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SUBMIT to Creative Residency 2027

The Michigan Central Art x Newlab Creative Residency is a program designed to bridge the gap between artistic inquiry, technological advancement, and entrepreneurial innovation. Developed in partnership across Michigan Central, Newlab, and Henry Ford Health, with funds from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, this residency situates artists at the nexus of Detroit’s innovation district, fostering research, exploration, and impact across disciplines.

 

Overview

Now in its fourth year, the residency provides an experiential platform for artists, researchers, and makers to explore critical questions, develop transformative projects, and cultivate sustainable practices. Divided into two complementary tracks—Art & Tech and Art & Health—the program will select exceptional artists for a twelve-week research-based fellowship to explore and develop projects within specific thematic areas.

Each fellow-in-residence will receive:

  1. A $30,000 prize to advance their project.
  2. Access to state-of-the-art fabrication shops at Newlab Detroit and facilities across Michigan Central and/or Henry Ford Health.
  3. Project-aligned research opportunities​.
  4. Participation in a public conversation series​.
  5. External mentors support selection review​ and ongoing guidance.

Artists will be selected across two tracks:

  • Track One: Art & Tech is in partnership with Newlab and funded by the Knight Foundation. Fellows-in-residence are often at the edge of technology, data visualization, wearable tech, accessibility, and sustainability. Past Fellows-in-Residence include Simon Anton, Ash Arder, Leith Campbell, Michael Candy, Cyrah Dardas, Maro Kariya, Osman Khan, Nicolás Kisic-Aguirre, Ananda Ray, Salam Rida, Wes Taylor, and Kristina Sheufelt.
  • Track Two: Art & Health is in partnership with Newlab and Henry Ford Health. Artists embedded across wellness, care, and health tech are encouraged to apply to scale and embed their work across the art and health ecosystem in Detroit and beyond. Past Fellows include Sabrina Nelson and Chloe Pascal Crawford.

Two Sessions will frame selected Fellows' time on-site in Detroit:

  • Session One: February 8, 2027-April 30, 2027
  • Session Two: May 17, 2027-August 6, 2027 

Through storytelling, documentation, and community engagement, learnings will be shared across public programming, exhibitions, and international networks across Michigan Central, Henry Ford Health, and Newlab, and the Knight Foundation. 

A complete list of equipment available to use for Fellows on-site at Newlab Detroit is viewable here.

 

Who We're Looking For

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts across art, technology, and health. Selection criteria include:

  1. Clarity and originality of the project idea.
  2. Alignment with residency focus areas and themes.
  3. Feasibility of the project within the 12-week residency.
  4. Potential for impact and innovation.

Eligibility requirements include:

  1. Eligible to receive taxable income via a SSN, ITIN, or EIN.
  2. Applying as a single person/entity—no groups or collaborations accepted.
  3. Above the age of 25.

 

How to Apply

Applications for the Creative Residency are now open. Artists, creatives, researchers, and makers across disciplines and geographies are encouraged to apply to one or both tracks.

In an effort to shorten an applicant's time submitting, we have reduced the number of questions and words required from previous years. We encourage applicants to:

  1. Spend no more than five hours total on their application: one hour to draft, two hours to edit/receive feedback from colleagues, an hour to select sample work, and an hour to submit their final application.
  2. Draft answers in a separate document, such as Google Docs or Word, in case of accidental deletion or if their computer or internet dies unexpectedly.
  3. Write to our team (daniel.sharp@michigancentral.com) if any accessibility needs arise.

Section One: Info

  • Full Name, Professional/Chosen Name, Email, Address, Phone, Website, Bio and/or link to CV, Social Media Handles
  • Track Selection, Session Preference, Current Resident of Southeast Michigan 

Section Two: Questions

  • Project Title (10 W)
  • One Sentence Description (30 W)
  • Two Paragraph Description (300 W): explain your project in your own words. What are its goals? How do you envision engaging with community during this residency? And what are your expected outcomes while on-site?
  • One Paragraph Focus Area (150W): how does your project connect to and innovate in one of our residency tracks?
  • One Paragraph Needs (150 W): what equipment and technical assistance will you need during this residency? What has your past experience been in executing similar projects? 
  • One Paragraph Budget (200 W): provide a high-level bulleted breakdown of how you intend to allocate the $30,000 award, including stipends, materials, programs, community engagement, etc.

