Fellowship Program

Black Earth Institute

Connecting earth, spirit and society through the arts

Every three years, a group of current Fellows and Board Members selects a group of up to ten new Fellows from nominations offered by current Fellows. Annually, new and outgoing Fellows gather at Brigit Rest to present their work to a supportive yet critical audience.  At annual meetings, scholar-advisors create an intellectual agenda and present relevant theoretical and applied work related to the theme.  Past areas of study have included the philosophy of George Lakov, the history of the Great Awakenings, and trophic cascades.  The work of scholars provides an intellectual underpinning for the creative work of Fellows.

Activities outside the annual meeting are varied and include presentations at conferences and congresses, media interviews, readings, and publication.  The network established among Fellows helps to extend awareness of art that combines spirituality, environmental consciousness, and a progressive and inclusive political stance.

Benefits

Fellows receive a travel grant to attend the annual Fellows meeting in Wisconsin; their Fellowship status is publicized through professional journals; they have web-based access to support materials that they can use in developing their own work.  Black Earth Institute does not specifically program the work that Fellows do during their Fellowship period, but we expect that tangible professional benefits as well as intangible spiritual ones will result.

Duties of Fellows

Attend annual meeting and present relevant work there.

Participate in setting Institute's agenda.

Participate in executing Institute's goals.

Identify self as a Fellow for the duration of the appointment.

Cooperate with other Fellows in promoting the ideas of the Institute.

Promote the work of other Fellows that relates to Institute’s ideas.

Nominate additional Fellows whose work is related to the Institute s ideas.

Seek avenues of promotion and dissemination of Institute’s ideas.

Participate in ongoing discussion between annual meetings through electronic listserv and conference calls.

Provide outreach to artists and writers of similar approach and ideas.