Eliza Moore Fellowship & Interdisciplinary Residency Program at Oak Spring Garden Foundation

he Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is now accepting applications for the 2024 Eliza Moore Fellowship for Artistic Excellence, and the Interdisciplinary Residency Program. These funded programs provide artists, writers, ecologists, humanities scholars, and others, time and space to work on their creative projects while living in a supportive community in a bucolic setting.

OSGF's Eliza Moore Fellow and Interdisciplinary Residents are selected based on their work’s alignment with OSGF’s mission. There is no fee to apply, and the application can be accessed here.

Founded in 2016, the mission of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is to “perpetuate and share the gifts of Rachel (“Bunny”) Lambert Mellon, including her residence, garden, estate and the Oak Spring Garden Library, to serve the public interest. OSGF is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on the history and future of plants, including the culture of gardens and landscapes and the importance of plants for human well-being.”

The Eliza Moore Fellowship is awarded annually to one outstanding early-career artist whose work shows remarkable promise to contribute to a deeper understanding of our natural world and humankind's place in it. The award includes a 10,000 USD individual grant, and a two to five-week residency at the Oak Spring estate in Upperville, Virginia. The Eliza Moore Fellow will be asked to complete their residency when there are Interdisciplinary Residents, or other residents on-site with whom they can engage.

The Interdisciplinary Residency is awarded annually to about 40 individuals who may be in early-career, mid-career, or established in their field. Interdisciplinary Residents join a cohort of four to eight other individuals for either two weeks or five weeks. A two-week Interdisciplinary Residency includes an 800 USD individual grant, and a five-week Interdisciplinary Residency includes a 2,000 USD individual grant. Each cohort will arrive and depart on the same day, and they will have organized events including introductory tours and a few weekly communal meals prepared by OSGF’s Chef Jason Neve.

Residents and fellows are housed in nicely appointed shared accommodations where they will have a private bedroom and bathroom, and share a living room and kitchen with one to three other residents. We seek Residents and Fellows who are courteous, and community-minded.

Residents and fellows will have ample time to work independently on their own projects, and there will be a number of optional opportunities to engage with OSGF’s resources. This will include optional volunteer hours at OSGF’s Formal Garden, designed by our founder Rachel “Bunny” Lambert Mellon, volunteer hours at our Biocultural Conservation Farm, and access to the walking trails across OSGF’s 700-acre landscape.

Residents and fellows will also be able to make appointments to visit the Oak Spring Garden Library during staff hours (8 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday). The Oak Spring Garden Library holds over 19,000 objects including rare books and manuscripts. This special resource includes many historical examples of botanical art and illustration.

There is one application process for the 2024 Eliza Moore Fellowship and the Interdisciplinary Residency. Individuals who are unsure if they meet the requirements for the Eliza Moore Fellowship are encouraged to apply and to ask to be considered for the Interdisciplinary Residency if they are not selected.

There is no fee to apply and applications are due May 31, 2023, at 11:59 pm EST. Applications will be reviewed by OSGF staff and program alumni. External selection committees of relevant professionals will select the 2024 Eliza Moore Fellow, and 2024 Interdisciplinary Residents.

To learn more, please reach out to the Director of Art and Residential Programs, Danielle Eady, at [email protected].