Application Information
This application form and all materials related to your IIE-APF application will be treated confidentially and will not be shared beyond the IIE-APF program without your explicit permission.
Direct Application & Third-Party Submissions
Artists may apply directly, or application materials may be submitted by a third-party.
Application Requirements
A complete application package must be submitted online before consideration. Please see Instructions and Application.
Deadlines
Applications and submissions are evaluated throughout the year, on a rolling basis. Applicants that meet all APF eligibility requirements and provide a completed application package will be considered by the APF Selection Committee. The APF Selection Committee meets up to two (2) times per year. Decisions are announced approximately two (2) weeks after each Selection Committee Meeting.
Emergency Applications
Emergency applications may be considered out of cycle, by the APF Selection Committee, if an applicant’s circumstances warrant extremely urgent review.
Host Institutions
Financial and/or substantive in-kind support must be provided by the hosting institution. APF works to identify suitable host institutions for successfully awarded fellows. Please note that placement times vary on a case-by-case basis and can depend upon several factors, including host institution paperwork and visa processing. Learn more about hosting.
Grant Funds
Distribution of APF grant funds is contingent upon placement and arrival at the host institution. APF does not provide grant funds directly to awarded fellows. In most cases, fellowship funds are transferred to the host institution, which is required to disburse APF funds directly to the fellow—in the form of a monthly stipend.
Review Process
In addition to a thorough review of all required application and portfolio materials, the Artist Protection Fund may contact referees and other knowledgeable sources—which may include independent experts on the country of origin or specialists on the reported threat/risk. In some cases, verification can be relatively straightforward—other cases may require extensive investigation and investment of APF resources. For particular types of reported threat, including anonymous intimidation or situations involving detainment, imprisonment, and/or physical violence, verification is undertaken with particular sensitivity to the security concerns of the applicant. All applications considered for fellowship support are screened against a database containing the names of individuals, groups, and entities that are listed on global sanctions, money laundering, and law enforcement watch lists.
Application Integrity & Originality Statement
All materials submitted must be created by the applicant and must reflect the applicant’s own artistic practice, voice, and personal journey. Submissions should be original and grounded in the applicant’s individual creative process, methodology, background, experiences, and circumstances.
APF will not accept statements that contain identical or substantially similar language to materials submitted by other applicants. If you reference ideas, texts, artworks, critical writing, or other materials from external sources—including online materials—they must be clearly cited and properly attributed.
The use of artificial intelligence tools (including but not limited to ChatGPT) to generate, draft, paraphrase, or substantially develop application materials or responses is strongly discouraged. Any indication that submitted content is AI-generated or materially assisted by AI may negatively affect the evaluation of the application and may be taken into consideration in selection decisions.
This policy is intended to uphold the integrity of the selection process and to ensure that each applicant’s artistic voice and professional practice remain authentic, original, and clearly their own.
APF may translate materials submitted in the applicant’s native language as needed.