MacDowell, the nation’s first artist residency program, will feature 149 Fellows in its 2025/26 Fall Winter session.

This cohort includes artists from seven disciplines, representing 25 states and Washington D.C., as well as 16 countries. The incoming group of Fellows representing classical voice composers are Paul Brantley, Marti Epstein, as well as Matthew Barnson, Kai-Young Chan, Eric Chasalow, Michael Fiday, John Fitz Rogers, YoungJun Lee, Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, Paul Novak, Sami Seif, Benjamin Webster, and Beth Wiemann.

These artists will arrive at MacDowell’s historic campus in Peterborough, New Hampshire between Sept. 2025 and Feb. 2026, each with an average stay of four weeks. During their time at MacDowell, Fellows are granted the gift of uninterrupted focus, supported by a private studio, comfortable accommodations, and three thoughtfully prepared meals each day. Residencies may last up to six weeks.

The 149 artists were selected from a highly competitive pool of 1,697 applicants, with an acceptance rate of just 9 percent. Fellows were chosen solely based on the artistic excellence of their work, as evaluated by independent panels of discipline specific experts.

MacDowell’s Executive Director Chiwoniso Kaitano shared in a press release, “I am, as always, delighted to announce this latest group of MacDowell Fellows. These extraordinary artists, whose work spans a wide array of disciplines, embody the diverse and vital role of the arts in our culture. Each year, MacDowell gets to experience and support the innovative work our Fellows create while in residence. We look forward to welcoming this season of Fellows whose work challenges conventions, expands perspectives, and demonstrates the transformative power of the creative mind.”

The next application deadline, for the Spring Summer 2026 season, is Sept. 10.

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