Radiate

• The 3rd fellowship period runs from November 2026 to April/May 2028.
• Fellows receive a $4,000 honorarium to participate in the program and support their art-making as they see fit.
• Each experience in the program is designed by the Fellow to serve their specific needs, with support from the TEAM at RAWdance. Fellows are expected to outline specific objectives (that can, and likely will, evolve over the course of the fellowship) to guide their individualized fellowship experience.
• RAWdance’s Co-Artistic Directors serve as facilitators/connectors along with the company’s extended family/network of collaborators, advisors, staff, donors, dancers, etc.
• Fellows commit to participating in the sessions below. A schedule is mutually agreed upon and set before the start of the fellowship period.
  • Monthly, individual 1hr calls with RAWdance’s Co-Artistic Directors.
  • 1.5hr sessions every other month as a cohort.
  • A public presentation towards the end of the fellowship period (short performance/Q&A/other). The exact format may be decided on by the cohort and RAWdance) and is intended to further connect the artists to the company’s extended community without adding significant work.
  • Two social media takeovers over the course of the fellowship, for each Fellow to share about themselves and whatever they’re working on and/or thinking about. (i.e. an IG takeover or some other social format like blogging, TBD by each Fellow with RAWdance.)
• Some sessions are held in person. Most are held via phone or zoom.
• Fellows and RAWdance create a community agreement as a group at the outset of the fellowship. RAWdance commits to creating a mindful container for Fellows to work within, that will incorporate collaborative pathways to share space and feedback.

Radiate was originally conceived as a program to support Black, Indigenous, and other early-career dance makers of color. While the first two rounds of the program were funded by RAWdance’s general operating budget, the upcoming third round is made possible thanks to support from the San Francisco Arts Commission. This round is open to all applicants, in accordance with the SFAC’s city mandate. While the focus of the program is expanding to look at a broader range of diverse voices, supporting equity in the field remains a core priority.

Through our company’s 22-year history, we have learned a lot about navigating the multiple roles that artists today have to play, and have built a network of peers, advisors, collaborators, donors, and dancers. The aim of this fellowship program is to create a space where these resources can be thoughtfully and impactfully shared with early-career artists. The program also aims to build a lasting support network and combat the isolation many dance-makers feel as they tackle the challenges of carving out a space for themselves as artists. We don’t have all of the answers, but we believe that through sharing and learning from each other, we can all find more resilience and more pathways for our work.

RAWdance’s focus is to act as facilitator, assisting participating artists by listening, brainstorming, and connecting. We acknowledge the many problems of traditional, hierarchical mentorship programs, and strive to avoid replicating these models. Instead, we designed Radiate to be an expansive fellowship program that builds a strong relationship amongst Fellows and creates mindful spaces for partnership, questioning, feedback, and growth.

After many years in the idea stage, this fellowship took shape in 2020 as a tangible action towards knowledge and resource sharing, community building, and addressing equity in our field. This program is one part of our ongoing efforts to confront structural discrimination in the arts and to uplift a spectrum of voices. 

The Radiate program was shaped through the generous thoughts and feedback of many. In developing its structure, we met with peers, advisors, and artists in our community who have strong connections with early-career artists and experience with various artist fellowship programs. We also met with many local BIPOC arts community leaders to discuss what they have witnessed as community needs. The original program direction and planning was undertaken in partnership with former Co-Artistic Director, Katie Wong. As we enter a third round, we would like to acknowledge Radiate’s pilot cohort (Johnny Huy Nguyen, Jocelyn Reyes, and Saharla Vetsch) and second cohort (Kim Requesto and gizeh muñiz) who all have been pivotal in shaping how the fellowship is being carried forward.

This round of Radiate is open to all early-career dance makers who are based in the Bay Area and who are seeking a supported space to advance their vision and goals to the next stage of their career. The program prioritizes elevating diverse and equitable perspectives in the field, and uplifting underrepresented voices.

• Artists should be based in the Bay Area for the duration of the 18 months. Meetings are a mix of in-person and virtual. (Some travel is of course okay, but program funding is tied to supporting local artists.)
• Artists should self-identify as early-career dance makers. Age is not a factor, though older candidates may want to share more about why they define themselves as early-career dance makers to provide further clarity for the panel.
• Artists should be prepared and dedicated to help steer their fellowship experience. The program’s direct financial support is meant in part to compensate Fellows for the time necessary for this commitment.
• Artists may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program for the duration of the fellowship.
• Artists should be comfortable with written and verbal communication in English. Any additional communication needs, such as ASL interpretation, will be arranged as needed throughout the program.
• Artists need access to a device and wifi for virtual communication. For applicants who do not have these resources, please email fellowship@rawdance.org and we can discuss options to access them.
• RAWdance is a contemporary dance company. This opportunity is open to dance makers based in any dance genre/form, but we want to be transparent that our direct experience and extended network are primarily within the contemporary/modern dance realm.

• July 30: Application opens
• September 4: Applications are due by 11:59pm PT
• Mid-October: Round 2 applicants will be notified
• Early November: Fellows will be announced
• Mid-November: Fellowship begins with an in-person, group cohort session in San Francisco