About the Creative Catalyst Fellowship
Creative Catalyst is an annual fellowship program hosted by the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund (AAPI Fund) that supports individual artist proposals that engage the public in critical issues impacting Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) across the country, that can serve as a catalyst for civic participation.
Applications for the 2026-2027 fellowship have not been announced. Join our newsletter to stay updated on the fellowship announcement.
Creative Catalyst Themes
In it Together:
All of our fates are linked. This theme is inspired by the importance of challenging stereotypes and standing firm for all of us, not just our own. For example, we recognize that the AAPI community has experienced racism and oppression but has also benefited from racism against Black people. When we support full equality for Black people, we support everyone’s chance at equality.
Belonging:
For AAPIs, belonging is about a sense of community, home, agency, and the essential right for our communities to flourish. Belonging is a counterweight to racism and violence, and can advance a vision for the inclusion and recognition of the ways AAPI communities have shaped and contributed to this country.
Voting Together:
We lead by caring about each other and putting that care into action. This theme is inspired by the importance of advocacy, voting, and becoming engaged in the issues that impact the lives of AAPIs and all of us. How will your vote show how you are caring for your community?
2025 – 2026 Creative Catalyst Fellows
The 2025 Creative Catalyst Fellowship awarded $30,000 to eight artists to produce interdisciplinary art projects that will focus on the theme of “Belonging” in mediums both eclectic and traditional, which include a museum book, nonfiction comic, animated oral history, zine-like video game, and portrait series; as well as poetry, hip hop, and documentary. This past July, the Creative Catalyst Retreat was held in Philadelphia, PA, where the fellows gathered with the local Chinatown community to learn about the power of narrative in change-making with local grassroot organizations, Asian American United, and the Asian American Community Fund of PA. Learn about the 2025-2026 fellows here.
2025 – 2026 Additional Offerings
- Included in the program is the Creative Catalyst retreat, which is an opportunity for the fellows to convene in a different city each year to deepen their understanding of critical issues impacting AAPIs across the country and connect with community work in place via an on-the-ground community visit. This offering provides a unique experience to connect their creative practices within the larger social justice movement.
- An accomplished communications consultant to place local and national news media stories about the work in connection with the work of the AAPI Fund
- Digital advertising to help promote the final products and the AAPI Fund
- Introductions to AAPI organizations that may want to use the work for charitable purposes
- Support with placement in galleries, shows, or other venues, with a priority on venues with experience in presenting art with a social justice theme to promote the work of the AAPI Fund
- Development and distribution of replicas of the final products (e.g. posters, calendars, stickers, etc.) to promote the work of the AAPI Fund
2025 – 2026 Criteria
- Individuals exhibit a high level of skill and produce art that resonates
- Has the potential to reach an audience measured in the thousands
- Has the potential to reach beyond the choir of both traditional activists and art enthusiasts
- Clearly fits one of the three themes of In It Together, Belonging, or Voting Together
- Can be accomplished within the proposed budget and timeline
Past Fellows
Poster by Lehuauakea, 2024-2025 Fellow
Drawing series by Safwat Saleem, 2024-2025 Fellow