VCUarts Emerging Artist Fellowship in Craft/Material Studies - 2026-2027 academic year

Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts
Department of Craft/Material Studies

Application Deadline: March 30, 2026

This non-renewable, one-year opportunity begins August 16, 2026 and ends May 15, 2027

The Opportunity
The VCUarts Emerging Artist Fellowship in Craft/Material Studies is a one academic year residency for recent MFA graduates. Fellows are provided the opportunity to concentrate on their work, build community, gain valuable teaching experience, and participate in a vital, interdisciplinary, socially progressive community of artists at VCU. A grant awarded by the Charitable Windgate Foundation generously supports the VCUarts Emerging Artist Fellowship in Craft/Material Studies.

The fellow will teach two classes per semester (8 credits per semester), present a public talk or participate in a panel discussion, and could serve as a guest critic or guest speaker in a class. An additional potential opportunity may exist for a solo exhibition at VCUarts.

Eligibility
● Artists working predominantly in one or more of the following media areas: Clay or Metals. Applicants should possess a strong foundation and understanding of their chosen material and/or research practice while working in innovative ways.
● Applicants who have graduated within the last five (5) years are eligible to apply. VCU students and alumni are not eligible to apply.  Applicants who have previously taught at VCU are not eligible to apply.

Qualifications
● MFA, MA, or PhD completed within the past five (5) years
● Ability to teach beginner through advanced undergraduate studio classes that incorporate strong conceptual and technical skill building.
● Strong collaboration skills and enthusiasm toward teaching and working with faculty, staff and students within the university; and to building and maintaining professional relationships.
● Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.

Salary
● The Fellow will receive a part-time adjunct faculty contract with an instructional salary of $50,000. This part-time opportunity is not eligible for benefits.
● Support for creative research and travel will be provided within available grant-funded resources

This is a one-year, non-renewable opportunity.

Application Requirements
Only electronic applications will be accepted. The following documents should be submitted online via the VCU Jobs Website:

● Letter of Intent that includes an overview of professional experience, research interests and a list of skills in your media
● Artist Statement
● Resume/CV
● Images: Personal Portfolio – 20 images and image description and examples of student work - 10 images (all within a single PDF file no larger than 5MB). A link may be provided to a website that contains the requested images.
● List of three references including names with titles and contact information (references will not be contacted prior to a candidate’s approval).

Application deadline is March 30, 2026.

For questions email: crafts@vcu.edu. For more information about the Department of Craft/Material Studies, please visit: https://arts.vcu.edu/academics/departments/craft-material-studies/

VCUarts:
Ranked by US News & World Report as a top-five arts and design school, VCUarts (arts.vcu.edu) includes over 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students with nationally recognized programs in design, visual and performing arts, and has an annual budget of $38 million and an endowment of more than $13.5 million. Students are taught by over 175 full-time teaching and research faculty members and the school is supported by over 60 staff members that assist in daily processes. The School includes two campuses; one in Richmond and one in Doha, Qatar. The Richmond campus is located on the university’s 75-acre Monroe Park campus situated in the city’s historic Fan District. Ultimately, the work of the School of the Arts extends globally with partnerships throughout the world and across fields as diverse as the humanities, health care and business.