Amplify Arts Fellowship 2027 — $10,000 Project Support for Omaha Artists

Overview

Amplify Arts Fellowship 2027 supports site-responsive installations, book and publishing projects, films, performances, and other publicly engaged project-based work. The fellowship provides $10,000 in project support, individualized project mentorship, and feedback in a small cohort-based learning environment over a 12-month program.

Theme

Migration—exploring how movement shapes communities, environments, and collective futures, including the movement of people as well as the circulation of ideas, languages, labor, waterways, seeds, species, capital, and culture.

Eligibility

• Open to any artist, artist collective, or collaborative group maintaining residence in the Omaha/Council Bluffs Metro Area (Washington, Douglas, Cass, Sarpy, and Saunders counties in Nebraska; Pottawattamie, Mills, and Harrison counties in Iowa)
• Must be at least 19 years old
• Formal education not required
• Collectives and collaborative groups with significant history of working together eligible

Categories

• Public Art Installation
• Video/Film
• Performance
• Writing
• Publication
• Interdisciplinary Arts

Application Requirements

• Artist Statement
• Project Description
• Project Budget
• Work Sample
• Works Cited page
• Online application via Submittable; application available in Spanish and English, including read-aloud versions

Key Dates

• Applications open: August 31, 2026
• Virtual Application Information Session: September 8 or 9, 2026 (sources conflict)
• Virtual Application Office Hours: September 15, 2026, 12:00–2:00 pm
• Virtual Application Office Hours: September 17, 2026, 6:00–8:00 pm
• Application Deadline: October 4, 2026, 11:59 pm
• Application review: October 5–18, 2026
• Applicant interviews: October 19–23, 2026
• Application status updates delivered: October 30, 2026
• Fellowship period: January 2027–January 2028

Program Benefits

• $10,000 in project support
• Individualized project mentorship from arts professionals working in and outside of Omaha
• Feedback and critical dialogue in a small cohort-based learning environment
• Regular group site visits, lectures, and studio visits with arts professionals throughout the year
• Matchmaking pairing with a mentor from outside the Omaha area early in the program

Selection Process

Up to three Fellows are selected each year through a four-phase review: eligibility and completeness check by Amplify Arts staff, scoring by a panel of arts professionals, panel recommendation of up to five applicants to interview, and final selection by Amplify staff based on panelist recommendations. Evaluation criteria include: the project is public-facing and speaks to the Migration theme; the project can be fully realized within the $10,000 budget; the work sample demonstrates an active practice and history of thoughtful work; and the application sparks interest in learning more.

Fellow Expectations

• Attend and participate in all scheduled cohort meetings
• Responsibly manage project budget and logistics with Amplify staff support
• Share work at a year-end event