Applications are now open for the ACC Creative Fellowship

The inaugural ACC Creative Fellowship is a six-month program for emerging conservative creatives ready to turn great ideas into real-world impact. Fellows will work alongside ACC’s communications team, learn from industry professionals, complete hands-on projects, and receive funding to bring an ambitious idea to life.

Whether you’re an artist, designer, writer, filmmaker, photographer, content creator, or storyteller, this fellowship is designed to help you grow as a creative leader.

Program at a glance:

  • Duration: late September 2026 – early April 2027
  • Stipend: $1,000
  • Format: Virtual cohort sessions, one-on-one mentorship, guest speakers, and independent project work
  • Cohort size: 4-5 fellows
apply today

What You’ll Do

LEARN CREATIVE STRATEGYDevelop a deeper understanding of audience research, storytelling, branding, creative concept development, pitching ideas, and how creative work drives movement building.
COMPLETE REAL CREATIVE BRIEFSWork through a series of hands-on creative briefs inspired by real communications challenges at ACC.
LEARN FROM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALSHear directly from designers, brand builders, strategists, and communications professionals working across advocacy, politics, and media.
BUILD A FUNDED CAPSTONE PROJECTDevelop and execute one substantial creative project that responds to a real community need while advancing ACC’s mission– with mentorship and project funding every step of the way.
GRADUATE WITH REAL EXPERIENCELeave the fellowship with 5+ portfolio-ready projects, a polished capstone case study, practical experience leading creative work from concept through execution, and more.

APPLY TODAY

We’re looking for 4-5 emerging creatives who are ready to apply their skills to conservation and advocacy while building a meaningful, portfolio-ready work alongside ACC’s communications department.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 9th, with finalist interviews taking place shortly afterward. The fellowship begins late September 2026 and concludes early April 2027, including a planned winter recess in December.

Before you begin, you’ll want to have a shareable link to a portfolio of your creative work ready.

Section 1 | About You

Name(Required)
Address(Required)

Section 2 | Your Creative Work

What best describes your primary creative discipline?(Required)
(Select all that apply)
Please provide a link to your portfolio containing 3–5 examples of your strongest work. We’re looking for originality, curiosity, and strong creative instincts.

Section 3 | Short Responses

Tell us what draws you to creative work, advocacy, and this opportunity.
There isn’t a right or wrong answer. We’re interested in how you think about creativity, beauty, learning, and the role they play in shaping people and communities. Please respond to the following quote: “This willingness continually to revise one’s own location in order to place oneself in the path of beauty is the basic impulse underlying education. One submits oneself to other minds (teachers) in order to increase the chance that one will be looking in the right direction when a comet makes its sweep through a certain patch of sky.” — Elaine Scarry, On Beauty and Being Just
Tell us about something in your community you believe could be improved, communicated differently, celebrated, or given greater attention. What makes it worth noticing?

Section 4 | Fellowship Commitment

Are you available to participate in the fellowship from late September 2026 through early April 2027 (including a planned winter recess in December)?(Required)
Before you submit(Required)

Great movements do not rely on good policy alone; they need great storytellers, designers, filmmakers, writers, and creators. The ACC Creative Fellowship exists to help develop the next generation of conservative creative talent.