2010-2011 Call for Proposals for
Writing Group Fellowships

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) seeks applications for three to four writing group fellowships to participate in the 2010-2011 Community Arts Convening and Research Project. The Convening and Research Project is funded by the Nathan Cummings Foundation and sponsored by MICA. It is guided by the vision that community-grounded arts and culture enhance the well-being, development, empowerment, and voice of disenfranchised communities. The Project provides a platform for college and university faculty and students; community-based practitioners; and community scholars, leaders, and youth to meet and generate new ideas; share resources and models for best practices in the field; reflect new curricula and pedagogy; define and solve problems; develop action plans; identify and conduct new research; develop leadership in the field, and cultivate new partnerships.

Three to four writing groups will receive fellowships of $10,000-$12,000 each to support the development of ongoing, group dialogues that will be featured at the Community Arts Convening in Baltimore in Spring 2011 and lead to publishable texts Fall 2011-Spring 2012. Writing groups may also partner with other organizations, institutions, and/or universities to hold smaller regional co-convenings (sometime during the next 12-18 months) based on topics, issues and or/themes of their choice. An additional sum of $3,000 is available to groups holding a mini-convening.

 

Once selected for the fellowship, each writing group will be expected to contribute:

• One text representing the collective efforts of its participants;
• Individual and/or coauthored texts addressing some aspect of or unique perspective on the topics, issues, or themes addressed by the group.

Texts may include:

• Case studies illuminating community projects, programs, events, and initiatives;
• Community-based profiles, narratives, dialogues, and cross-cultural exchanges;
• Scholarly papers addressing new research, studies, current issues, and findings from local and national experts across a range of disciplines;
• Pedagogical models, curricula, and lesson plans;
• Critical reviews of preexisting or proposed programs and initiatives;
• Essays and other writings by students of community arts;
• Hybrid combinations of theory, art, poetry, and personal narrative illuminating the experiences of community members participating in community arts;
• Artist dialogues.

Applicants for writing group fellowships must submit the following by September 30, 2010:

 

1. An abstract of 1,000 words or less outlining topics, issues, and themes to be addressed, and intent (or not) to host a regional co-convening;
2. Abstracts of 250 words pertaining to the group's selected theme, written by each group member expecting to submit an individual or coauthored text;
3. General working processes, budget, and desired outcomes;
4. Group member information, including resumes and/or curriculum vitae.

Each group should provide a management structure that may include a coordinator, facilitator, documenter, writing coach and/or editor.

Individuals looking to connect with others are encouraged to contact the Project for assistance. Applications will be reviewed by the Editorial Board. Funding decisions will be announced by November 1, 2010.

 

IMPORTANT: Before submitting a proposal, please contact Ken Krafchek (kkrafchek@mica.edu) and Frankie Gamber (fgamber@mica.edu) for additional information pertaining to writing process oversight and publishing policies.