Art Problems: How Do I Get the Guggenheim Fellowship?
Tired of getting rejected year after year? Don't despair. Paddy Johnson is here to help.
I've applied for the Guggenheim Fellowship for the last five years and got rejected every time. I believe I meet the required qualifications. Is this even worth doing? Please help! —Beverly, LA
Almost everyone gets rejected. Almost everyone applies more than once. Is it worth doing? That answer depends on information I don’t have.
Let’s start with your time. The application process takes a lot of it. If you don’t have much time, don’t apply. The Foundation requests two four-page documents outlining your art-making plan for the year and your qualifications; three references; a list of significant work; work samples; and other basic information about yourself.
You don’t put all of that together in a couple of hours. Most artists I work with spend at least a month on the application.
You probably won’t win the award. I say that with empathy. In 2026, according to their press release, the Guggenheim Fellowship awarded 223 mid-career fellows between $60,000-$70,000 in 55 different fields of study. Of those recipients, 30 were in fine art and 19 in photography.
