2024 RAM Artist Fellowships and Emerging Artist Awards applications now being accepted

RACINE, KENOSHA COUNTIES — The Racine Art Museum (RAM) is seeking artists in Racine and Kenosha counties to submit work to the seventh round of the biennial RAM Artist Fellowships and Emerging Artist Award program.

Since 2012, the sponsored awards by Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation showcase the diversity and vitality of the Racine/Kenosha visual arts community by supporting the professional development of its artists.

An Emerging Artist Award was added to the program in 2020. This award will be given to an artist who demonstrates significant potential in the early stages of their creative development.

Five to be featured

Five recipients will be featured in solo exhibitions presented concurrently at RAM’s Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum), Aug. 20 through Nov. 22, 2025.

Four $3,000 Artist Fellowships and one $1,500 Emerging Artist Award will be presented, which may be used for any expenses that assist the development of new work and advancement of their artistic careers—equipment and supply purchases, studio rental, travel, etc. A full-color brochure will accompany the fellowship exhibitions.

Fellowship Awards

According to RAM, these competitive awards recognize artists at all stages of their careers who are creating outstanding work in any media.

The museum states the fellowships seek to foster continued artistic and professional development by increasing critical attention and exposure for recipients.

Eligibility Visual

To be eligible, the following criteria have been set by RAM:

• Artists can be in all stages of their careers.
• Reside anywhere in Racine or Kenosha counties.
• Applicants must be over 21 years old and not currently enrolled in a degree program.
• Emerging Artist Award applications must be between 21 and 39 years of age at the time of application and cannot be enrolled in a degree-granting program.
• All art media are eligible.

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted through the museum website, ramart.org, by 4 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2024.

Applications must include an artist statement, artist resumé and images of 10 works of art.

For professional images, RAM’s Photography Studio is available by appointment at Wustum to take excellent photos of the work for $10 per hour.

Selection

Recipients of the RAM Artist Fellowships and Emerging Artist Award selected in any given cycle are chosen based on how well they will present individually and together as a group. Jurors consider the merits of each artist’s work but also look at other variables.

2024 jurors Mutòpe J. Johnson, Robert Osborne, Nirmal Raja, Vera Scekic, and Lena Vigna will select a group representing a wide range of artistic accomplishments and types of careers.

RAM states that artists are encouraged to apply every round since different jurors, applicants and criteria all change the potential outcomes from year to year.

Further information and a digital application form are available on the ramart.org.