The Artivist Fellowship: Young Artists for Change
Scholarships deadline: 30th June (Sunday) / Final deadline: 4th August (Sunday) /Group interviews: 25th August (Sunday)
Founded in 2016, Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) aims to increase the participation of young people in the policymaking process and build their capacity to lead change. Our interventions are designed to equip citizens with a better understanding of the society they live in and the challenges that it confronts. The aim is to help young people broaden their perspective, think critically about their socio-political construct, tap their leadership potential and acquire skills to create long lasting impact.
As an incubator for the future generation of leaders, the YLAC Artivist Fellowship is a unique platform for creative teenagers to use the power of art to mobilize change.
Whether in the form of an introspective piece of writing, a touching chord of music, or a striking painting, art can be a powerful medium to evoke emotion, encourage reflection and inspire change in behaviour. Through the Artivist Fellowship, YLAC aims to harness this potential of art and combine it with the power of advocacy to make the world a better place.
The Artivist Fellowship represents a revitalized rendition of YLAC’s prestigious Counter Speech Fellowship (CSF). Over a period of 6 years, CSF empowered 1300+ young artists across 60 cities in India, harnessing their exceptional creativity to raise awareness and shape a brighter world. The Artivist Fellowship builds on this legacy, offering a more profound and immersive experience to explore selected themes and curate groundbreaking campaigns.
Applications to the 2024 editions of the Artivist Fellowship are now open. This year the fellowship will be run in two formats – a hybrid edition (with in-person sessions in Delhi) and a fully virtual edition. All high school students in grades 8th to 12th are eligible to participate. Please see the details below and apply.
Fellowship Themes for 2024
The 2024 fellowship will focus on three themes: Climate Justice, Disability Rights and Gender Justice. To understand what the themes entail, please click on the links below:
Climate Justice
This theme aims to address the unequal burden of climate change, highlighting the need for fair and inclusive solutions that prioritize the most vulnerable populations. The fellows will delve into the interplay between human activities, climate change and social justice. They will explore the impacts of climate change on marginalized communities, advocate for sustainable lifestyles and strive for equitable solutions that prioritize the well-being of both people and the planet.
Disability Rights
The focus of this theme is on promoting equal opportunities, accessibility and social inclusion for individuals with disabilities. Fellows will work towards eliminating discrimination and barriers that hinder full participation and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The goal is to foster empathy, understanding and support for individuals with disabilities, enabling them to live with dignity and participate fully in all aspects of life. By running awareness campaigns and reaching out to stakeholders for dismantling barriers, the fellows will challenge preconceived notions to foster a society that embraces diversity and empowers people of all abilities to fully participate and thrive.
Gender Justice
The Gender Justice theme is dedicated to promoting equality and inclusivity for all genders. This theme aims to foster each fellow’s capacity to understand the importance of exploring gender norms and stereotypes through a critical perspective. Fellows will advocate for dismantling the barriers of gender based prejudice and promote awareness, empathy and respect for diverse genders and sexualities through their campaigns.
During the course of the fellowship, the Artivist Fellows will design campaigns to build awareness on the identified themes and advocate for changes. This may include on-ground initiatives within their school or local community as well as online social media interventions. You can see examples of the work done by previous fellows here.
Fellowship Structure
Oct – Nov 2024
The Artivist Fellowship is scheduled to run from 6th October to 17th November. The overall duration of the fellowship is six weeks and its schedule can be easily accommodated alongside regular school work and examinations.
Multiple cohorts of the fellowship will be run in parallel – one cohort will run in hybrid mode with both offline and online sessions in the city of Delhi, and one/ two cohort(s) will be run completely online (all sessions via Zoom). The schedule for all cohorts will be the same – with workshop sessions over the weekend and mentorship check-ins on Wednesday evenings.
At the start of the fellowship, each fellow will be allocated a theme and assigned to work with a team of 4-5 other fellows. On average, a fellow is expected to commit ~15 hours per week to the fellowship. This includes workshop sessions and mentorship check-ins, as well as time spent in working with team members to build art based local campaigns on the assigned theme.
Schedule
Oct – Nov 2024 (Indian Standard Time)
For the Delhi edition of the fellowship, the in-person workshop sessions will be run at the YLAC office in Lajpat Nagar. For the online editions, all sessions will be run online via Zoom.
1.Curtain Raiser
Sunday 6th Oct
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Sessions
How can art lead to social change?
Introduction to fellowship themes
2. Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 9th Oct
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
3. Building Powerful Campaigns
Sunday 13th Oct
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Sessions
Art of developing public narratives
Guest speaker
4.Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 16th Oct
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
5. Mapping Progress
Sunday 20th Oct
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Sessions
Progress updates and feedback
Sharing experiences of execution
6.Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 23rd Oct
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
7.Designing For Scale
Sunday 27th Oct
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Sessions
Mini art showcase
Using community mobilization to scale your campaign
Guest speaker
8.Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 30th Oct
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
9.Break For Diwali
Sunday 3rd Nov
10.Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 6th Nov
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
11. Setting The Stage For Lasting Impact
Sunday 10th Nov
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Sessions
Measuring impact
Creating change that lasts
Guest speaker
12. Mentorship Check-In
Wednesday evening 13th Nov
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM IST
Location: Online for all editions, including Delhi
13. Fellowship Closing
Sunday 17th Nov
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM IST
Location: In-person for the Delhi edition; Zoom for the online editions
Pillars of the Fellowship
During the six-week-long fellowship, fellows will run campaigns to generate momentum for change while focusing on the three core pillars of the fellowship: Awareness, Support and Advocacy.
Awareness
Building awareness is the first step in any campaign. It starts with educating oneself, conversing with others and removing taboos. To this end, fellows will leverage both online and offline channels to engage with others and create content to build greater awareness on their theme.