Section Three: Samples

  • Materials (5): include up to five additional materials that showcase your past work or support your proposal. These could be photographs, scans, audio, video, or other images. Ideally, some materials would demonstrate past work, and others would show a sketch or rendering the project you plan to realize.
  • Credit Lines (400 W): for each of your samples, write the credit line, including the work's title, medium, dimensions, and year. If applicable, include if it was shown anywhere, the names of collaborators, and a photographer's credit.

Section Four: Confirmations

  • If selected and accepted, you'll confirm you can be on-site for the duration of your Session.
  • If you used AI during your application, how did you use it? (50 W)

 

Office Hours

The residency team will host a virtual Open House on Thursday, October 8th, 2026 from 6:30-8:00pm EST to answer additional questions about the residency.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is housing and transit covered by the fellowship? No. Housing and transit are not offered as a part of this residency. Selected Fellows-in-Residence will need to source their own housing and transit while on-site.
  • What projects are not funded by the fellowship? We are not interested in funding the following types of projects: product lines startups (we encourage you to apply directly to Newlab instead); and medical research (ex. IRB-related projects).
  • What projects are ideal for the fellowship? We recommend researching our past fellows and their work to best understand the types of projects we look to support.
  • Who can apply? Individual artists above the age of 25 that are able to receive taxable U.S. Income are welcome to apply.
  • Can I upload more than five work samples? No. We highly encourage you to select up to five works. Applications that upload more—for example, three PDFs that contain 5 works each, or one 40-page slide deck that shows us more than 5 examples—will likely not be considered for the Fellowship.
  • Why don't you let groups apply? Newlab's fabrication lab is a shared resource across 200+ startups on-site. As such, we've designed each one of the Fellowships we give out to support one artist. You're welcome to apply as an individual artist who works with multiple organizations, collectives, and stakeholders; if selected, you will be the primary point of contact who will be given access and trained in the fabrication lab.
  • Is Newlab ADA compliant? Yes; Newlab is fully ADA compliant. If you have a disability and are selected, the team at Newlab will work with you to ensure you are resourced according to your needs.
  • What can I spend my funds on? The choice is yours! For example, you could cover your own artist stipend; pay other artists and collaborators to realize your project; workshops on-site; materials for your project; and more.
  • What will I need before starting? All Fellows will need to show proof of insurance, especially if they plan to use the Fabrication Lab. If you do not live in the Detroit or metro Detroit area, you will additionally need to secure your own housing and transit.
  • Do I get studio space during the residency? No, Fellows will not have a dedicated studio space, but they will have a dedicated desk space with storage in the Newlab Fabrication Shop. The desk is equipped with shelving, and additional storage is onsite dependent on the availability of space.
  • Is there an outdoor space around Newlab for residents or members to test projects that are in development? Monitored testing of works dependent on environmental engagement is allowed. However, materials can not be left unstaffed at any time. The Newlab team will be able to help with these demos once your residency has began. 
  • Am I able to work with others on-site during my Fellowship? As a part of the Fellowship experience, there will be a paid-for fabrication assistant dedicated to help realize Fellows' artworks. However, they have limited hours dedicated per Fellow. They can work directly with Fellows to gage when best to activate them during your time on-site. Because of this assistant, we do not allow other outside fabricators to help on-site.
  • What degree of completion is expected for the project by the end of the residency in December? There is no requirement for completion of a work by selected fellows. The only requirement is the participation in our public programs. We hope the resources provided within the residency can result in completed works, but we are more interested in cultivating the processes of research and development unique to your practice.  
  • Will fellows have any access to the shop or other Newlab resources after the residency concludes? The residency concludes after your three months' time on-site, and fellows should not expect access after.

 

If You Need Help

The application is available online at https://michigancentral.submittable.com. You will need to set up a free account and login information.

If you have questions regarding Submittable, head here: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/.

If you have questions that can't be answered via Submittable, reach out to Daniel Sharp at daniel.sharp@michigancentral.com.

 

AI Policy

Applicants may use AI tools for limited support (e.g., brainstorming or editing for clarity). However, final responses must be written by the applicant and reflect the applicant’s original ideas and voice. AI should not be used to generate an application in full (including the core project concept) or to produce complete responses. Submissions that appear substantially AI-generated, or that do not demonstrate authentic engagement with the prompts, may be subject to additional review. Applicants will be required to disclose AI use in the application form.

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