IIE Artist Protection Fund
Download these instructions in arabic
Download these instructions in French
Download these instructions in Spanish

Direct Application & Third-Party Submission

Candidates may apply directly or application materials may be submitted by a third-party. Please note that although APF invites applications from individual artists, it does not provide financial awards directly to individuals. In most cases, fellowships are disbursed to a selected host institution, which in turn issues the fellowship award for direct support of the fellow. Read more about the APF Fellow-host institution selection and pairing process below.

Host Institutions

Financial and/or substantive in-kind support to the APF award must be provided by a host institution or another source. APF works to identify a suitable host institution for successfully awarded Fellows. Please note that placement times varies on a case-by-case basis and can depend upon a number of factors, including host institution screening and visa processing. 

Deadlines

Applications and submissions are typically considered any time throughout the year, on a rolling basis. Candidates meeting APF qualifications will be considered by the APF Selection Committee at least two (2) times per year. Decisions will be announced approximately two (2) weeks after each Selection Committee Meeting.

Emergency Applications

Emergency applications can be considered out of cycle if a candidate’s circumstances do not permit waiting for the next Selection Committee Meeting.

Application Instructions

A complete application package must be submitted online.

Application Review

In addition to a review of the required application materials listed below, the Artist Protection Fund contacts references and other sources, which may include independent experts on the country of origin or the particulars of the reported situation of threat/risk. In the cases of publicly known candidates or crises, verification can be relatively straightforward, while other cases require extensive investigation and investment of 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 candidate. All applicants considered for fellowship support are screened against a database containing the names of individuals, groups, and entities that are on major global sanctions, money laundering, and law enforcement watch lists.

Required Application Materials

If you would like to apply for an APF fellowship, you will have to submit the following required materials online.

  1. Completion of the Online Application.
  2. Current CV or resume. Please include the following information:
    • Current position (location, dates of tenure, professional title & responsibilities);
    • Previous positions (in chronological order: location, dates of tenure, professional     title & responsibilities);
    • List of recent exhibitions, performances, productions, publications, etc.;
    • Other relevant work (including, artist presentations, grants/honors/awards,      
          artistic/professional affiliations).
  3. An Artist Statement. Please discuss your artistic background and process, and explain    what projects you would undertake during a fellowship. Please note that artist    
       statements are generally a maximum of one page.
  4. A Personal Statement. Please explain why you are applying to the Artist Protection    
       Fund for support. Include a clear account of the threats or risks that you have been    
       facing. Please note that personal statements are generally a maximum of one page.
  5. Two (2) professional letters of reference from creative professionals who can speak to
        your artistic practice, exhibitions, publications, teaching or other advanced artistic
        experience.
  6. Two (2) personal letters of reference from colleagues or persons who are aware of the
        difficulties that you have been facing. These letters can include artistic merit.

Reference Guidelines

  • Letters from colleagues both inside and outside of your home country are preferred.
  • Please note that the APF requires original reference letters. Letters should not use  
        identical text.
  • Each referee should speak to her/his particular knowledge of your artistic background
        and/or circumstances.

*If you have submitted an online application and meet the APF program qualifications, you will be contacted for more information and asked to submit portfolio materials.

Required Portfolio Materials

Visual Artists

Ten (10) images of your work created in the last five years. Maximum height or width: 1240 pixels, file format: .jpg, resolution: 72 dpi, maximum file size: 5MB.

Interdisciplinary Artists/Performing Artists

Ten (10) images of your work created in the last five years OR five (5) images and five (5) video/audio samples. *If you work mostly in video and/or sound, you are not required to submit images.

  • Images: Maximum height or width: 1240 pixels, file format: .jpg, resolution: 72 dpi,  
        maximum file size: 5MB.
  • Video/Audio: Five (5) separate samples from different works, totaling no more than 10-
        minutes. (You may submit a link to the full version of the work in your work sample list.)

Video/Filmmakers

Two (2) to five (5) different projects created in the last five years. If running time exceeds ten (10) minutes, you should include a five (5) minute excerpt. (You may submit a link to the full version of the work in your work sample list.)

  • Two (2) samples totaling no more than 10-minutes;
  • A selection of excerpts from two (2) works edited together and totaling no more than      10- minutes;
  • Up to five (5) separate samples from different works, totaling no more than 10-
        minutes.

Literary Artists

  • Fiction / Non-Fiction Writers and Poets
    One chapter or selection from a book  
         published in the last five (5) years (maximum 15-pages in length). If none of your work      is published in English we will make every effort to provide basic translations to the    
         reviewers. If possible, please provide either a translation or summary of the work in
         English, and indicate who did the translation.
  • Playwrights
    A selection from a play produced in the past five (5) years (maximum 15-
         pages in length). If online videos exist of your play on stage, we encourage you to    
         share the links in your application materials. If none of your work is published in
         English we will make every effort to provide basic translations to the reviewers. If
         possible, please provide either a translation or summary of the work in English, and
         indicate who did the translation.

Composers/Musicians

  • Composers
    A score and an audio file copy of that score completed in the past five (5)
         years. Please note that applicants who would like the reviewers to listen to something
         other than the first ten minutes of a submitted work sample should provide an
         additional note to indicate the piece you would like to highlight. (You may submit a
         link to the full version of the work in your work sample list.)
  • Musicians
    Up to five (5) audio and /or video samples completed in the past five (5)
         years. Please note that applicants who would like the reviewers to listen to something
         other than the first ten minutes of a submitted work sample should provide an
         additional note to indicate the piece you would like to highlight. (You may submit a
         link to the full version of the work in your work sample list.)

Please direct any questions to APF@iie.org.

Application