2025 Bronx Museum AIM Fellowship

Overview
The Bronx Museum is accepting applications for the 45th cycle of the AIM Fellowship program. The AIM Fellowship provides no-cost career-boosting resources to New York City-based visual artists who are at the early stages of their careers and seek to make a serious commitment to creative expression as a professional career.

Through an intensive series of professional development seminars and network-building activities, selected artists are offered intimate access to leading experts and cultural producers who guide artists on the practicalities of developing a sustainable art practice. AIM's practical guidance has helped over 1,300 New York City artists establish their art careers, including graduates Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Polly Apfelbaum, Abigail DeVille, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Pablo Helguera, Byron Kim, Glenn Ligon, Joiri Minaya, Sarah Oppenheimer, Lucia Hierro, Erik Parker, Jacolby Satterwhite, and Anton Vidokle, among many others.

Please note that this is not a studio program nor is it a program to develop new work. Program resources are geared toward career development and sustainability.

Program Format
Unfolding over a 9-month period (roughly one calendar year, with a summer break), a cohort of 14 AIM Fellows engage in an introductory 5-month foundational seminar in which participants meet weekly to explore issues concerning the art market and professional best practices.

Following the introductory program period, AIM Fellows reconvene to continue their engagement through special topic seminars, studio visits with peer and established artists, and exhibition preparation and time management seminars.

After the initial 9-month period, AIM Fellows will reconvene in early 2026 to design and co-facilitate a public convening at The Bronx Museum, sharing their knowledge with other artists seeking guidance in the area of professional development and career sustainability. A group exhibition, with a theme established by The Bronx Museum, will be held roughly every two years. The group exhibition aligns with the overall program goals of advancing artistic careers and developing professional skills as an artist.

AIM Fellows demonstrate interest and enthusiasm for building a diverse community of peers in alignment with The Bronx Museum’s mission to support artists of African, Asian, and Latin American ancestry, as well as artists for whom The Bronx has been formative or transformative.
AIM Fellowship Part I – Career Foundations (spring 2025)
February 4, 2025 – June 10, 2025
Tuesdays 6-9pm, The Bronx Museum
    CAREER FOUNDATIONS TOPICS
    • The Art Market
    • The Artist Statement
    • The Artist’s Studio
    • Career Planning
    • Communication Strategies
    • The Curator/Artist Relationship
    • Financial Literacy
    • Funding Opportunities for Artists
    • Legal Issues in Art
AIM Fellowship Part II – Career Development (fall 2025)
September 16, 2025 – December 9, 2025
Tuesdays 6-9pm, The Bronx Museum
    CAREER DEVELOPMENT TOPICS & INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION
    • Studio Visits
    • Portfolio Reviews
    • Peer-led sessions
    • Guest Artist Visits
    • Career Planning
    • Exhibition Preparation & Time Management
    • Working with Institutions, Big and Small
    • Audience Development
    • Community Art Practice
    • Artist Archives
    • Documentation & Presentation
AIM Fellowship Part III - Presentation
    • Mandatory Public Convening (winter/spring 2026)
    • Group Exhibition (TBA)

Guidelines

• Please read the submission instructions carefully in each section of the form; only complete applications will be considered.
• Applicants are asked to submit 6 recent works (no more than 3 years old) that best represent current directions in their artistic practice.
• Semi-finalists must be available to meet with members of the selection committee in Fall 2024 for an in-person group interview.
• Selected artists should be available to engage in AIM Fellowship meetings and activities for the 9-month duration of the program.
• Please note that the AIM Fellowship is not a studio program; studio space is not provided.

Eligibility:
    To be considered eligible for the AIM Fellowship, applicants must:
 

• Be at minimum 21 years of age.
• Apply individually; applications from partnerships, collectives, and other group applicants are not accepted at this time.
• Be an emerging artist defined as artists in the early stages of their creative development with 2-10 years actively creating and presenting new and original work in the field of visual arts and who have yet to be substantially celebrated within their field, the media, or the public at large.
• Be a New York City resident at the time of application and maintain New York City residency throughout the program term.
• Not be enrolled in a degree-granting program in any discipline concurrent to the AIM Fellowship.
• Not be enrolled in a professional development program concurrent to the AIM Fellowship.
• Not be a current employee (full-time, part-time, or contract) of The Bronx Museum.
• Not be an immediate family member or employee of a Bronx Museum board member.
• Not be represented by a commercial gallery (either in or outside of the U.S.)
• Due to regulations governing the distribution of stipend, honoraria, and wage payments, enrollment is limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Applications due: October 27, 2024 | Application fee: $0 | Cost to Participate: $0
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