Program Overview

The Creative Career Design Fellowship is a semester-long program for current graduate level students in arts degree programs at NYU. The cohort meets for seven sessions in the fall for workshops covering: pitching creative projects, raising money, building industry relationships, and more. In addition, each participant receives two career coaching sessions with the program facilitator. 

REQUIRED DATES AND TIMES

Full day Friday sessions can start as early as 9:30 am and end as late as 5 pm. 

    • Orientation – Wednesday, September 27th from 7pm-8:30pm
    • Session 1 – September 29th
    • Session 2 – October 6th
    • Session 3 – October 13th
    • Session 4 – October 20th
    • Session 5 – November 10th
    • Session 6 – November 17th
    • Schedule and attend 2 one-on-one pitch rehearsals with staff between November 18th and December 7th
    • Pitch Event – Friday, December 8th from 1pm – 3pm
    • Schedule 2 one-on-one career coaching appointments with the Creative Career Hub

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WHY YOU NEED THIS

Creative careers don’t come with a blueprint. There is no clear path to success and no rulebook to follow to ensure financial security.

However, the Creative Career Design Fellowship can help make you better prepared to manage the uncertainty that comes with a creative career. 

Over the course of the fall semester, students will learn the essentials of telling their story, differentiating themselves as artists, building industry relationships, and pitching their ideas.

WHAT’S REQUIRED

FULL COMMITMENT – Attendance to all sessions and events is mandatory.

COMMUNITY-MINDED ATTITUDE – Positive attitude and a commitment to the support and growth of other members of the cohort.

VIABLE CREATIVE PROJECTS – All fellows must have a creative project that they are actively working to execute over the course of the academic year.

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN

TAILORED ATTENTION –  CCDF is a fellowship that provides tailored support to  address the expressed, unique needs of NYU’s future creative professionals.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONNECTION – Students will be empowered to build a strong network of support within NYU and industry relationships outside of NYU.

KEY SKILLS – Pitching, raising money, personal finance, building relationships.

FAQs

Will this program be happening in-person or virtually?

This year we will be conducting the program virtually to accommodate students in programs that have gone remote for the fall. 

Is the fellowship open to undergraduate students? 

No. The fellowship is for current graduate students only. Students not eligible for CCDF are encouraged to sign up for the Production Lab newsletter to stay up-to-date on career focused arts programming open to undergraduates. 

Is this a free program?

Yes, there are no tuition dollars or fees associated with participation.

Can I apply with a project that I’m developing with an outside collaborator?

Yes.

Will you offer this program in the spring?

Currently, CCDF is only offered in the fall. 

When will sessions take place?

Most sessions take place on Fridays during the day online. There will be one Wednesday afternoon session and one Thursday evening session. 

How long are the sessions?

Sessions will vary in length depending on the content that needs to be covered in a given week. Fellows are asked to keep the window of time outlined above open for the program. 

What if I can’t make all the sessions?

Then this particular program may not be the best fit for you. Attendance to all CCDF sessions and events is mandatory. However, we love helping NYU artists, so if your conflicts prevent you from participating, we encourage you to choose from the numerous resources, programs, and events offered by the Lab that best align with your schedule, needs, and priorities. 

Why are you so strict with the attendance policy? 

Over the course of the semester, CCDF program leaders will make significant investments in each member’s personal career skills and their development as artists. In exchange, we ask that each student show up ready to learn, grow, and support their fellow cohort members for each session. We’ve heard from former fellows that though the time commitment seems big initially, they came to rely on that dedicated time to strategize on their creative careers. 

Is this just for Tisch students?

No. Students from all NYU schools are encouraged to apply. Previous fellows have come from  GSAS, Wagner, Tisch, and Steinhardt.

Can I apply if I am a creative in a non-arts degree program? 

Students from non-arts degree programs with creative backgrounds and viable projects may apply. However, preference will be given to arts degree students.

Must my creative project be a film?

No. Previous projects have included podcasts, art exhibition proposals, and musicals. 

Can I apply with a project I’m developing with a collaborator? 

Yes.

Is this program open to alumni?

No.