Contemporary Arts Memphis Opens Applications for Summer Fellowship Program

The CAM Summer Fellowship Program application process is open to Memphis-area students in 11th and 12th grades seeking careers in the arts

MEMPHIS, Tenn., November 1, 2022 – Contemporary Arts Memphis, the region’s first organization focused on identifying and nurturing the next generation of visual artists, announced applications opened today for its Summer Fellowship Program for rising 11th and 12th grade students in the greater Memphis area who are seeking a career in the arts. Student artists who are currently in the 10th or 11th grades may apply now through February 24, 2023 at the Contemporary Arts Memphis’ website, https://www.camsummer.org.

“I’m excited to bring this summer fellowship back for a second year,” said Derek Fordjour, CAM Founder, native Memphian, and New York based artist. “Being born and raised in Memphis, this is an opportunity to help the next generation of artists here grow in their creativity while exposing them to the experiences that expand their way of thinking.”  

The CAM Summer Fellowship Program is designed to empower artists early in their development in ways that expand their thinking, inspire ambition, and expose them to experiences that inform better decision making. The Fellowship is a no-cost four-week program open to high school students entering 11th or 12th grade in Memphis and the surrounding areas who are seeking a career in the arts. 

The competitive application process for students includes submitting a portfolio of artwork, answering a series of questions, submitting grades, and securing up to three recommendation letters. Finalists will be interviewed either in person or virtually. The 25 students chosen for CAM’s Fellowship will be notified in early April 2023.

This year’s Summer Fellowship Program will begin Sunday, June 4 and conclude Friday, June 30. 

The first three weeks of the program will be spent sleep-away style at St. Columba Retreat Center in North Memphis. Students can expect college-level instruction at the University of Memphis, specialized workshops from industry professionals, time in the studio, and peer-focused group discussions. The fourth week of the program will be spent in New York City, where Fellows will visit cultural institutions, meet working artists, tour galleries, and get a taste of NYC life. Anyone interested in learning more about CAM’s Summer Fellowship Program can do so online at https://www.camsummer.org. 

Videos:

Check out what makes the CAM Summer Fellowship special!

Photos:

Derek Fordjour (center on the ground), founder of Contemporary Arts Memphis, native Memphian and world-renowned artist, and the CAM 2022 Fellows visiting Petzel Gallery, Fordjour’s gallery, in New York City on June 30, 2022. (Courtesy: Instagram)
Photographer and artist Lorna Simpson (right) and Derek Fordjour (right) teaching students at Simpson’s studio in Brooklyn, New York. (Courtesy: Instagram)
Contemporary Arts Memphis Summer 2022 Fellows work on their art. (Courtesy: Contemporary Arts Memphis)

Find CAM Online:

https://www.camsummer.org/

ABOUT CAM:

Contemporary Arts Memphis (CAM) is the Mid-South’s first nonprofit focused on identifying and nurturing the next generation of contemporary artists. CAM is a 501l3 founded in 2021 by native Memphian and New York based artist Derek Fordjour. CAM’s mission is to empower young artists from under-resourced Memphis-area public high schools by offering mentorship, education, travel, and partnership with professional artists and models to student artists participating in the CAM Summer Fellowship Program. This program’s long-range goal is to build a rich, vibrant contemporary arts scene in Memphis and help spur the city’s creative growth.