be granted two courtesy absences for emergencies. If a fellow is absent for more than two meetings, they may need to be removed from the cohort.
For more information about the program, visit https://www.emergingsf.org/fellowship/
***What is the 2025-26 EAP Fellowship program?***
An 9-month program (in-person and zoom sessions, including a weekend camping trip)
Curriculum with peer coaching, asset mapping, equity principles, among many others.
Mindfulness and self-care techniques and outings.
Leadership and workforce development—arts and culture organizations, civic bodies, and consultants/facilitators.
***Who should apply to this year’s cohort?***
– Arts & Culture Workers who are looking for equity-centered leadership skills
– Folks interested in discovering new ways to embed ourselves into the ecosystem of the Bay Area to ensure artists and culture bearers can thrive in this space
– Arts & Culture Workers who are thinking critically about equity, sustainability, and community care
– Individuals aligned with our mission and values (https://www.emergingsf.org/mission/)
– Individuals with a goal to create an arts industry that is equitable for all people, is a valued and sustainable career sector, and honors the individual arts worker as a creative and whole person
***When will the program take place? What’s the general timeline?***
June 2025 – Applications launch
August 1, 2025 – Applications due
Late September 2025 – Select & announce fellows
October 2025 – Fellowship begins!
December 15, 2025 – January 16th, 2025 – Collective break
January 24-25, 2026 – 2 day Community Camping Trip
February – May 2026 – Fellows engage in research and develop small group projects
June 1-3, 2026 – Emergence—the annual convening of the EAP network & Commencement (in-person)
Goals for EAP’s 2024–2025 Fellowship
– For Arts & Culture Workers –
To have a space for emotional support and wellness, to engage in peer problem-solving, to create opportunities for individuals to gather resources for personal and communal development. To continue leadership development through centering decolonized leadership practices in Cultural Equity.
– For EAP –
To support the professional development and empowerment of our network of arts and culture workers and leaders through training in EAP’s Equity Framework, cultural protocols, methodologies, and curriculum. To expand our ability to build our network and produce offerings to gather and support the arts and culture sector. To dive into one of EAP’s four affinity topics, Cultural Equity.
– For the Field –
To work toward an arts industry that is equitable for all people, is a valued and sustainable career sector, and honors the individual arts worker as a creative and whole person. To organize together and mobilize towards creating sustainable structures for arts and culture workers to thrive in the Bay Area.
– For the Community –
To practice working with others to mobilize around a specific issue impacting our lives. To reap the fruits of utilizing EAP’s tools and practices in communal and work environments. To collaborate across organizations to build stronger alliances.
*** MEETING DATES ***
Saturdays 1-4pm (in-person)
Wednesdays 12-1:30pm (on zoom)
- Saturday, October 18, 2025
- Wednesday, October 29, 2025
- Saturday, November 15, 2025
- Wednesday, November 26, 2025
- Saturday/Sunday, January 24-25, 2026 : Camping Trip
- Wednesday, February 4, 2026
- Saturday, February 21, 2026
- Wednesday, March 4, 2026
- Saturday, March 21, 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026
- Saturday, April 18, 2026
- Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
- Monday, June 1st through Wednesday, June 3rd 2026 : Emergence / Commencement
