NOLA/NYC Research Fellowship 

ARCAthens is proud to continue its mission of providing opportunities and support to visual artists, curators, and scholars through its artist residency program. By expanding our scope to include cultural exchange between Greece and the United States, we aim to foster international dialogue, cooperation, and understanding. Our programs are based in three locations – Athens, New Orleans, New York, and Sag Harbor – that boast vibrant cultural histories and thriving arts communities. These coastal cities, known for their strategic location and cultural legacy, are ideal locations for our program and provide our Fellows with unique perspectives and experiences. Additionally, as important ports with diverse populations and a mix of different racial and ethnic groups, these cities offer a perfect setting for our program’s focus on cultural exchange and community engagement. Our program provides professional development, access to resources and support, local economic development and community building.

 A Unique Two-City Residency in New Orleans and New York City

Our Fellows will experience the vibrant cultural fusion of New Orleans and New York City, where the rich heritage of two unique American cities offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Greek artists and curators to immerse themselves in two communities known for their art and diversity. 

The ARCAthens NOLA–NYC Research Fellowship is an open-call, non-project-based residency that supports Greece-based visual artists and curators through an independent jury process. Fellows are not selected to complete a specific body of work or to produce deliverables. Instead, the program provides time, space, and access to a curated network of artists, curators, institutions, and civic partners across three extraordinary cultural environments.

Fellows experience the vibrant cultural fusion of New Orleans and New York City, where the heritage and creative energy of two distinct American cities offer a rare opportunity for immersion, reflection, and exchange. The Fellowship concludes with a reflective and community-centered component in Sag Harbor, on the East End of Long Island.

Each Fellow receives a Fellowship prize in recognition of their practice, along with an unrestricted stipend, housing, and travel reimbursement to support research and participation. These funds are not compensation for services and carry no employment responsibilities or obligations. This structure allows Fellows to focus fully on exploration, connection, and creative development.

A carefully designed schedule of studio visits, institutional meetings, and civic engagements immerses Fellows in the cultural fabric of each location. Personal curiosity and rhythm are welcomed, yet full participation in scheduled programming is expected as a reflection of mutual respect—for the opportunity itself and for the many individuals and organizations whose time and resources make it possible.

To maintain the integrity of the experience and ensure the wellbeing of both Fellows and hosts, the program cannot accommodate pets, outside visitors, or independent travel during the residency period. Fellows are invited to approach this time as a focused and immersive commitment, rooted in generosity, clarity, and shared responsibility.

New Orleans – Our base will be the legendary Camp Abundance and our Fellows will be able to connect with the larger New Orleans community.

New York City – Fellows will be housed in NYC where they will be ideally situated to explore all five boroughs while continuing to center the Bronx by focusing on connecting and engaging with the local Bronx art community.

Sag Harbor – Fellows will be housed in the wonderful facilities of The Church in Sag Harbor, with access to the printmaking facility as well as the cultural institutions of the Hamptons.

*Special Note about New York City

Fellows are encouraged to approach New York not as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be maximized, but as part of a longer conversation. Through a carefully curated sequence of studio visits, institutional meetings, and civic encounters, Fellows are introduced to the city as program participants in dialogue rather than visitors in transit.

The Fellowship is not designed for independent career-building or opportunistic networking; it is a structured residency centered on inquiry, presence, and collaboration. We invite Fellows to trust the rhythm of the program, to engage fully with what unfolds, and to honor the shared commitments that make this exchange possible within a context known for its scale and intensity.