Hudson River Fellowship – Artistic collaboration en plein air since 2009
Summer Landscape Painting Residency
June 15 – July 3, 2026
The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Connecticut
Notification by end of March.
*We are no longer accepting applications for summer 2026.
Summer 2025 Fellows:
Agnieszka Czulowska, Andreas Klein, Benjamin Kaita, Brock Currie, Catherine McCue, Colin Cares, Cosima Kohl, Daniel Faiella, Elizabeth Ireland, Isabella Antolic-Soban, Jennifer Vogt, Juri Renko, Katya Dennison, Kelly Micca, Lukas Griffiths, Mary Jane Ward, Nathan Mellott, Ruth Zhang, Samuel Alvarez, Samuel Hoskins, Sanna Tomac and Shelton Kelly.
About the Hudson River Fellowship Program:
The Hudson River Fellowship, an extension of the teaching at New York City’s Grand Central Atelier, founded by artist Jacob Collins, is modeled after the artistic, social, and spiritual values of the Hudson River School painters. According to its mission statement:
“By bringing back the skills and spirit of the pre-Impressionist landscape painters, the program will give much-needed direction to the new generation of painters. As they learn to study carefully and reflect on the trees and clouds and blades of grass and cliffs, their paintings will become beautiful. Ideally, these artists and their beautiful representations of nature will help to lead the culture back to a stronger connection with the landscape. The fellowship seeks to make a contribution to both the art world and the conservation movement.”
The Hudson River Fellowship has become a coveted prize awarded annually to 20 classically trained, aspiring landscape painters who are invited to convene for a three week, collaborative fellowship in various stunning locations in the Northeastern United States.
Details for Artists:
Twenty fellows will live and work together for three weeks, June 15 – July 3, 2026. Artists will stay in Hotchkiss dorms and paint from life from the magnificent Hotchkiss campus, which includes hundreds of acres of wooded paths, views of Lake Wononscopomuc, the deepest natural lake in the state; and the bucolic Fairfield Farm that features orchards, livestock and stunning views of the countryside. Artists will find additional inspiration as they explore the surrounding beauty of Northwestern, Connecticut.
The Fellowship is designed to be a collaborative, exploratory experience rather than a formally instructed one. Senior Fellows will be joining throughout the three weeks and can often be found giving demos or leading group critiques. While they enjoy sharing knowledge, they are primarily invited to come make art with a group of like-minded artists.
In keeping with the aesthetic and methodological spirit of the GCA and the Hudson River Fellowship, artists are encouraged to create drawn and painted studies from life without photo reference.
Lodging & Food:
Fellows will stay in a dormitory, each assigned a single room with a lake view. Artists will dine in the school dining hall.
Travel:
Fellows are responsible for all expenses related to travel.
Fee:
A $750 participation fee due is upon acceptance and covers food and lodging for 3 weeks.
Exhibitions:
On Sunday, June 24th, Fellows may participate in an HRF Showcase & Sale on the porch of the White Hart Inn in nearby Salisbury.
Fellows will be invited to submit work for more formal, curated exhibition in New York City at the Salmagundi Club. November date TBD.
Works from photo references are not eligible for the show.
About the Application:
In addition to answering a few questions related to artistic goals and interests, artists are asked to submit 7 images with the following specifications:
Subject matter is not limited to landscapes and can include figure, cast and still life. Drawings are encouraged, particularly figure drawings. Ideally, the 7 works are drawn or painted from life and without the use of photo reference. Try to include some works created outside of class. Finally, if you are submitting a cast drawing, please include no more than one.
Apply Here!
Questions? Email: info@grandcentralatelier.org
