Fellowship for Black Artists
Designed to fund, foster, and elevate the important work of emerging Black artists residing within the city of Philadelphia.
A cornerstone initiative of Mural Arts Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists was founded in 2020 to uplift emerging artists living and working in the city. The Fellowship supports creative practice and professional agency while cultivating a vibrant community of contemporaries, artists who learn, build, and grow alongside one another.
Over the course of ten months, the Fellowship offers mentorship, skill-building, and professional development. Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend paid out over the course of the fellowship, made possible by the generous support of TD Bank, whose partnership reflects a commitment to artists’ growth, success, and well-being.
The Fellowship supports artists through a range of programs and activities including:
- Professional headshots
- A wellness retreat
- Early professional development workshops
- Financial literacy workshops led by TD Bank
- Guest lectures and networking opportunities with arts professionals
- Regional arts and culture field trips
- A culminating public exhibition showcasing Fellows
2026 Application is now open and closes Monday, March 23, 2026 11:59 p.m.
The Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists video on Youtube
The Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artist is presented by TD Bank
Fellowship Highlights
Annual Fellowship Exhibition
Our Annual Exhibition showcases the talents of the current cohort and invites our great city to explore their work.
Networking
The Cohort's focus on professional development and fostering creative connections through a network of arts leaders and cultural institutions in the Philadelphia region is a fantastic way to empower artists and cultural practitioners.
Wellness Retreat
Our wellness retreat centers rest, creating intentional space away from production pressures, allowing artists to reconnect with themselves, one another, and their creative practices.
Our Fellowship Program celebrates the talent of the artist while focusing on building essential pipelines for burgeoning art careers through mentorship, professional development, and long-term creative connections.
Who we are
This committee is committed to removing barriers to access and nurturing artists talent. Providing resources, mentorship, and opportunities, empower artists to contribute their voices and visions to the evolving fabric of Philadelphia. This commitment to accessibility aligns with our belief that artists deserve a place in shaping their city's cultural landscape.
Ginger Rudolph
she/her/hers
Co-Curator &
Program Director
Ginger is a cuator and arts consultant serving as an active leader in Philadelphia’s artist community, working at the intersection of curation, public art, and arts advocacy.
Rudolph also serves as Lead Panelist for Design Review at Mural Arts Philadelphia, where she helps shape equitable, artist-centered public art practices. She is also a board member of The Rail Park, a historic railway transformed into a linear park that enriches Philadelphia’s health, culture, and ecology.
Noah Smalls
Him/he/his
Co-Curator
Director of Exhibitions and Collections Management at the Williams College Museum Of Art
Noah Smalls is an exhibition designer, gallery director, consultant and artist, as well as Gallery Director of Rush Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Shivon Love
she/her/hers
Cultural Strategist
Shivon Pearl Love is a cultural strategist, preservationist and educator, based in Philadelphia. She works as an arts administrator and cultural producer, connecting artists and organizations to resources and opportunities. Shivon has held leadership roles within several Philadelphia institutions, cultivating relationships and resources, building organizational and community capacity, resilience and self- determination.
Donnell Powell
Him/he/his
Project Manager, Community Murals,
Mural Arts Philadelphia
Steven CW Taylor
Him/he/his
Photographer,
Former Fellow
Steven CW Taylor, also known as “The Time Thief,” is an award-winning visual artist and photographer based in Philadelphia. Having spent a pivotal decade in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (DMV), Steven initially ventured into the field as a youth correctional officer before making a dramatic career shift. He honed his skills as a software engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton from 2005 to 2021, pioneering remote work since 2011. Despite his successful tech career, his undeniable artistic calling led him to pick up a GoPro and delve into photography in 2014 at the age of 32.
Learn more below!
Directory of Fellows
Each year, the Philadelphia Black Artists Fellowship grows and adapts, mirroring the evolving social landscape of Philadelphia and the needs of its artistic community. By listening closely to the voices of both emerging and established Black artists in the city, the fellowship dynamically reshapes its programming to respond to new social, cultural, and economic realities.
