The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) and Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) have opened applications for the 2026 Aminah Robinson Artist Residency, a national program offering a $15,000 stipend and a 90-day stay at the Columbus home and studio of the late artist Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. The residency runs September 1 through November 30, 2026 in Columbus’s Shepard neighborhood.

The program is open to African American visual artists who are U.S. permanent residents, age 18 or older, with a demonstrated exhibition history. Eligible disciplines include painting, sculpture, photography, fiber arts, wood carving, and other two- and three-dimensional visual media. Applicants are expected to create work rooted in storytelling and cultural tradition, reflecting the legacy of Robinson, a MacArthur Fellow whose artwork drew on African American history and her Columbus community. Franklin County residents are not eligible for this track; a separate local fellowship program exists for them.

Applications opened March 2, 2026 and closed March 31. Finalists will be notified on May 8, 2026. The residency award is paid in two installments — 75 percent upon signing the residency agreement and 25 percent upon submission of a final report. Selection is made by a jury of community representatives, CMA staff, and national artists and curators, with criteria including artistic excellence, innovative use of medium, and connection to Robinson’s aesthetic and values.

Aminah Robinson (1935–2015) was one of Columbus’s most celebrated artists. Her home, which will serve as the residency site, was designated a Columbus Landmark in 2017 and houses her archive and studio materials. The GCAC has administered the residency program in partnership with CMA for multiple years as part of its broader support for individual artists in central Ohio.

Source: Greater Columbus Arts Council