The School of Art at Kent State University is now accepting proposals for the 2024-25 Curlee Raven Holton & Raven Fine Art Editions Distinguished Art Fellow.  

The Curlee Raven Holton and Raven Fine Art Editions Distinguished Fellowship has been established to bring globally recognized leaders in art and the academy to the Kent State University School of Art to work with students as teachers, mentors, and critics. The Fellows' engagement will strengthen a critical link between the School of Art at Kent State and the international artistic community. Fellows will give public lectures, exhibit artwork or curate an exhibit, teach workshops, and/or participate in studio visits and critiques. Fellows' work shall be displayed in one of the School of Art Galleries during or just prior to their visit. (Gallery will be available for the fellow to install their research as a required part of the fellowship.) 

Holton Fellows shall be selected by the Gallery Committee of the School of Art through a nomination and proposal review process. Priority for inclusion shall be given to under­represented artists as well as those artists of historical importance to the school and its mission. 

 Curlee Raven Holton states “I graduated from KSU with an MFA with honors in 1990 with a focus in printmaking and went on to receive recognition as a practicing artist, educator, and administrator. I believe my wide range of diverse academic experiences at KSU, and the mentorship of my teachers, prepared me for a successful career and a strong belief in the power of collaborative engagement.”       

Curlee Raven Holton is a graduate of Kent State University, having received a Master of Fine Arts Degree. He is a printmaker and painter whose work has been exhibited professionally for over 25 years and in more than 100 shows. He taught Printmaking and African American Art History at Lafayette College in Easton, PA from 1991-2017. In addition, since 2012 he has served as Director of the University of Maryland's David C. Driskell Center, which provides an intellectual home for artists, museum professionals, and scholars who are interested in broadening the field of African diasporic studies. Curlee and Glee are making this gift to Kent State to further enrich the opportunities for students to learn from a wide variety of artists, including those from historically under-represented groups within the Arts. By focusing on underrepresented artists such as people of color and women, Curlee and his wife Glee Ivory Holton hope to "close the gap" on students' understanding of artistic communities outside of their own. 

Fellows receive:

• $5000 honorarium  

• Up to $2000 to create an edition able work of art to help support the fellowship.  

• Expenses paid – (up to three week) visit/residency to give a public lecture, meet with students, and advance their own practice at Kent State University School of Art (a requirement for the fellowship). 

•Exhibition of work in one of the School of Art Galleries. 

Application Requirements

One page exhibition proposal outlining alignment with the fellowship’s mission 

10-15 Images of work for proposed exhibition (curators and art historians may submit documentation of the artists they would like to work with and or previous curatorial projects) 

2-page CV  

Eligibility Criteria

Open to any artist working in any media.

Priority for inclusion shall be given to under­represented artists as well as those artists of historical importance to the school and its mission.