Support
The fellowship themes are issues that many young people deal with on a daily basis. Any call for change must therefore begin with empathy and an extension of support to those who have been adversely affected. As part of their work, fellows will develop online and offline interventions to lend support to those who need it the most.
Advocacy
The fellowship is a powerful platform for teenagers to reach out to key decision makers such as community leaders, educators and parents to get their opinions heard and ask for better support systems for themselves and their communities. Therefore, the fellows will also work with their teams to come up with innovative solutions and build support for these solutions among decision makers.
Selection Process & Deadlines
In our Artivist fellows, we look for passionate, spirited, creative, empathetic and committed teen leaders who wish to see the world as a more inclusive and kind place. There are no prerequisites in terms of fields of study. The final evaluation of applicants is based on their responses to the questions in a short application form and their performance during an informal interview.
The selection process constitutes two rounds:
Round I: Written Application – to be submitted via the website
Round II: Shortlisted candidates are called for group interviews. This is an informal interaction conducted offline (for offline cohorts)/ on zoom (for online cohorts).
Please mark the following dates in your calendar:
Scholarships deadline: 30th June (Sunday)
Final deadline: 4th August (Sunday)
Group interviews: 25th August (Sunday)
Please note that candidates applying for scholarships must adhere to an earlier deadline. Both their program and scholarship applications should reach us on or before 30th June 2024.
Fees & Scholarships
Fees Rs. 10,000 (+ GST @18%)
To make the program self-sustaining, we charge a fee to cover the operating costs of the program. This fee is payable only after an applicant has been selected into the program.
Scholarships
We recognize that all deserving candidates may not have the means to fund their participation. To support such candidates, we are committed to offering need-based scholarships.
For the Artivist Fellowship, YLAC will offer scholarships worth 50% to 100% of the program fee to the selected candidates. To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must submit an additional essay explaining how they plan to use the learning from the program and why they need a scholarship to attend. They must also submit a short letter of recommendation from a teacher at school.
You are requested to apply for the scholarship only if you need the financial support to attend. You may apply here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is this fellowship?
The Artivist Fellowship is an exceptional opportunity for creative teenagers to use their skills to help make the world a better place. The fellowship seeks to leverage the power of art and storytelling to give teenagers a platform to voice their opinions and advocate for changes in the society that they live in. The goal is to use art to generate awareness, build empathy and change mindsets to create a world that is inclusive and kind.
- Why has it been instituted?
Amidst the boundless potential of art and the resounding voice of youth, this fellowship emerges as a catalyst for transformative change. We believe in the power of art to shape narratives and kindle movements. By equipping young individuals with the tools to harness their creative skills, we aim to raise awareness on critical issues and reach a wider audience, fostering a world that celebrates diversity, supports marginalized communities and amplifies the voices that need to be heard the most.
- Am I eligible to apply?
If you are studying in a school in grades 8th-12th, or are being home-schooled, and are between 13 to 18 years of age, you are eligible to apply. Students who are 18 years of age but have already completed school are not eligible.
- What are the selection criteria?
We look for passionate and creative teen leaders who wish to see the world as a more inclusive and kind place. There are no prerequisites in terms of fields of study. The final evaluation of applicants is based on their responses to the questions in a short application form and their performance in a group interview.
- How many fellows are selected?
The fellowship is designed to be extremely selective, with admit rates between 20-25%. We usually select 25-40 fellows for each cohort. In 2024, we will be running multiple cohorts in parallel – one in Delhi and 1-2 cohorts online.
- How long is the fellowship?
The fellowship is a six week commitment. After the fellowship launch, fellows meet every week for a couple of hours for skilling and mentorship sessions. Applicants are advised to refer to the detailed calendar here.
- How much time will I commit?
On average, a student is expected to commit about 15 hours per week. This includes the online/offline workshop sessions and mentorship check-ins, as well as time spent in curating and implementing the campaign for the allocated theme.
- Do I take leave from school?
No, there is no need for you to take leave from school. All workshop/ mentorship sessions are scheduled either on weekends or late in the evening on weekdays.
- Do I have to pay a fee?
The Artivist Fellowship is a paid program, requiring selected participants to pay a fee of INR 10,000 (+ GST @18%). This fee is instrumental in building a self-sustaining program and covering necessary expenses.
Having said that, we recognize that all deserving candidates may not have the means to fund their participation in the program. To support such candidates, YLAC is committed to offering need-based scholarships.
- Is there an orientation?
The YLAC team conducts a training and orientation session for the fellows on the first day of the fellowship. This session has been designed to give the fellows an overview of what the Artivist Fellowship has in store for them. The session is also meant to help them understand how they can contribute and what their roles and responsibilities are during and after the fellowship.
- Who facilitates the sessions?
The sessions are facilitated by the YLAC team. During the course of the fellowship, a number of external speakers, influencers, policy makers and other guests are also invited to conduct specific sessions with the fellows. They engage and interact with the fellows on the identified issues and themes.
- Do I get a certificate?
Yes, fellows are given a certificate of completion at the end of the fellowship and those who demonstrate leadership and curate successful campaigns are duly recognized.
- Is attendance compulsory?
Yes, attendance at the sessions is mandatory. Since fellows are required to work in groups, the absence of any fellow is a disadvantage to their team. Please check the schedule carefully to ensure your availability. Feel free to write to us at office(at)theylacproject.com in case you have any queries.
- What is the refund policy?
In case any unforeseen circumstances prevent you from joining the program, you can request our office to initiate the refund process. YLAC will refund 100% of your payment if the request is received 30 days before the beginning of the program. For requests received 15 days before the program, the refund amount shall be 50% of the payment received. YLAC shall not be able to issue any refunds in case the intimation reaches us at a shorter notice.
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