National Leaders of Color Fellowship

Arts Midwest is partnering with the other United States Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs) for The National Leaders of Color Fellowship program (LoCF). LoCF is a transformative leadership development experience curated by Creative West (formerly WESTAF) to establish multicultural leadership in the creative and cultural sector.

During this no-cost eight-month fellowship, selected fellows receive:

• Access to specialists in the field
• Strategic learning objectives to deepen thought on anti-racist and culturally-oriented leadership practices, and
• National-level network and cohort building.

Upon completion of this program, participants are granted alumni status and have opportunities to collaborate with the USRAO in their region.

The 2024–25 fellowship takes place online and will run from late fall 2024 through early summer of 2025.

We expect that fellows will spend approximately 10 hours a month on the program, including meeting dates listed on the National Leaders of Color Fellowship website and ongoing opportunities to connect with your USRAO.

Applications are due by Sunday, October 13, 2024. Click here to apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

• Candidates will meet the following criteria:
  • Self-identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a person of color; 
  • Self-identify as an early or mid-career leader in the field of arts and culture; 
  • Is an arts administrator or a significantly arts-interested member such as a volunteer or a public official; 
  • Current resident of the United States, including U.S. Jurisdictions (American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands); and
  • Have not participated in or have participated in limited amounts of high-quality professional leadership development opportunities. 

In addition to meeting the criteria above, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, people with disabilities, low-income and individuals residing in rural, remote or frontier areas are highly encouraged to apply.