Guggenheim Fellowship applicants often face years of rejections, and according to critic Paddy Johnson, that is not unusual. In her Art Problems column, Johnson lays out what artists should weigh before investing weeks into an application, urging a clear-eyed assessment of time, focus, and goals.
Art Problems: How do I get the Guggenheim Fellowship?
Johnson notes that almost everyone applies multiple times and most are turned down. Whether to proceed depends on an honest review of bandwidth and priorities.
The foundation seeks two four-page statements detailing a yearlong project plan and qualifications, three recommendations, a list of key works, samples, and biographical information. Johnson says artists she advises typically devote at least a month to preparing these materials, which can crowd out studio time and other commitments.
News
- Maya Lin, the architect and artist known for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, and the Civil Rights Memorial in Alabama, will unveil a new public artwork at the University of Texas at Austin in April 2027.
- At the School of Sexuality Project’s 2026 Vulva Gala in Long Beach, artists marched in handmade vulva costumes during a community celebration focused on approachable, destigmatized learning.
Photography
Coverage from this year’s Rencontres d’Arles highlights a wide-ranging slate of exhibitions and programs across the French photography festival’s venues.
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From the Archive
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