Each June, NXTHVN welcomes up to seven artists, two curators, and eight New Haven high school students to its annual Fellowship and Apprenticeship programs. Through a proprietary curriculum that focuses on mentorship, professional development, and skills training, members of the cohort cultivate their individual practices within a collaborative, community-driven context. Each fellow mentors a local high school apprentice, providing them with hands-on instruction in studio and curatorial practices. Through active participation in NXTHVN’s year-long programs, early-career artists and curators make the personal strides and interpersonal connections that advance their careers.

NXTHVN’s year-long Fellowships provide:

- a generous stipend disbursed quarterly throughout the Fellowship year, which runs from early June to late May
- optional, partially-subsidized housing in Dixwell, New Haven
- dedicated work and/or studio space with 24-hour access
- monthly professional development workshops facilitated by field experts
- culminating exhibition and catalogue organized by curatorial fellows and featuring work by studio fellows
- opportunity to design and participate in artist-led projects and public programming
- vocabulary and skills for navigating the art market that often go untaught in MFA programs

Expectations include:

- completing the entire 11-month residency program
- relocation to New Haven
- spending at least five hours per week mentoring a high school apprentice